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Those Who Deliver | Next Gen Executive | HIghway Angels
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION o f t h e Truckload Carriers Association
May/JUne 2024
Benchmarking Success | 18
TCA’s Profitability Program helps carriers survive,
even thrive, regardless of market conditions
Tired of Waiting | 20
Will FMCSA’s latest study of driver
detention generate results?
A foundation for
Success
TCA Chairman John Culp shares thoughts on
industry issues, goals for the year | 24
How MUCH is
TOO Much? | 8
Electrification of the trucking
industry has a price tag of at
least $1 trillion

2 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
Impacting the Industry
As I reflect on the remarkable gathering we had in late March at the
Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) annual convention, I am filled with
immense pride and gratitude for our resilient community. This event not only
brought us together, but it also shone a light on the collective efforts and
individual contributions that drive our industry forward.
We were privileged to honor individuals and their companies who
have dedicated years of service and leadership. Dave Williams, our TCA
chairman for the past year, has been exemplary in his role, steering us
through challenges with insight and determination. His ability to connect
and communicate effectively has been instrumental in identifying and
implementing practical solutions for our industry.
Jim Ward
President
Truckload Carriers Association
jward@truckload.org
We also recognized our members who have stepped into leadership roles
on committees, task forces, and through their industry engagement have helped to recruit new members
into the association. Their leadership truly guides everything we do within the walls of the TCA.
This uptick in engagement is crucial as we continue to grow our membership value proposition
through expanded resources and educational initiatives, like the integration of NATMI certification
materials into our TCA course offerings and the introduction of our new online learning platform.
These enhancements not only increase accessibility, but they also enrich our members’ professional
development.
The launch of the Elevate program highlights our commitment to nurturing the next generation of
industry leaders. With the support of Tenstreet, this initiative promises to cultivate the next generation of
leaders within our industry.
Our advocacy efforts have been robust, with strategic alignments and active participation in
legislative discussions that shape our industry. The recent study from the Clean Freight Coalition on the
electrification of the trucking industry underlines our commitment to environmental stewardship and
active collaboration with lawmakers and regulators to that end.
In closing, I want to extend my deepest thanks to all who attended and contributed to the success of
our annual meeting. Your continued engagement and feedback are vital as we strive to provide value
and support to every member of our community. I look forward to the opportunities and challenges
that lie ahead, confident that together, we will continue to drive our industry forward.
Jim Ward
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 3

THE
R
O
AD
M
A
P
PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
MAY/JUNE 2024
Impacting the Industry with Jim Ward | 3
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
No ‘Cure-All’ | 6
How Much Is Too Much? | 8
Capitol Recap | 10
TRACKING THE TRENDS
Retaining Training | 16
Benchmarking Success | 18
Tired of Waiting | 20
Know What You’re Paying For | 22
A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
Foundation for Success with John Culp | 24
TALKING TCA
Those Who Deliver
with Modern Transportation | 30
Next Gen Executives with Jason Douglass | 32
Outstanding Contributions | 34
More Than a Catchphrase | 35
Safe Drivers = Safer Roads | 36
Photographs & Memories | 38
Drivers Making a Difference | 40
Elevate Class of ’24 | 42
Champions Club | 42
TCA Profitability Program | 44
New Members | 46
Looking Forward | 46
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Phone: (703) 838-1950
Fax: (703) 836-6610
www.truckload.org
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
John Culp, President, Maverick Transportation
PRESIDENT
Jim Ward
jward@truckload.org
VP-MEMBERSHIP OUTREACH
Zander Gambill
zgambill@truckload.org
MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
Eric Rivard
erivard@truckload.org
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR
Sarah Hammons
shammons@truckload.org
DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS
MANAGER
Hunter Livesay
hlivesay@truckload.org
FIRST VICE CHAIR
Karen Smerchek, President
Veriha Trucking, Inc.
SECRETARY
Mark Seymour
President/CEO
Kriska Transportation Group
VICE CHAIR TO ATA
Ed Nagle, President
Nagle Toledo, Inc.
Adam Blanchard, CEO
Double Diamond Transport
Amber Edmondson
President/CEO
Trailiner Corp.
The viewpoints and opinions quoted in articles in this
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TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 5

Government affairs
NO
‘CURE-ALL’
Drug & Alcohol
Clearinghouse reports
highlight needs but
offer few solutions
By Cliff Abbott
When it comes to Congressional action, movement is
often excruciatingly slow.
“Unfortunately, it is rather stagnant up there” is
a comment that could have come from a variety of
sources regarding any number of issues awaiting resolution
on Capitol Hill.
In this case, the comment comes from David Heller, senior
vice president of safety and government affairs for the
Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), and the topic is drug
and alcohol testing for commercial drivers.
The admission of oral fluid and hair follicle testing are two
issues that concern Heller. He was involved in the implementation
of last year’s oral fluid testing rulemaking by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and
the addition of hair follicle testing to programs approved by
the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
“Certainly, oral fluid testing would be a win-win for the
industry,” Heller said. “We have a rule that went into place in
June, but we still don’t have two laboratories that have been
certified to move forward on this testing mechanism.
“We as an industry continue to wait on government interaction,
and it’s just not happening,” he continued.
Through conversations with TCA membership, Heller has
found that increasing numbers of motor carriers are using
hair follicle testing for controlled substances.
“I think you’re starting to see hair follicle testing trickled
down to mid-sized carriers because of the success that
large carriers have had in implementing this type of program,”
he said.
Yet another leadership change at the FMCSA hasn’t improved
the situation, according to Heller. Acting Administrator
Robin Hutcheson left the agency in January and was
replaced by Executive Director and Chief Safety Officer Sue
Lawless, who addressed TCA members during the association’s
annual convention in March.
In December 2023, the FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
completed its fourth year of operations. Monthly reports
show the total number of Clearinghouse queries, both full and
limited, has grown each year of the program’s existence.
In 2023, a total of 7,134,622 Clearinghouse queries were
conducted. Of those queries, 2,701,444 were full inquiries
for pre-employment purposes. Pre-employment queries
grew by 4.8% from 2022 levels and total queries by 2.7%.
Also rising were the number of drug violations reported.
In 2023, a total of 68,229 violations were reported, representing
a new high. In an interesting twist, however, the
number of positive drug screens actually declined by 5.4%,
down from 57,597 in 2022 to 54,464 in 2023. This is an indication
that increased numbers of specimens were positive
for more than one controlled substance.
While it may seem strange that positive test results declined
while overall violations increased, the difference lies
in the number of test refusals.
In 2023, 12,804 driver refusals to test were reported.
That’s 18% of the year’s total violations. Each year from
2020-2022, the refusal to test rate hovered around 12%.
When only random drug tests are considered, the number
of refusals in 2023 climbed to 21% of all reported violations.
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Heller believes the increased refusals may be evidence that
the Clearinghouse is having its intended effect.
“(Offenders) know that they won’t be allowed to get behind
the wheel, and they choose to find other work,” he said.
The percentage of positive test results attributable to marijuana
(cannabis) has increased each year of the Clearinghouse, reaching
61.3% in 2023. That’s likely a result of the progression of jurisdictions
that have legalized marijuana for recreational or medical use
or have decriminalized its possession or use. The increase in marijuana
use may also help explain the increased number of refusals to
test that the Clearinghouse reported in 2023.
In his State of the Union address on March 6, President Joe
Biden reiterated his October 2022 comments made regarding issuing
a pardon proclamation for thousands of Americans convicted
in federal court of marijuana possession.
“No one should be in jail just for using or possessing
marijuana,” Biden said. An administration-prompted review in
2022 resulted in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
recommendation, issued in August 2023, that cannabis be moved
to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act.
Another drug that captured an increased percentage of positive
drug screens in 2023 was cocaine. According to Clearinghouse
reports, 16.8% of positives reported were due to
the drug. Unlike marijuana, there is not a nationwide effort to
decriminalize cocaine; however, another testing trend could be
impacting its use.
Opioids such as hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone,
and oxymorphone have been in the news in recent years as
abuse of these prescription drugs reached epidemic proportions.
As of November 2023, 38 states had enacted restrictions
on the prescribing of opioids. In 2022, the Centers for Disease
Control revamped its previous guidance, issuing new guidelines
for the dispensing of opioids, influencing the policymaking of
legislatures and health organizations.
The four opioids mentioned above were responsible for 8.5%
of all positive results reported to the Clearinghouse in 2020.
That rate has fallen each year, with 2023 results showing the
lowest total number of positives yet with a positive rate of 6.0%.
Positive results for other forms of opioids such as morphine, codeine,
and 6-acetylmorphine have remained relatively constant.
Methamphetamine has also experienced declines in positive
testing, dropping to 7.3% of all positive results reported to the
Clearinghouse in 2023.
One possible cause for the decline in positive results for opioids
and methamphetamine is the increased presence of fentanyl,
which may soon be added to the DOT testing regimen.
In the meantime, it seems many commercial drivers with positive
test results recorded in the Clearinghouse prefer to choose
a new career rather than comply with federal regulations. Of the
226,598 drivers found with at least one violation since the Clearinghouse
became active, 158,330 — that’s 70% — remain in
prohibited status. On top of that, 120,676 (53.2%) have not even
begun the return-to-duty process.
This could be an indication that efforts to solve the issue of
substance abuse will impact another problem cited by many
motor carriers — a shortage of qualified drivers.
In the meantime, it seems, the trucking industry is stuck waiting
in line, hoping for a “prescription” that will cure all ills.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 7

Government affairs
How MUCH
is TOO Much?
Electrification of the
trucking industry has a price
tag of at least $1 trillion
By John Worthen
The cost of fully electrifying the trucking industry is staggering.
There’s a lot more to consider than simply the cost of new
vehicles — which is considerable in itself. The nation will need
to build a network of charging stations that’s capable of powering
thousands of heavy commercial vehicles each day.
A recent study, commissioned by the Clean Freight Coalition (CFC)
and conducted by Roland Berger, reveals that creating a sufficiently
dense long-haul charging network would require an initial investment
of at least $57 billion investment by fuel retailers.
To electrify all medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, fleets and
charge point operators will need to invest $620 billion into chargers,
site infrastructure, and utility service costs, the study notes.
These figures are swirling around the trucking industry, creating
a firestorm of debate.
That’s because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
on Friday, March 29, released strict new emissions standards for
heavy-duty trucks, buses, and other large vehicles. Officials say
the new standards will help clean up some of the nation’s largest
sources of planet-warming greenhouse gases.
According to the EPA, the new rules, which take effect for model
years 2027 through 2032, will avoid up to 1 billion tons of greenhouse
gas emissions over the next three decades and provide $13
billion in net benefits in the form of fewer hospital visits, lost workdays,
and deaths. In particular, the EPA says, the new standards
will benefit an estimated 72 million people in the U.S. who live near
freight routes used by trucks and other heavy vehicles and bear a
disproportionate burden of dangerous air pollution.
The new rules for heavy trucks and buses came just a week after
the EPA announced new automobile emissions standards for passenger
vehicles, which relax initial tailpipe limits proposed last year
but are close to the same strict standards set out by the EPA for
model year 2032.
The rule for trucks is complex, with a range of electric-vehicle or
other non-traditional sales projected, depending on the type of vehicle
and use. For instance, 30% of heavy-duty vocational trucks and
40% of short-haul day cab tractors must be zero-emission by 2032.
Not long after the release of EPA’s statement, trucking industry
stakeholders — including fuel providers and retailers, as well
as motor carriers and others — were firing out responses. Most
lambasted the new standards as unreachable with current electricvehicle
(EV) technology and pointed out a lack of EV charging stations
and power grid capacity limits.
Most groups say the EPA’s new emission standards for heavyduty
trucks have unachievable targets and will carry real consequences
for the U.S. supply chain and movement of freight.
Like others in the trucking industry, Jim Ward, president of the
Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), believes the new EPA rule
will have a significantly negative impact on its members, as well as
the industry as a whole.
“It’s important to recognize the progress that’s been made by
our many TCA members who have tested equipment, trained both
technicians and professional drivers, while incurring additional
costs along the way to complying with EPA regulations instituted
over the past couple of decades,” Ward said.
“The industry has effectively reduced NOx and particulate matters
through the evolution and implementation of new technologies
and remains committed to being a good steward of the environment,”
he continued. “The journey ahead provides for many
alternatives to be considered to lower carbon, such as blended
biodiesel, renewable natural gas, diesel-electric — just to name a
few — to help us bridge the gap to the future.
“We cannot just sit idly by and watch the implementation of a
policy that will have a significant impact on our members’ business,”
he concluded.
NATSO, an organization that represents America’s travel plazas and
truck stops, and SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers, said in a
joint statement that while they appreciate that the Biden administration
is working toward reducing carbon emissions, the new EPA rule is
poised to have negative effects on trucking and its related industries.
“The administration’s final rule does not adequately consider
the challenges that fuel retailers face in transitioning to heavy-duty
truck electrification,” the joint statement noted. “The administration’s
final rule also does not recognize the need to support lower
carbon alternatives to diesel fuel that are currently commercially
viable, such as biodiesel and renewable diesel.”
In addition, reports from the American Transportation Research
Institute (ATRI) identify the many challenges facing commercialvehicle
electrification in the areas of U.S. electricity supply and demand,
electric vehicle production, and truck-charging requirements.
“Off-highway refueling locations will need dozens of fast-
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chargers to service heavy-duty trucks,” the NATSO/SIGMA
statement read. “The charging capacity required at a single
large truck stop would be roughly equivalent to the electric
load of an entire small town. Considering that utilities will
need to invest $320 billion to upgrade the nation’s power
grid, we remain unconvinced that the electricity providers
will be able to increase generation and transmission activity
to service that kind of load at scale within 10 years.”
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) “opposes this
rule in its current form because the post-2030 targets remain
entirely unachievable given the current state of zeroemission
technology, the lack of charging infrastructure and
restrictions on the power grid,” said Chris Spear, the association’s
president and CEO.
While the EPA’s final rule includes lower zero-emission vehicle
rates for model years 2027-2029, the ATA says forced zeroemission
vehicle penetration rates in the later years will drive
only battery-electric and hydrogen investment, limiting fleets’
choices with early-stage technology that is still unproven.
“The trucking industry is fully committed to the road to
zero emissions, but the path to get there must be paved with
common sense,” Spear said. “While we are disappointed
with today’s rule, we will continue to work with EPA to address
its shortcomings and advance emission-reduction
targets and timelines that are both realistic and durable.”
Jim Mullen, executive director of the Clean Freight Coalition
(CFC), says the organization opposes the new EPA ruling,
noting that today’s zero-emission commercial vehicles
“fail to meet the operational demands of many motor carrier
applications, reduce the payload of trucks, and thereby
require more trucks to haul the same amount of freight and
lack sufficient charging and alternative fueling infrastructure
to support adoption.”
Referring to the Roland Berger study, Mullen pointed out
that currently a diesel Class 8 diesel truck costs roughly
$180,000 compared to an electric truck’s price tag of
$400,000. Those increased costs will ultimately be borne
on the backs of consumers, he said.
“On top of the costs to the truck and bus industries, utilities
and the government will need to invest $370 billion to
upgrade their networks and the power grid to meet the demands
of the commercial vehicle industry alone, putting the
price tag for an electric supply chain at nearly $1 trillion before
one battery-electric commercial vehicle is purchased,”
Mullen said.
Instead of demanding the adoption of technology that
brings “exorbitant costs and operational concerns,” Mullen
believes policymakers should support lower-carbon alternatives
to diesel, such as biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Mullen stresses that the CFC supports sound policies that
promote the sustainable and affordable transition to zeroemission
commercial vehicles — and will embrace any
powertrain to reach these goals and protect the integrity of
the nation’s supply chain — “the Phase 3 GHG rule fails to
meet that standard.”
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CAPITOL recap
A REVIEW OF IMPORTANT NEWS, LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS,
AND OTHER FACTORS IMPACTING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY
Bills that would eliminate the federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks was introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate in March 2023.
Legislation to repeal the FET still
stalled in Congressional committees
By John Worthen
Since the Modern Clean and Safe Trucks Act of 2023
was introduced in both the House (HR1440) and Senate
(S694) in March 2023, there’s been little movement on the
legislation.
The bill, if passed, would end the federal excise tax, commonly
known as the FET, on the purchase of new big rigs
— a move that’s heralded by many in the trucking industry
as a major step forward.
The act was introduced by a bipartisan coalition of representatives
and senators, led by Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-
CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and
Darin LaHood (R-IL) in the House, and Sens. Ben Cardin
(D-MD) and Todd Young (I-PA) in the Senate.
Bill co-sponsor Pappas said that as a small business
owner, he knows just how challenging it can be to operate
a business and that every potential saving makes a
difference.
The federal excise tax on purchases of new trucks adds,
on average, nearly $25,000 to the cost of new equipment,
slowing deployment of safer and more environmentally
friendly vehicles, according to trucking industry leaders.
“Cutting the federal excise tax on heavy trucks and trailers
will help America’s Main Street economy grow, address
supply chain challenges and shortages, and lower costs for
essential items that families need, including groceries and
gas,” Pappas said.
The legislation “will also support the adoption of newer,
safer, and cleaner trucks that reduce our dependence
on foreign energy. I urge leaders in Congress to take up
our bipartisan bill and act to provide immediate relief to
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CAPITOL recap
small businesses and consumers alike,” he added.
The last movement on the bill in the House was on
March 8, 2023, when it was referred to the House Committee
on Ways and Means. Over in the Senate, the bill
was read twice on March 8, 2023, and referred to the
Committee on Finance.
Since then, there’s been no movement on either side
of Congress.
As of now, there is no firm timeline in place for when
the bill will next see movement, said Dave Heller, senior
vice president of safety and government affairs for the
Truckload Carriers Association.
“We would love to get (the FET repealed),” he said,
adding that the tax on heavy trucks, instituted in 1917,
was originally intended to support war efforts during
World War I.
“That war is long gone,” he said. “Why are we still
paying this on new equipment when in reality, it could
encourage further incentive to purchase more modern
tech, etc.? We need to encourage folks to get into the
new vehicle game.”
Adam Blanchard, co-founder and CEO of Double Diamond
Transport, Inc., describes the FET as outdated.
“It disproportionately impacts certain segments of
industry,” Blanchard said. “There is a better way to get
funds into the Highway Trust Fund than this tax. It’s difficult,
especially at a time, too, when equipment costs
have gone up 50% year over year. When you tack on
this tax, it hammers our ability to afford equipment.
“Smaller fleets don’t have the same purchasing
power as larger fleets,” he continued. “It certainly is a
regressive tax that needs to be eliminated.”
The 12% tax on trucks is the highest-percentage excise
tax levied on any product, according to the American
Trucking Associations. This added expense acts as
an impediment to creating jobs, reducing emissions,
and improving highway safety.
“The current federal excise tax has become a barrier
to our progress in encouraging cleaner and greener
technology,” said Senate co-sponsor Cardin. “I am
proud to support tax policy that enables … manufacturers
to innovate and deploy cleaner and safer technologies
in our trucking industry. Our legislation will spur
growth and competitiveness while making our roads
safer and less polluted.”
Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emission
Transportation Association, said the tax harms American
truckers and fleet operators by inflating the cost
of heavy-duty trucks and limiting access to the many
economic and public health benefits that come with
transportation electrification.
“Medium- and heavy-duty trucks account for 24% of
all transportation carbon emissions in the U.S. but represent
only 4% of vehicles on the road,” Gore said. “It is
(The FET) disproportionately
impacts certain segments
of industry. ... It’s difficult,
especially at a time, too, when
equipment costs have gone up
50% year over year. When you tack
on this tax, it hammers our ability
to afford equipment. Smaller fleets
don’t have the same purchasing
power as larger fleets.”
— Adam Blanchard
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
DOUBLE DIAMOND TRANSPORT, INC.
time to accelerate our movement towards modernized
transportation fleets, and we must enable our nation’s
fleet operators and truckers to join in this effort.”
Steve Bassett, immediate past chairman of American
Truck Dealers (ATD) and dealer principal of General
Truck Sales in Muncie, Indiana, said dealerships in the
state “commend Sen. Young for his leadership on this
important legislation. Repealing the 106-year-old federal
excise tax on heavy-duty trucks helps keep America
competitive and is key to turning over an aging truck
fleet.”
LaMalfa said that regulators want to shift operators
from older trucks to newer models — but on the other
hand, the tax penalizes them for trying to update their
equipment.
“Repealing the 12% federal excise tax on heavy
trucks and trailers will help all businesses reduce costs,
address supply chain challenges and lower costs for
essential goods for families, especially in rural areas,”
LaMalfa said. “The federal excise tax has outlived its
original purpose by more than a century.”
House co-sponsor LaMalfa noted that truckers are
“an essential cornerstone in our supply chain, yet the
tax code disincentivizes them from purchasing the
most up-to-date equipment.”
“I’m urging Congress to support this common-sense,
bipartisan bill and drop the burdensome tax preventing
our truck drivers from having the most modern, highest
technology, and safest equipment on the road,” he
added.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 11

CAPITOL recap
If passed, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act would provide $755 million over three years to expand truck parking across the U.S.
Proposed legislation offers hope for
better truck parking in the US
By John Worthen
Everyone in the trucking industry wants more parking.
Even though strides are being made to build new sites for
drivers to shut down and rest, there’s still a long way to go
to remedy the shortage.
Proposed legislation has given hope to many in the industry.
Known officially as HR2367, the Truck Parking Safety
Improvement Act would provide $755 million over three
years to expand truck parking capacity. Right now, the act’s
fate is unknown.
David Heller, senior vice president of safety and government
affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association, is optimistic.
“We continue to pitch co-sponsors for the bill,” he told
Truckload Authority in April. “In the Senate, there are 15 cosponsors,
and another recently signed to get this moving
— to make the act something the Senate cannot refuse. Our
target is between 20 and 25 co-sponsors. As we continue
down the road and push for the legislation, it’s still being
talked about. The opportunity could be there in a year-end
spending package.”
On May 23, 2023, the House Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure passed an amended version of the
act by a vote of 60-4 — and the bill has not moved since.
Heller said he hopes that, if a funding package is introduced
for the act, it won’t be roped into a larger bill filled
with pork-barrel spending.
“This is a problem that needs to be remedied,” he said.
In a statement regarding the Truck Parking Safety Improvement
Act, TCA said it applauds the effort.
“This positive outcome represents a significant step forward
in enhancing driver safety, ensuring compliance with
federal regulations, and improving the operational efficiency
of the trucking industry,” according to TCA’s statement.
Currently, the trucking industry is facing a critical shortage
of parking spaces, with a ratio of just one parking spot
for every 11 drivers.
“This legislation highlights the Committee’s dedication to
resolving the persistent challenge of truck parking shortages,
which have long posed safety risks and hindered the
productivity of supply chains,” the TCA said in its statement.
“Adequate truck parking facilities allow drivers to take necessary
rest breaks, comply with federal Hours of Service
regulations, and effectively manage their schedules, leading
to increased efficiency and improved road safety for all.”
SEE PARKING, PAGE 15
Sponsored by SCALE FUNDING / GETSCALEFUNDING.com / 800.707.4845
12 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

CAPITOL recap
Battle to pass legislation limiting ‘nuclear’
verdicts continues at the state level
By John Worthen
In February, the Wisconsin State Legislature passed a reform
to the state’s civil litigation system that would cap noneconomic
damage awards at $1 million.
However, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers quickly vetoed the
measure.
In a statement, Evers called the $1 million cap arbitrary
saying, “the law should redress a party’s injury; not repress
an injured party.” Evers also said the bill violates the U.S.
and Wisconsin constitutions’ guarantees of due process and
would conflict with existing state law, inviting “continuous
litigation.”
Meanwhile, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has signed
into law a bill capping non-economic damage awards in
CMV-related accidents at $5 million. And in Georgia, Gov.
Brian Kemp is calling for the state to study limiting so-called
“nuclear verdicts.”
Nuclear verdicts are generally understood to be in excess
of $10 million. That said, what constitutes a “nuclear”
amount depends on the level of insurance coverage and the
size of a trucking company.
Many in the trucking industry believe capping these subjective,
nonmonetary losses is critical to ensuring fairness
and balance in civil litigation, and that doing so will the deter
abusive and frivolous lawsuits that have perverted the system
into a profit center for the plaintiffs’ bar.
“The laws on our books make it too easy to bring frivolous
lawsuits against Georgia business owners, which drive up the
price of insurance and stops new, good-paying jobs from ever
coming to communities that need them the most,” Kemp said.
This statement aligns with Kemp’s background as a property
developer. Owners of commercial properties and apartment
complexes have been some of the biggest supporters
of lawsuit limits. Another big backer is the trucking industry.
Kemp called the burdens on those industries unacceptable:
“Local trucking companies either can’t afford the insurance
they’re offered or can’t find a carrier altogether, and business
owners live in fear of being sued for ridiculous claims on
their property,” Kemp said.
Kemp says his call to “level the playing field in our courtrooms”
will cut insurance premiums and help create more
jobs.
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) is working to
educate its members about lawsuit abuse reform and to
bring the matter to federal legislators.
“It’s something we always have our eye on,” said Dave
Heller, TCA’s senior vice president of safety and government
affairs.
According to the American Transportation Research
Institute (ATRI), within a recent eight-year period, settlement
amounts in trucking accident cases increased 51.7%
While a few U.S. states have passed laws capping excessive damage awards, the
idea is struggling to gain traction in other areas of the nation.
annually, rising from $2.3 to $23 million. In addition, data
collected over a recent 13-year period revealed that during
the first five years of the period studied, 26 truck accident
lawsuits produced verdicts of over $1 million. In the last five
years of data studied, there were 300.
Neal Kedzie, president of the Wisconsin Motor Carriers
Association, says the legislation knocked down by Evers had
broad support in the state legislature — and across the state
— and expressed disappointment with that the governor’s
veto.
“Wisconsin’s trucking industry is essential to everyone in
our state, and rampant lawsuit abuse is impeding our ability
to do our job safely and efficiently,” Kedzie said. The trucking
industry is a key provider of middle-class jobs in Wisconsin,
employing approximately 183,780 people throughout the
state. More than 77% of Wisconsin communities rely exclusively
on trucks to receive their goods.
Traci Nelson, president of the West Virginia Trucking Association,
lauded the passage of lawsuit abuse reform legislation
in her state and expressed appreciation to lawmakers.
“With approximately 33,890 West Virginians employed in
the trucking industry and 84% of our communities relying
solely on trucks for goods transportation, this legislation is
critical for our state’s economic well-being,” Nelson said.
“When the plaintiffs’ bar perverts civil litigation into a casino
game of ‘jackpot justice,’ the costs are borne by everyone
— not just trucking companies, but consumers too,
in the form of higher insurance rates and higher prices for
everyday goods,” said Chris Spear, president and CEO of the
American Trucking Associations, adding that “reasonable
reform ensures justice and fairness drive accident litigation
outcomes, not profits.”
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 13

CAPITOL recap
$830 million in grants earmarked to help
infrastructure withstand climate change
By John Worthen
The Biden administration has awarded $830 million in grants to fund 80 projects
aimed at toughening the nation’s aging infrastructure against the impacts of
climate change.
As weather events increase in frequency and severity,
the nation’s transportation infrastructure is taking a beating.
A large part of the system was designed and built
before the effects of climate change began to worsen.
In April, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced
that nearly $830 million in grant funding has
been earmarked for 80 projects across the nation. According
to a statement released by the DOT, the projects
will strengthen surface transportation systems and make
them more resilient to extreme weather.
The grants, touted by the Biden-Harris administration
as the first of their kind, were made possible by the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law’s Promoting Resilient Operations
for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-saving Transportation
(PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program, which
complements PROTECT Formula funding.
According to the DOT, PROTECT Grant Program will
fund projects that will strengthen the nation’s surface
transportation system — including roads, bridges, highways,
public transportation, pedestrian facilities, ports,
and intercity passenger rail — against extreme weather
events.
“Every community in America knows the impacts of climate
change and extreme weather, including increasingly
frequent heavy rain and flooding events across the country
and sea-level rise that is inundating infrastructure in
coastal states,” said Shailen Bhatt, administrator of the
Federal Highway Administration.
Bhatt praised the administration’s efforts, noting that
the investment “will ensure our infrastructure is built
to withstand more frequent and unpredictable extreme
weather” and that reliable roads and bridges will help
keep the nation’s economy moving.
“From wildfires shutting down freight rail lines in California
to mudslides closing down a highway in Colorado,
from a drought causing the halt of barge traffic on the
Mississippi River to subways being flooded in New York,
extreme weather, made worse by climate change, is damaging
America’s transportation infrastructure, cutting
people off from getting to where they need to go, and
threatening to raise the cost of goods by disrupting supply
chains,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The $830 million will be distributed as follows:
• Planning Grants — 26 projects will receive approximately
$45 million to help grant recipients develop resilience-improvement
plans, resilience planning, predesign
and design activities, capacity-building activities, and
evacuation planning and preparation initiatives.
• Resilience Improvement Grants — 36 projects will
receive approximately $621 million to enhance the resilience
of existing surface-transportation infrastructure
by improving drainage, relocating roadways, elevating
bridges, or incorporating upgrades to allow infrastructure
to meet or exceed design standards.
• Community Resilience and Evacuation Routes —
10 projects will receive approximately $45 million for
improvements to enhance the resilience of evacuation
routes or to enhance their capacity and add redundant
evacuation routes.
• At-risk Coastal Infrastructure — Eight projects will receive
approximately $119 million to protect, strengthen,
or relocate coastal highway and non-rail infrastructure.
The program also will improve equity and further environmental
justice by addressing the needs of disadvantaged
communities that are often the most vulnerable to
hazards. The program encouraged applicants from all levels
of government—from local governments and Tribes
to state DOTs—to apply for PROTECT discretionary-grant
funding, which complements the more than $4.3 billion
in PROTECT formula funding that is already flowing to
states. Consistent with the objectives of the National Climate
Resilience Framework, these awards will help these
communities across the country become not only more
resilient, but also more safe, healthy, equitable, and economically
strong.
Sponsored by SCALE FUNDING / GETSCALEFUNDING.com / 800.707.4845
14 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

CAPITOL recap
PARKING, FROM PAGE 12
At the American Trucking Associations
(ATA), Chris Spear, the association’s president
and CEO, pointed to the parking act
and several other pieces of legislation as
positive measures for the trucking industry.
“(These) comprehensive and bipartisan
bills … would address some of the root
causes of ongoing supply chain challenges
and improve the overall safety, efficiency,
and resiliency of freight transportation,” he
said.
“ATA has repeatedly engaged with Congress
to discuss persistent challenges facing
our industry, and we thank Chairman
Graves for his attention to these issues
and for his leadership of today’s markup,”
Spear continued. “We also commend the
bill sponsors who worked with us and other
key stakeholders to craft solutions that
would benefit our industry, the economy,
and American consumers.”
The Institute for Safer Trucking and Road
Safe America sent a joint letter on October
2, 2023, in favor of the proposed legislation.
“As organizations committed to promoting
truck safety, we are writing to express
our strong support for the Truck Parking
Safety Improvement Act,” the letter said.
“We believe that this legislation is an important
step toward improving the safety
and well-being of commercial truck drivers,
as well as other road users.”
The letter went on to say that the shortage
of safe and accessible truck parking
spaces is a significant problem that affects
drivers across the country. “The lack of
available parking spaces can force drivers
to park in unsafe and illegal locations, such
as highway shoulders and off-ramps. This
creates a dangerous situation for both the
truck drivers themselves and other road users,”
the statement noted.
“If we are truly going to improve safety
throughout the trucking industry, it is essential
to prioritize the safety and wellbeing
of commercial truck drivers. By providing
safe and accessible truck parking facilities,
we can help ensure that drivers can rest and
recharge.
“This will not only improve safety in the
short term by reducing crashes, but it will
also improve it in the long term. By improving
truck drivers’ experiences on the road,
the industry can improve retention of safe,
experienced drivers,” the letter concluded.
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Truckload Authority 15

Tracking the trends
Retaining Training
Make sure your team takes
skills, information from the
classroom to the highway
By Dwain Hebda
If it feels like your company’s driver training and other educational
programs are falling on deaf ears when participants leave the
classroom and return to the road, it might not be a case of poor
attitude or an inability to learn on the part of the trainees.
According to training experts, many companies go to great
lengths to educate their employees — only to overlook one critical
part of the process: consistent follow-up.
“You never want to stop educating. You want to have recurrent
education. Communication is huge, and it differs with different
segments of industry,” said Mike Brust, director of safety and loss
prevention for the Arkansas Trucking Association.
“The less-than-truckload side is going to see the drivers faceto-face
quite a bit and you can easily schedule meetings and impart
information,” he explained. “For a truckload carrier, you often
don’t see those drivers for months. In that situation, you have to
discuss things — pat them on the back, let them know they’re
not forgotten, that they’re part of the team. That’s extremely
important.”
Technology offers a great assist
in this process, limited only
by the creativity and imagination
of the training team, Brust
said.
“One item that I’ve seen to
be very successful is the use
of video,” he said. “Use a
phone to video record drivers
performing a job properly,
such as pre- and posttrip
inspections, proper
three points of contact
getting into and out of
a tractor, proper lifting,
proper backing, etc.
“Employees like to see
one of their co-workers
in the videos; I have
used this in the past
with great success,”
he added.
16 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

Brust says the best companies recognize that instructions
from even the best training teams usually pale in
comparison to advice from employees that others look up
to, especially when adopting new materials and adapting
to change. The most successful training programs engage
employees who are respected by their peers early in the
process.
“When I worked for FedEx and other truckload carriers,
we brought those folks in and we explained (the new material)
to them — how it benefits them and how it benefits
the company,” he said. “Whenever we had major changes
going on or something worth looking at, we’d bring those
guys in or contact them through a conference call to get
their feedback and their buy-in. Once you have their buyin,
that goes a long way in how things are perceived and
accepted by everyone else.”
Even with that endorsement,
it’s up to each individual
employee to learn,
accept, and put into practice
whatever new material is being
presented. This can be
difficult to accomplish, no
matter how much benefit the
changes represent.
Dr. Gina Anderson, CEO
of Luma Brighter Learning,
says having an intentional
approach to the presentation
of material, combined with
thorough follow-up, presents
the best chance that the
materials are learned and applied
consistently.
“The first step in the learning
process is to get a learner’s attention — and then you
have to keep it,” she said.
“Our minds quickly begin to wander, so even though
the person is physically in the room where training is happening,
the reality is that their minds most likely are elsewhere,”
she warned. “With safety training, it is imperative
to use information processing encoding strategies to help
learners remember information indefinitely.”
One vital strategy is to focus on the most important information
for learners to retain.
“For example, our cognitive abilities have limits. It is
critical that coaches identify what they want the learner
to remember after the learning session so that those critical
understandings can be reinforced in multiple ways, in
multiple mediums, over time,” Anderson said. “Educational
goals are broad and overarching, while short-term
objectives are measurable steps taken to achieve goals;
You never want to stop
educating. You want
to have recurrent
education. Communication is
huge, and it differs with different
segments of industry.”
therefore, it is more effective to articulate outcomes in
measurable deliverables.”
Anderson says companies should not overlook a final
two-part step following training: Offer recognition of employees
who completed the training and seek ongoing
feedback about the quality of the training itself. This offers
powerful tools to improve both learners and educators.
“It is important to build rewards and recognition into
any learner program,” she said. “Game-based techniques
like company stores, rewards, recognition, leaderboards,
and shout-outs can all contribute to increased engagement
and enjoyment in learning.
“Creating meaningful assessments and feedback loops
can help instructors determine how to improve learning,
which is imperative in building impactful and effective
education,” she continued. “Formative assessments can
be accomplished through
surveys, content ratings,
— Mike Brust
director of safety and loss prevention
Arkansas Trucking Association
and feedback loops, to name
some examples.”
Jeffrey Arnold, executive
director for the North American
Transportation Management
Institute (NATMI), also
suggests several strategies
to ensure learners understand
the material and to reinforce
learning both during
and after training.
“Evaluate the trainee’s recall
of the desired behaviors
by asking the learner to recall
the techniques presented
during the training and repeat
what they remember,”
he said. “Then you can review or reteach any key items
they miss.”
Learning to apply classroom training to situations on the
road is vital.
“You should also ensure that the learning can be applied
in a safe setting where students can practice and you can
observe how effectively the new techniques are being applied,
providing coaching and reinforcement where necessary,”
he said.
Arnold even suggested conducting a ride-along to help
ensure new concepts are being applied under real-world
conditions.
“On a more general note, to reinforce learning, supervisors
should acknowledge progress, celebrate accomplishments
and provide positive feedback, consistently and
frequently,” he said. “Habits are formed through repetition
and reinforcement.”
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 17

Tracking the trends
Benchmarking
Success
TCA’s Profitability Program helps
carriers survive, even thrive,
regardless of market conditions
By Kris Rutherford
There’s no doubt about it: The cost of trucking is on
the rise.
While increasing prices are pretty much par for the
course, recent cost increases have exceeded those
recorded in previous years.
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI)
reports that the average cost of operating a truck in 2022
was $2.251 per mile. That was the first time this average
crossed the $2 mark since the organization began tracking
data in 2008. Year over year, operating costs in 2022 increased
21.3% over 2021.
Why? The reasons are many: Freight rates have fallen.
Fuel costs have spiked. The cost of maintenance and repair
on trucks has risen. In addition, driver wages are on the
increase — which is not a bad thing in itself.
Like ATRI, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) also
tracks costs; however, TCA does so on a more frequent basis
through its Profitability Program (TPP). The program is
designed to share vital information with member carriers
on a timely basis so companies can compare in-house results
with how the rest of the industry is performing. These
comparisons allow carriers to set benchmarks — standards
against which companies’ performance is measured.
Carriers tend to keep an eye on the successes of the
top performers and learn what changes can be made in
operations to move themselves into the “Best in Class”
competition.
As noted by Dave Broering, president of NCI Integrated
Logistics, “In a softening market, with costs rising at an
unparalleled pace, carrier benchmarking becomes more
critical than ever.”
In a February TCA webinar, “The Benefits of TCA’s Profitability
Program and Benchmarking,” Jack Porter, TCA’s
Profitability Program managing director, provided some
insight into the association’s program, current trends,
and suggestions for cost containment.
The foundation of the TPP is for carriers to seek continuous
improvement, set benchmarks for comparison,
challenge business comfort zones, and navigate trucking
cycles and challenges.
Carriers that participate in the program share a primary
component that is vital to improving a company’s profitability
— a set of stated core values. Those core values go beyond
simply making a profit; they set strategies and develop
action items that stimulate progress. In addition, company
management is dedicated to consistency. Everyone in these
18 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

companies is aware of the core values, and management
decisions can be clearly tied back to one or more values.
Among the top data sources the TPP looks to is the Cass
Freight Index. This index, updated monthly, shows deviation
within the trucking business and is a gauge of supply
and demand. Looking at the index over the past few years,
trends indicate the trucking industry is returning to a historical
level in terms of supply and demand. The COVID-19
pandemic created wide swings in the Cass Index, but since
mid-2022, indicators have begun to drop.
According to TCA’s Porter, the Cass index is all about
capacity, and capacity reflects demand.
In terms of the number of carriers in operation, the figure
has been consistent. But COVID changed that. Many
small (1-5 truck) carriers entered the market to handle
spot demand, and carrier population skyrocketed. Of late,
many of those small carriers have left the market, and the
number is slowly coming down.
During TCA’s webinar, Porter pointed out several
market trends that are currently impacting the trucking
industry:
• Rates are flat.
• Fleet capacity/brokerage is waning.
• Truck orders are stable.
• Equipment-associated costs are rising.
• Productivity is lagging, as figures such as miles per
truck and gross margin per employee fall.
Fortunately, signs indicate the industry is leaving a period
of oversupply of truck capacity and entering one of
balanced recovery.
For carriers to remain competitive in a period of balanced
recovery, Porter says they must adhere to several
priorities:
• Maintain high-quality customer service.
• Know their networks — understand where their customers,
drivers, and equipment are in the marketplace.
• Keep trailers full.
• Watch capacity fallout as small carriers leave the market.
• Monitor equipment costs.
Likewise, in terms of business operations, carriers
must be prepared to revamp customer service and sales
departments, prepare their businesses for an upcoming
recovery, enhance the workforce, align their networks,
and reduce expenses.
To help TCA member carriers not only survive, but also
thrive, the TPP tracks over 400 industry benchmarks, allowing
companies to compare performance against the
standard in hundreds of ways. Currently, trends in some
of the primary benchmark categories indicate the trucking
industry is in the midst of change.
In terms of operating ratio (a measurement of how well
a company can pay off its liabilities with current cash
flow), Porter said, “The best (carriers) are still doing
pretty damn good. The rest have had a really tough couple
of years,” adding that those who have followed the
principles of the profitability program have likely “weathered
the storm and are pretty well off for a rebound.”
As far as revenue per truck is concerned, the current
average is $3,800 to $4,900 per month, a reflection of
demand and the subdued freight rates. Driver wages as
a percentage of revenue are in the 19% to 28% range,
although in several sectors the figure exceeds 30%. This
benchmark hovered at 25% before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Independent contractors rank lowest when considering
income.
Gross profit as a percentage of revenue is currently in
the 12% range. The goal is typically 25%, and the current
profit margin is far below the benchmark. Three years
ago, profit averaged 20% to 25% but has yet to rebound.
According to Porter, the benchmark for gross profit
is the greatest challenge the industry currently faces.
Likewise, gross profit per employee has experienced a
decline. In 2021 and 2022, it hovered around $1,000.
Today, the average is $700-$800. Finally, administrative
expenses as a percentage of revenue are averaging 30%,
although 50% is typical in some sectors.
Porter notes that it’s vital that carriers compare themselves
with benchmarks frequently — perhaps even on
a weekly basis. Operating costs can change quickly, and
variable cost factors are fluid. Successful carriers, he
said, identify and stick to three primary objectives and
ensure these objectives guide management decisions:
• Identify action items on an ongoing basis.
• Share results.
• Reward success.
Benchmarking is something any industry should adopt
as a primary practice, and the TPP is an example of a
well-developed industry benchmarking system that carriers
are invited to join. It allows carriers to evaluate the efficiency
of previous performance, learn what is possible,
identify success factors, and determine how a company
compares to its peers.
To find out more about the program, visit truckload.
org/about-tpp.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 19

Tracking the trends
Tired of
Waiting
Will FMCSA’s
latest study of
driver detention
generate results?
By Kris Rutherford
When it comes to the topic of driver detention,
Ed Nagle, president and CEO of Ohio-based
Nagle Companies, is direct when expressing
his displeasure with the time his company’s
drivers spend waiting at shipping and receiving
facilities.
“It’s the biggest waste, and a real problem,” he said.
“Right now, two hours of detention time is the standard
before additional fees can be charged.”
Detention costs carriers a tremendous amount of
revenue — and the shippers and receivers responsible
for the inefficient loading/unloading procedures
that create the delay are often not interested in addressing
the issue, he noted. In addition, the responsible
parties are only willing to pay 50% to 70% of the
revenue carriers lose while trucks remain idle.
What’s the solution? Nagle believes one step in the
right direction is to reduce “free” detention time to
one hour rather than the current two.
“The shippers and receivers pay their employees,”
he explained. “Why should a carrier be expected to tell
its drivers they are unpaid for time on the job?”
Nagle is not alone. The issue of driver detention
consistently ranks among the highest frustrations of
trucking industry professionals. Many carriers agree
the unnecessary time drivers spend waiting at shipping
and receiving facilities exposes a major inefficiency.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA) is studying the issue, focusing on the impact
of detention time on highway safety. Based on
public comments received by the FMCSA, the problem
is deeper than government officials expected.
In August 2023, the FMCSA posted a notice in the
Federal Register (Docket No. FMCSA–2023–0172),
20 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

inviting public comment on a proposed effort to collect data
for a report titled “Impact of Driver Detention Time on Safety
and Operations.” The FMCSA planned to analyze the data to
determine the frequency and severity of the detention and
assess the usefulness of existing intelligent transportation
systems (ITS) solutions to measure detention time. The notice
provided little background information for respondents
and garnered a total of 176 comments.
This initial comment period brought into focus several issues
related to detention time — enough that the FMCSA organized
comments into 11 categories. Based on the various
issues identified, it is evident the agency had not anticipated
the severity of detention time
on the industry.
The FMCSA’s categories
are: (1) the relationship between
detention time and
driver compensation; (2)
organizational issues at the
shipper/receiver, carrier, and/
or broker; (3) the relationship
between detention time and
pick-up/delivery appointment
times; (4) examples of detention
time characteristics as
experienced by commenters;
(5) the relationship between
detention time and hours of
service regulations; (6) the
impact of detention time on
logistics and the economy;
(7) the impact of detention
time on driver welfare; (8)
the impact of detention time
on driver and roadway user
safety; (9) suggestions and
support for detention timerelated
regulations; (10)
considerations for defining
and quantifying detention
time and collecting necessary
data; and (11) general support for the study.
In February 2024, the FMCSA once again opened the issue
for public comment on the Federal Register. This time, the
posting offered background on detention time along with a
summary of comments received during the initial comment
period. It also highlighted the 11 categories and provided a
high-level summary of the concerns of respondents.
The 2024 posting also included an overview of the data
collection plan and outlined three primary objectives: (1)
assess the frequency and severity of driver detention time
using data that represents the major segments of the motor
carrier industry; (2) assess the utility of existing ITS solutions
to measure detention time; and (3) prepare a final
report that summarizes the findings, answers the research
questions, and offers strategies to reduce detention time.
In addition, the FMCSA noted that the study would now encompass
supply chain efficiency as well as highway safety.
At the close of the comment period on March 19, 143
comments had been received. While FMCSA has not had
time to analyze the responses to the most recent comment
period, a review of the comments reveals a range of opinions
from those involved in the industry.
Numerous comments, assumably from drivers, provided
anecdotal evidence of the problems created by detention
time, with some offering suggestions on how to address the
issue. Others noted that many drivers do not get paid for
detention time, citing this as something carriers and shippers/receivers
must address, and some claimed the use of
ELDs exacerbates the issue. Other commenters — notably a
few trucking organizations
and insurance companies
— simply offered support
for the FMCSA’s approach.
It’s the biggest
waste, and a
real problem. Right
now, two hours of
detention time are
the standard before
additional fees
can be charged.”
— Ed Nagle
ceo, Nagle Companies
Comments from the
Truckload Carrier’s Association
(TCA) supported the
study but highlighted previous
studies on the issue
and the failure of the FMC-
SA to act on the findings.
“The FMCSA needs to
act accordingly upon their
findings, in which they did
not do after the 2001 and
2014 detention time studies.
While we appreciate the
FMCSA’s commitment to
further investigating issues
related to detention time,
we are concerned about
potential delays in addressing
new issues that may be
identified. Given the length
of the initial study, we are
apprehensive that any new
issues that arise may not be
promptly explored, potentially
leading to significant
delays, like the decade-long interval observed in the past,”
read a portion of TCA’s comment.
TCA also focused on the need to use technology, such as
ELDs, that was not available when previous studies were
completed. In addition, the organization noted that the
study should include insight on ways to mitigate detention
time. Finally, TCA recommended that data obtained from the
study be shared openly and transparently with the public —
specifically with the motor carriers who are most impacted
by the issue of driver detention.
“FMCSA’s recommendations for lowering detention could
serve as valuable guidelines for shippers, receivers, carriers,
and drivers seeking to minimize delays and improve
their operations,” TCA commented.
As for Ed Nagle, when asked how detention time impacted
driver safety, his response was simple:
“It makes drivers tired,” he said.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 21

Tracking the trends
KNOW
what you’re
PAYING for
Predatory towing fees are a growing
issue of concern among motor carriers
By Kris Rutherford
Predatory towing. It’s a term with which all too many
motor carriers and drivers are uncomfortably familiar.
It’s possible your company has been a victim of the
practice, which goes far beyond fees for towing a disabled
vehicle from the side of the road.
For example, let’s imagine one of your tractor-trailers is involved
in a single-vehicle accident, such as a rollover. Law enforcement
at the scene request a tow service, usually selecting
the next towing company on a list used to spread the business
among competitors. The company dispatches the equipment,
spends about an hour and a half cleaning up the scene, and
then disappears with both your equipment and cargo. In short
order, you receive a bill for towing services that requests payment
of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for the
release of your equipment.
Predatory towing is an increasing problem in the trucking
industry and has been brought to the attention of the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC), which is studying deceptive business
practices nationwide. Already, several state’s legislatures
have passed or are considering bills to limit predatory fees.
“When a truck driver’s vehicle is towed, they can’t earn
a living until they get it back — leaving them vulnerable to
predatory junk fees from towing companies,” said U.S. Transportation
Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We support FTC’s efforts
to stand up for truckers by acting to ban junk fees and prevent
predatory towing fees that can cause significant financial
harm.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
expressed sentiments about the issue in a letter to the FTC.
“The proposed regulation may significantly benefit FMCSA’s
regulated community, specifically as it relates to the predatory
towing practices that have a substantial financial impact on
CMV owners and operators,” wrote Sue Lawless, the agency’s
acting deputy administrator. She went on to highlight the nature
of predatory towing fees, the various ways a tow company
calculates excessive fees, and the hidden charges many
tow companies place on an invoice.
In a Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) webinar on the
issue, Gene Funk, general counsel for Cowan Systems, a Maryland-based
trucking firm, said, “The towing companies send out
these bills just hoping someone is not looking at them.” Funk,
along with Renee Bowen, an attorney with the firm Franklin and
Prokopik, provided several examples of invoices with excessive
charges, one in which the towing company sought $202,000.
22 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

“They’re a creative bunch,” Bowen said, referring to predatory
towing companies.
“(These fees are) made up. They’re fictitious. You have to
challenge these charges,” said Funk in reference to some of
the charges that show up on towing invoices.
As an example, Funk pointed to a certain fuel surcharge.
The line item had no relationship to the amount of fuel the
tow company used in performing the work; instead, it was
charged as a percentage of the total tow bill. In essence, a
$100,000 invoice could have a $6,000 surcharge for fuel
attached.
Another major issue with predatory towing is “per-pound”
billing. In this case, a tow company sets its fee based on the
total weight of the vehicle, trailer, and cargo being hauled.
Often, Funk said, companies will charge a minimum fee based
on an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer — even when the vehicle
involved only weighs 20,000 pounds. One example compared
a per-pound billing invoice to an invoice for the same service
charged at nonpredatory rates. When recalculated, the predatory
$140,000 per-pound invoice dropped to $24,000.
There are several problems with existing towing fee regulations,
which vary from state to state. First, the tow companies
hold all the power. They capitalize on a motor carrier’s
need to retrieve its equipment and cargo. Despite statutes in
place that require tow companies to release cargo, Funk and
Bowen cited instances in which tow company managers simply
ignored the requirement and essentially held equipment
and cargo hostage.
There is also a lack of enforcement of existing regulations.
Often, law enforcement agencies are the ones who call a tow
company — but they are unwilling to get involved in cases
of excessive charges. In addition, there are cases in which a
tow company sends the same invoice to various stakeholders
(carriers, insurance companies, drivers, brokers, etc.).
On occasion, multiple parties pay the same bill — and the
towing companies simply reap the profits.
To help trucking companies guard against predatory billing,
Funk and Bowen offered some warning signs to look for
before writing a check.
• One red flag is per-pound billing, a practice that is actually
outlawed in some states.
• Excessive hourly rates and the number of hours personnel
and equipment are on site should also be inspected. For
example, a tow company may charge an hourly rate but have
a minimum charge policy of four hours, even if less time is
spent at the site.
• Some tow companies charge additional fees for equipment
sent to the site, even if that equipment was neither requested
nor necessary for the towing job.
• Finally, hidden surcharges are common tactics of predatory
tow companies. Charges for weather conditions (temperatures
over 80 degrees, for example), photos, and followup
communications are common. One example of an invoice
presented by Funk and Bowen even charged for “snacks.”
And the snacks were charged at 2% of the total bill, resulting
in a cost of $200 per employee.
As far as solutions to the problem of predatory towing are
concerned, Funk is not optimistic: “There are no good answers
to solve the problem,” he said.
However, Bowen did offer a few suggestions for truckers
and carriers to follow when involved in a towing situation.
• First, no driver should sign any document presented by
a towing company on site. Many times, the driver could be
signing away rates and waivers.
• Drivers should take lots of photos of the site, towing operation,
equipment, and personnel.
“Photographs are incredibly important,” Bowen said.
• It is also recommended that carriers form relationships
with towing companies in the areas in which they operate,
have legal counsel available, and train staff in what to do in
the case of a towing situation.
• Finally, Bowen says, carriers should join and support
state trucking associations. These groups can be excellent
resources when it comes to getting references for reputable
towing companies nationwide.
Ultimately, carriers must be aware that their drivers operate
in different states — and there is no consistency in the
regulations states place on the two companies in relation to
towing fees. The FMCSA suggests the FTC provide guidance
on how deceptive business practices related to towing would
impact state and local laws that govern towing practices.
Perhaps when federal guidance is available, tow companies
will be willing to come to the bargaining table to establish
fair and consistent rates.
“The industry wants fair service for a fair price,” Funk
concluded.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 23

A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
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24 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

Sponsored by
Foundation
For Success
Foreword and Interview by Linda Garner-Bunch
On March 26, 2024, during the closing banquet of the
Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) annual convention,
John Culp, president of Arkansas-based Maverick
Transportation, officially stepped into the role of the association’s
chairman.
As he stepped to the podium, he thanked outgoing chairman
Dave Williams for his service, noting that Williams “set the bar
high” during his tenure. Culp continued, sharing thoughts about
the value TCA brings to its members, including the group’s power
as advocates for the truckload industry on Capitol Hill.
“It’s an ongoing team effort for our staff, our members, and our
lobbyists. Together, we are making a difference,” he noted, urging
any members who have not participated in TCA’s annual Call on
Washington to add their voices to this year’s efforts. Outlining
goals for the coming months, he touched on numerous issues
facing the industry. In closing, he noted that industry leaders
should invest in their greatest assets.
“We all have big investments in rolling stock buildings,
computers, and technology, but our most important asset is our
people — more importantly, our people working as a team is what
makes us successful,” he explained. “In my opinion, investing in
our people is more than just time and money well spent; it’s critical
for building the foundation for continued success in the future.”
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 25

A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
Incoming TCA Chairman John Culp, right, presents a placque honoring outgoing Chairman Dave Williams, left, for his service to the association. Culp stepped into the role of chairman March 26, 2024.
u First of all, congratulations on stepping into your new role as
TCA chairman! What does this new responsibility mean to you,
both personally and professionally?
Thank you, Linda. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve as
TCA’s chairman. Dave Williams leaves big shoes to fill, but our association
is in great shape, and our officers and staff are aligned and on board with
the vision and objectives we’ve been working on for the past several years.
We don’t need to change what we’re doing, but we know we can get better
and that is what we want to do.
u You were formally introduced as this year’s chairman during
TCA’s 2024 convention in Nashville just a few weeks ago. How
did it feel to step up to that podium, look out at the association’s
members, and realize that all those people will be looking to
you for advice, opinions, and solutions during your tenure as
chairman?
It felt good to see a full house. Our annual conference attendance has
been growing over the past several years, and it was great to see so many
people staying for the closing banquet. My position responsibilities are
changing, but we have a great staff and officer group and we work together
as a team in everything we do. I anticipate business as usual for Team TCA.
u For members who haven’t had a chance to get to know you
yet, how and when did you first become interested in the trucking
industry?
I had been working in public accounting for a couple of years after
graduating college when I decided I wanted to move to the private sector.
The first opportunity I had was with Chandler Trailer Convoy, a small carrier
in Little Rock, Arkansas. I made a couple of moves for better opportunities
with other trucking companies in town before I found my dream job at
Maverick. I learned a lot at every company I worked for and am still grateful
for the opportunities I had. I guess it is safe to say that trucking has been
my career of choice since I was young and green between the ears.
u When did you first start working for Maverick, and in what
capacity? What roles have you held with the company?
I joined Maverick in September of 1989 as vice president of finance
and became part of the company’s four-person officer group. We had
70 company trucks and 26 owner-operators at the time. The only
other position I have held since then before becoming president was
executive vice president and CFO.
u How long have you been part of TCA, and what roles have
you held within the association?
I don’t remember exactly the first time I attended a TCA conference,
but it was sometime in the mid ’90s. Maverick’s founder, Steve
Williams, felt it was important for our leaders to become involved in
state and national trucking organizations for educational purposes and
industry knowledge — but also to be actively involved in the efforts
of these organizations to make our industry and our company better. I
have served in various positions in other associations, but my first role
at TCA began when I became an officer in 2019.
u In your opinion, how do industry associations like the TCA
benefit their members? The industry as a whole?
For our members at TCA, we have a value proposition matrix of
five key objectives that form the foundation of our efforts to deliver
membership value:
1. Improving the driving job;
2. Improving roadway safety;
3. Improving financial sustainability for our member companies;
4. Improving our industry image; and
5. Promoting industry environmental stewardship.
In each of these areas, we provide a combination of meetings,
events, programs, and educational opportunities designed to provide
SEE CHAT, PAGE 28
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26 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 27

A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
John Culp, center, visits with Lane Kidd, left, and Sam Gill, right, of The Trucking Alliance during the Truckload Carriers Association’s annual convention in Nashville.
CHAT, FROM PAGE 26
value for the dues members pay and the time they invest in TCA.
For me personally, the most valuable and rewarding benefit of TCA
membership is networking and developing relationships with peers and
vendors. It’s helped me tremendously in my career and I feel it has made
me a better leader. But the icing on the cake has been the incredible
friendships I have made, and with that, I have been truly blessed.
For our industry, I would say that our advocacy efforts on The Hill
to address the important issues that impact our industry would be the
biggest value. Our voice is strengthening, and we have plenty of issues to
work on.
u In your opinion, what is the biggest issue faced by the industry
today, and what are some possible solutions?
I really worry about the ever-increasing cost of liability insurance. Both
trucking and insurance companies alike are fighting nuclear verdicts that
are unsustainable. As an industry, we must lead the charge for lawsuit
reform, state by state, to place reasonable limits on non-economic damages
for parties injured in accidents. As an industry, taking responsibility for
injuries we cause is the right thing to do. Every trucking company should
carry adequate insurance to do so; we are not trying to change that, but
today’s out-of-control “jackpot justice” is simply wrong and needs to be
addressed.
u Emissions regulations calling for the trucking industry
to convert to zero-emissions trucks remain a hot topic. Many
groups appear to promote battery-electric vehicles across the
board, while some suggest other options, such as hydrogen fuel
cell batteries or diesel engines powered by renewable natural
gas. What are your thoughts on the proposed timeline for zero
emissions and the available options?
Short answer: It is unreasonable and unrealistic to reach the zeroemissions
targets that have been laid out for our industry. TCA supports
zero-emissions for trucks, but it is going to take a long time. We need
commonsense leaders to realize this and set realistic timelines with an
affordable path.
A recent independent study by Roland Berger, a global consulting
company, estimated the cost to build the electric grid needed to charge an
all-electric truck fleet in the United States is $1 trillion. For most people, that
is “monopoly money,” because it is hard to comprehend exactly how much
that is. One trillion is one thousand times a billion. We have approximately
333 million people in the US. That equates to a cost of $3,000 for every
person in the country. That’s a lot of money, and it is real.
TCA has been a founding partner in the Clean Freight Coalition in its
effort to advocate for sound public policies that transition toward a zeroemission
future in a manner that strategically assures affordable and
reliable freight transportation and protects the nation’s supply chain. If
you want to know more, please feel free to visit cleanfreightcoalition.org.
u It’s now been nearly four-and-a-half years since the FMCSA
launched the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse as a national
database for the results of commercial drivers’ drug and alcohol
screenings. In your eyes, how has having access to this information
changed the face of driver recruitment and retention?
The Clearinghouse has been very effective in removing drivers who
have tested positive for drug and alcohol violations from our highways.
The change in driver recruitment is a big win for trucking companies in that
drivers are no longer able to beat the system when they fail a drug test at
one carrier and later fly under the radar with another company. I don’t think
any carrier wants to hire a driver who has failed a drug test.
The only problem I know of with the Clearinghouse is that the FMCSA
still won’t allow companies that utilize hair follicle testing to report their
results to the Clearinghouse.
u That leads us straight to my next question: Even though
proposals to allow alternate forms of testing, such as oral fluids
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28 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

and hair follicles, have been introduced, no clear decision
has yet been made. How would allowing the use of such
testing impact the driver workforce?
Maverick is part of a group of carriers that have been utilizing
hair testing for years. Out of 460,568 drivers who underwent both
hair follicle and urine testing from 2017-2022, we have personal
knowledge of positive drug tests for 23,601 drivers who passed
urine tests at the same time. That means 23,601 habitual drug
users were likely able to immediately go to work for a carrier that
does not utilize hair testing. Hair follicle testing identifies drug
users nine times more effectively than urine testing. Researchers
estimate that if that rate were applied to the entire truck driver
population, it is reasonable to estimate that up to 250,000 drivers
who passed a urine test would have failed a hair test at the same
time.
Congress passed the FAST Act in December of 2015, directing
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to write the
guidelines for hair follicle testing to enable the FMCSA to add it
as an approved testing method for DOT compliance. Since then,
HHS has delayed the process, blocking the ability for companies
that utilize hair testing to submit known positive drug tests to the
Clearinghouse.
Why, you ask? They claim they have concerns the test may
be racially biased — but there is no research to verify it. On the
other hand, a study analyzing over 70,000 drivers where ethnicity
information from hair testing data was available determined hair
follicle testing is not racially biased.
It seems to me the powers that be at HHS don’t care when
carriers must let someone we know has tested positive for opioids
or fentanyl go unreported to the Clearinghouse and be able to go
to work for a company that does not hair test. For me personally,
it is infuriating when we have to let that happen! It is irresponsible
for the government agencies responsible for the safety of our
motoring public to sit on their hands for nine years and continue
to do nothing.
For the record: TCA supports carriers’ ability to submit hair test results
into the Clearinghouse.
A University of Central Arkansas study came to the following conclusion
regarding a person’s race as it pertains to hair follicle testing:
“Utilizing independently provided urine and hair pre-employment
drug screen data, Researchers were unable to find disparate impacts
of hair testing among the ethnic groups analyzed. Results for each test
in each sample met the required Four-Fifths Rule threshold. Chi-square
tests independently examine urine and hair tests. Chi-square results
indicate that the proportion of drug test failures (positives) are higher for
hair testing across all ethnic groups, but pass/fail rates are significantly
different irrespective of testing method. Given these findings, Researchers
find no disparate impact among ethnic groups by testing method.”
u Here’s another related question: While the federal government
has not changed its policies on the use of cannabis products, many
states have legalized the drug for both medicinal and recreational
use, creating yet another hotbed issue for the trucking industry.
What are your thoughts on this?
The problem with cannabis is very real. Usage is increasing, and there
is no way to test for real-time impairment that law-enforcement officers
can use like they can with alcohol. Until there is, the problem will continue
to grow. Hair follicle, urine and oral testing can detect THC in a driver’s
system but not impairment at the time of the test. At a minimum, until
During Truckload 2024: Nashville, numerous convention attendees — including John Culp — had a bit of fun
and took advantage of a photo op with the legendary Jack Daniels.
impairment can be measured, cannabis needs to stay a Schedule 1 drug
for all drug tests for drivers.
u Let’s take a look at another topic the trucking industry is
watching closely. In 2021, the Modern, Clean, and Safe Trucks
Act reintroduced industry efforts to repeal the federal excise
tax (FET) on heavy-duty trucks and trailers. Since then, both
House and Senate versions of the bill seem to have stalled out in
committee. Do you predict any movement on these measures over
the next year? Why or why not?
Unfortunately, no. The FET is an outdated tax that goes up every year
as tractor and trailer prices go up. And, with the cost to purchase new
equipment being at an all-time high, it is a very regressive tax that makes
it difficult — if not impossible — for many small truckers to purchase new
equipment.
If the tax were repealed, new equipment prices would immediately
decrease by 12%. Emissions for new-generation engines have made
incredible gains, and we could make real changes in clean air if we could
make newer equipment more affordable for truckers to retire their old
trucks and purchase newer technology. It’s a great opportunity, but there
is no agreeable solution in Congress to replace the lost dollars coming out
of the Highway Trust Fund.
u Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your time. I look forward to
our next conversation.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 29

TALKING TCA
Those Who Deliver
with Modern Transportation
By Dwain Hebda
One of the most common slogans used to lure new
drivers to a trucking company is the promise of
family time. “Home on weekends” — and even
“Home every night” — have become common
phrases that are appealing to prospective drivers
seeking a balance between home life and work life.
Pennsylvania-based Modern Transportation takes this concept
and kicks it up a gear, promising drivers that they’ll be “Home
SAFE Tonight,” a commitment that’s as ambitious as it is compelling.
“I’ve never worked for a company that cares about its team
members as much as Modern Transportation,” said Woodson
Witt, the carrier’s vice president of safety and human resources.
“The company’s success is built on a culture of care. It’s living
by the mission of, ‘Are you paying your people appropriately? Do
they have enough personal time? And are you making sure you’re
enabling them to feel good about taking that personal time?’
“When we say, ‘We value you and your safety above anything
else’ and that nothing we do is worth hurting ourselves or others,
we absolutely believe that,” he continued. “I mean, that is the first
standard in our mission.”
That corporate mission has evolved over the years since Modern
Transportation was founded as a bulk materials hauler for
western Pennsylvania’s coal mining industry — but the core
operational ethic has remained the same. The company seeks
to provide superior transportation solutions to customers in the
safest, most professional, and efficient manner, Witt shared.
This standard is more than words on a page, he added. It’s a
calling that’s dyed, top to bottom, into the company’s corporate
“fabric” providing a daily challenge to leadership and front-line
workers alike.
“If a team member gets injured, for whatever reason, we have
failed as an organization,” Witt said. “You could say, ‘Oh, it was
because of the neglect of the team member.’ Well, if it’s neglect
on the part of the team member, then what didn’t we do as an
organization to train them appropriately or set expectations?
“There’s always a root cause analysis that’s done on anything
to help us get to that ‘why’ factor,” he explained. “Why did that
happen? What could we do to prevent or reduce the risk of a
non-preventable accident from happening again in the future?
We have to look at it that way.”
Over the past 35 years, Modern Transportation has become an
industry leader in bulk material logistics and trucking, expanding
into liquid and chemical loads as well as petroleum-based products.
The company operates two dozen terminals and supports
shipping lanes in more than 30 states. In every location, the drive
for improvement is constant, manifesting itself in new technology,
precise logistical strategies, and a relentless focus on developing
teamwork that benefits both clients and employees.
“A culture of safety means not only that we want everyone to
be safe out on the road, but also, when you come to work, it’s
a safe place. There’s no contention, there are no silos. We’re all
there for the same purpose,” Witt said. “We walk through those
doors, we’re there for that mission, and that’s what we’re living.
Our pledge to our customers is that we want to be innovative and
creative to improve value for their dollar.”
Achieving this lofty goal requires a mix of the high-tech and
the high touch — being personally involved in every aspect of
the company’s operation. Witt says Modern Transportation has
never shied away from deploying the latest technology, from
TMS and other systems to onboard safety devices and systems
that streamline billing.
But even as it embraces the advantages of new tech, Modern
Transportation never forgets the value of old-fashioned, one-onone
interactions when it comes to solving problems and building
client relationships.
“We had a customer who was doing their annual visit with
us. While they were here, they got the news that one of their
other suppliers had just closed their doors,” Witt said. “They just
looked at us and said, ‘How can you help us?’ We were able to
turn around and pick up that business in a matter of days and get
them right back on track.
30 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

“We like to say that we strive to create a
culture that meets and exceeds their standards
regarding integrity, timeliness, and
competitive pricing,” he continued. “When
they have a problem or they have a situation,
we want to be that partner, that extension,
that’s there to help them. Their problems
are our problems. I think the reason
we’re able to do that is because everyone
at Modern Transportation is aligned. We’re
all moving in the same direction, helping
everyone do their business better.”
The company is equally innovative in the
way it cares for its employees, particularly
drivers, for whom safety isn’t just stressed
behind the wheel or in the shop, but also
through a corporately funded wellness
program that helps participating employees
reduce their insurance costs. This program
is accompanied by a lifestyle savings
account, which operates similar to a health
savings account but with far fewer restrictions.
“The new wellness program we started
this year is a huge thing for us,” Witt said.
“We partnered with a company called
Sonic Boom, which has an app that has all
kinds of health and wellness advice, mental
wellness, financial wellness. I mean, it
covers the entire gamut to show employees
how to improve. As they continue to
earn points in the wellness program, we
will start depositing real dollars in their
lifestyle savings account and they can
spend it on things like gym memberships
or child care.
“We understand that our employees
truly are an investment,” he noted. “If
we cut corners with our team members’
safety and wellness, then it’s gonna haunt
us down the road. We’re gonna pay big
time for that. On the other hand, if they’re
healthier, they’re gonna be happier — and
they’re gonna be with us longer. When you
care about peoples’ well-being, it’s an awesome
feeling to be able to invest in them in
ways that truly improve their lives at work
and overall.”
Leadership Team
Patrick Cozzens
President
Robert Bartolacci
Executive Vice President & CFO
Chris Gallowitz
Vice President-Special Projects
Woodson Witt
Vice President-Safety & Human Resources
Alex Forrest
Vice President-Operations
Bob Smith
Senior Director-Equipment & Maintenance
Bill Campbell
Senior Director
Safety, Risk Management & Payroll
Dan Benacquista
Vice President
Strategic Operations & Planning
Stephen Humbert
Senior Director
Strategic & Business Development
By the Numbers
DRIVERS
315
TRUCKS
235
TRAILERS
462
TOTAL EMPLOYEES
414
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 31

TALKING TCA
Next Gen Executives
TCA’s young leaders take the spotlight, drive the future of trucking
Jason Douglass
For Stokes
Trucking’s Jason
Douglass, driver
retention is key to a
company’s success
By Kris Rutherford
Jason Douglass of Stokes Trucking knows the importance
of driver retention.
The 36-year-old, who serves as director of
recruiting and retention for Tremonton, Utahbased
Stokes Trucking, began his career in the
industry as a driver for a plumbing company before moving
into warehouse management and dispatch, sales, safety
management, and, finally, recruiting.
Because he’s actively worked in so many facets of the
industry, Douglass has first-hand knowledge of many of the
challenges faced by employees. As a trucking executive, he
also knows that many motor carriers are struggling to retain
drivers and experiencing high turnover rates.
While finding qualified drivers is vital, Douglass says the
“retention” portion of his title is the main focus at Stokes —
and that’s exactly the way he likes it.
“Our turnover is super-low,” he told Truckload Authority.
“Anybody can bring drivers in. The importance of my role is
to keep people with the company.”
When he was recruited by Stokes in 2022, he was impressed
by the company’s culture and the mindset of working
to retain valued employees.
“Our cultures matched,” Douglass said. “Stokes’ culture is
clear on its social media pages. It’s like we instantly clicked.”
Currently the company, which specializes in transporting
refrigerated foods, employs 55 drivers and operates 50
trucks and 112 refrigerated trailers — and it is working to
expand. Drivers average 2,800-3,200 miles a week, with
routes designed to allow drivers to enjoy home time weekly.
Of course, he says, driver retention begins with smart
recruiting and hiring.
“If you recruit the right people, you don’t have to recruit
as much,” he explained, adding that he’d rather have an
empty truck than hire the wrong person to drive it.
So, one might ask, how can recruiters make sure they find
the right people? While there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer,
Douglass shared his basic strategy.
When interviewing prospective drivers, he says, the first
few questions are friendly “get to know you” queries. Once
he knows a little about the driver’s personality and goals, he
says, he works to find out exactly what the driver is looking
for in a company. Next, he asks about previous employers.
In some cases, he says, a previous company’s culture
simply wasn’t a good fit for a specific driver (or vice versa).
“There are some people, some companies that I know are
just bad fits,” he said. “Then there are companies I know
have the same hiring criteria as us.”
In short, he says, the initial interview needs to go far
beyond the driver’s skills and qualifications.
“Between those questions, I can pick up red flags. For
instance, a recruit might ask if we do hair follicle drug
testing,” he explained. “If they wince, that’s probably the
biggest red flag I see.
“I start asking qualifying questions,” he continued. “I get
32 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

them to talk, and I get a feeling for their personalities. We’re
not a fit for everybody — and everybody is not a fit for us.”
In addition, Douglass says, he looks at the way a driver
has quit previous jobs.
“We won’t hire anybody unless they put in two weeks’
notice with their current company,” he said. “We don’t want
anyone to do that to us.”
When it comes right down to it, the question isn’t whether
the driver wants to work for Stokes; it’s a question of whether
the company wants to hire a particular driver.
“We don’t just put butts in seats, so I ask questions,” he
said. “Our motto is, ‘Do the right thing,’”
That motto goes both ways. “What’s the right thing to
you? What are your morals?” he said. “There’s no ‘secret
sauce’ in our success. It’s just being genuine.”
As noted earlier, Stokes has a low turnover rate (10%
to 14%). More often a driver is let go rather than quitting,
Douglass said.
“We probably terminate more than quit because we have
a high safety standard,” he explained. “You must have a high
standard in this day and age. You’re always trying to protect
assets.”
Of course, a driver’s experience and safety record are also
important, and Douglass says the recruiting team works
closely with the company’s safety director.
“We both know what we’re looking for in a good driver —
and we know what the company’s looking for,” he said. “We
won’t hire anybody without all of us meeting them.”
Once the team is sure they’ve found a driver who’s a good
fit for the company, the “real” work — retention — begins.
At Stokes, Douglass says, the culture is designed
to ensure the group works together as a team, with a
common goal. Of course, pay is important, but there are
other factors that result in loyal, happy employees.
“Drivers’ checks don’t fluctuate more than 10% weekly,
and we have some drivers that make up to $100,000 a year,”
he said, adding that consistency in freight and miles goes a
long way toward ensuring satisfied drivers.
“In this market, drivers can work anywhere. So, especially
for younger drivers, a carrier needs to be a place they WANT
to work,” he said.
Breaking down traditional business barriers is another
key to success.
“At so many companies, there’s a hierarchy,” Douglass
said. “Drivers are at the bottom, and then there’s office
employees. You must eliminate the hierarchy.”
This involves making sure drivers have a voice in the
company. In addition, he says, drivers appreciate a friendly
environment and decent facilities.
“You can’t make it like drivers are separated from the
office,” Douglass said. “At many companies, management
SAYS they have an open-door policy … but do they really
mean it? Our owner sits with the dispatcher.
“I’m very approachable. I want people to bring up
concerns,” he continued. “However, it doesn’t do any good
if there’s no action. I am proactive about what people bring
me, and I follow up. Once that reputation is set, the job is
easier. People depend on me.”
While the goal of any business is to see a profit, the best
companies are often known for having the “human touch.”
“You have to have empathy in recruiting and retention,”
Douglass shared. “Without it, you’re not of much use. You
need to be able to put yourself in the potential employee’s
position. Some people say, ‘Just tough it up and drive.’
Well, we’re not in that market anymore. We realize that good
drivers can go work somewhere else.”
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 33

TALKING TCA
OUTSTANDING Contributions
TCA Chairmen honor industry leaders
Each year during the Truckload Carriers Association’s
(TCA) convention, two industry leaders are presented
with the coveted Chairman’s Choice and Past Chairmen’s
awards. This year, the recipients were Rence Oliphant,
vice president of global sales for Hendrickson (shown
above, left) and Robert Low, founder and owner of Prime
Inc. (above, right).
CHAIRMAN’S CHOICE AWARD
When presenting the sixth annual Chairman’s Choice
award, outgoing TCA Chairman Dave Williams described
Rence Oliphant as someone who “truly exemplifies the very
idea of this association and its members.”
In 1995, Oliphant left Volvo to join the Hendrickson team
as a district sales manager. During the ensuing years, he
was promoted numerous times. Before stepping into his
current role as vice president of global sales, he served as
the company’s senior director of North American sales.
“While (Rence) will typically shy away from spending
time in the limelight, he is always there to help — Always
the gentleman and a great example to me,” Williams said.
“I have enjoyed watching him excel in his career selling axles
and other products while still finding time to give back to the industry,”
he continued. “He has made sure that TCA programs,
events, and issues have been staunchly supported by his company’s
sponsorship, involvement, and communication.”
PAST CHAIRMEN’S AWARD
The Past Chairmen’s Award is the highest honor given by
TCA. It is presented annually to a recognized industry leader
who has had a strong, positive impact on the truckload industry
and is recognized as a successful businessperson
and association leader.
Contrary to the award’s name, the awardee does not have
to be a past chairman of the association; winners can be
outside the trucking industry as long as they have made a
significant contribution to the truckload industry.
“Anyone who knows our winner knows that he is a generous,
hardworking man, and it is plain to see that trucking
runs in his blood,” said TCA’s Immediate Past Chairman
John Elliott as he presented the award to Low. “His
achievements and contributions to trucking are a tribute to
his overwhelming personal and professional commitment to
the transportation industry.”
Low established Prime Inc. in 1970 at the age of only 19.
Over the next 54 years, he grew the company into an industry
giant that now includes 15 locations, 7,400 tractors,
more than 16,000 trailers, and nearly 1,100 team members.
In addition, Low served as TCA Chairman in 2012-13 and
is currently on the association’s board of directors. He is
also active in the American Trucking Associations, serving
as vice president at-large, an executive committee member,
and a member of the board of directors.
34 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

MORE
than a
catch
phrase
The Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) 2024
annual convention, Truckload 2024: Nashville,
culminated with the announcement of the
winners of the 2023 TCA Fleet Safety Awards grand
prize. The honor is given in two divisions — small
carriers (total annual mileage of less than 25 million)
and large carriers (total annual mileage of 25 million
or more).
For each fleet represented in the contest, creating a
culture of safety is more than just a catchphrase; it’s
something that permeates every level of business.
This year’s grand prize in the small carrier division
went to Fortune Transportation, Inc., based in Windom,
Minnesota. In the large carrier division, Bison
Transport, Inc., of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, took
home top honors.
Both carriers demonstrated exceptional safety programs
and impressive accident frequency ratios over
the past year.
In addition, both companies — along with all the
carriers that placed in the Top 3 of their mileage-based
divisions — will be recognized again during TCA’s
2024 Safety & Security Meeting, scheduled for June
2-4 at The Westin Indianapolis hotel.
“TCA is proud to recognize Fortune Transportation,
Inc., and Bison Transport, Inc., for their outstanding
Fortune,
Bison take
top honors
in TCA’s
Fleet Safety
Awards
achievements in safety,” said TCA President Jim Ward.
Ward congratulated all of the fleets that ranked in
this year’s safety competition, noting that 2023 saw
the most-ever entries in the history of the awards.
“(This shows) that TCA members are truly industry
leaders when it comes to safety,” he noted. “Fortune
and Bison are very deserving of the grand prize as a
symbol of their amazing efforts to improve safety on
our roadways.”
To be eligible for the TCA Fleet Safety Award Grand
Prize, fleets must submit their accident frequency ratio
per million miles driven. The three carriers with the
lowest ratios are identified as the winners for each of
six mileage-based divisions. These carriers then undergo
an audit by independent experts to ensure the
accuracy of their results. TCA announced the names of
the 18 division winners in January and invited the fleets
to submit further documentation about their overall
safety programs, both on and off the highway, to be
eligible for the grand prize. After review by a diverse
industry panel of judges, the winning companies were
deemed to have best demonstrated their commitment
to improving safety on North America’s highways.
TCA’s Fleet Safety Awards are made possible
through the sponsorship of Great West Casualty Co.
and Assured Partners.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 35

TALKING TCA
SAFE drivers = SAFER roads
FMCSA’s Sue
Lawless shares
goals, stresses
importance of
highway safety
By John Worthen
If truck drivers are safe at work, the nation’s
roadways will be safer, according to Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Acting
Deputy Administrator Sue Lawless.
This observation was made Monday, March 26, during
the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) annual
convention in Nashville. Lawless was addressing attendees
during a luncheon and awards ceremony honoring
members of TCA’s Champions Club, winners of
the Past Chairmen’s and Chairman’s Choice awards,
and TCA’s Highway Angels of the Year for 2024-25.
During her speech, she touched on several topics,
including truck parking, the importance of female truck
drivers, and workplace safety. She also complimented
the industry and its stakeholders, many of whom were
gathered to hear her speak.
“You are among the best of the best of safe trucking,”
she said. “Every day, you show us what motor
carriers can do to keep the country moving, and you
do it safely.”
Lawless said the FMCSA and its partners are continually
working toward the goal of zero fatalities on
the nation’s roadways through programs such as the
National Roadway Safety Strategy.
“Zero is an ambitious goal, but we believe it is the
only acceptable number,” Lawless said. “Somebody
told me … that we will never get to zero — that it’s
impossible to get to zero. I disagree.”
Lawless noted she is not naive to the fact that the
goal will be difficult to attain, adding, “Just because
you can’t see something now, it doesn’t mean that it
could not exist in the future.”
Lawless ticked off a list of things she believes can
help move the nation toward zero highway deaths —
advances in technology to assist drivers, improvements
in equipment, improvements in emergency
response, and availability of medical treatment.
“All of those things have the potential to make zero
deaths a reality in our lifetime, and that’s why partnerships with organizations
like TCA, safety advocates, state and local governments, and
others are so critical in our mission,” she said.
In March, the U.S. Department of Transportation released a progress
report on the National Roadway Safety Strategy. Although strides are
being made toward safer highways, Lawless said that the “number of
deaths remains unacceptably and stubbornly high.”
U.S. traffic deaths fell 3.6% last year, but still, almost 41,000 people
were killed on the nation’s roadways, according to full-year estimates
by safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
said it was the second year in a row that fatalities decreased.
“We know that we must do more, and we know that we can’t do it
alone,” Lawless said. “It’s great to see over 160 organizations answer
the department’s call to action campaign, and we thank TCA for being
one of the first partners to answer our call.”
Turning to truck parking, Lawless said progress has been made since
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided millions in federal grant funding
to help states add hundreds of truck parking spaces.
“Those projects included $180 million to the Florida Department of
Transportation for over 900 truck parking spaces, over $92 million to
the Missouri Department of Transportation for a project that includes
both truck parking and truck parking information systems, and over $22
36 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

million to Tennessee for a bridge replacement and additional
truck parking,” Lawless noted.
Lawless also pointed out that the FMCSA has additional
research projects to help advance truck parking availability
information systems. The agency is also analyzing available
data on safety from connected trucks to help identify
areas with the highest demand and need for parking and
how to best target solutions, resources, and methodologies
for stakeholders to calculate the cost and benefit of
investing in parking.
“We know truck parking remains a safety and overall
quality of life issue for drivers, and it remains a priority for
us to partner across the industry to help ease and eventually
eliminate this challenge,” she said. “We have also
launched our driver compensation and driver detention
time studies to address other factors that may make it difficult
to sustain a career as a truck driver. We know that the
longer drivers stay in the industry, the safer they become.”
Switching topics, Lawless discussed the March meeting
of the Truck Leasing Task Force during the Mid-America
Trucking Show, held the week before TCA’s convention.
The task force includes motor carriers, drivers, and others
who are engaged in helping the FMCSA understand
how unfair leasing arrangements could impact the safety
of drivers and motor carriers.
Lawless also spoke about how the FMCSA is working to
modernize its systems in a world in which cybersecurity
is paramount.
“FMCSA (has a) new registration system (that) will
improve the transparency, efficiency, and user experience
with the agency’s registration systems and reduce fraud
in the registration process,” she said. “This is just one of
the steps we’re taking to modernize all FMCSA systems.”
On the rulemaking side, Lawless said the FMCSA is
working to get the heavy-duty automatic emergency braking
rule “over the finish line” and complete other rulemakings.
“Because we believe that technology has the promise of
saving lives, we continue to look for ways to encourage the
adoption of technology that can prevent crashes or reduce
the impact from crashes that happen, including beyondcompliance
initiatives and other ways to encourage carriers
and drivers to use technology that improve safety, but
most importantly makes sense for them,” Lawless said.
Lawless said the FMCSA realizes that distracted driving
of all kinds, along with speed and drug and alcohol use, remain
“stubborn and persistent” causal factors in crashes.
In closing, she noted that the FMCSA is continuing to
seek ways to get the greatest impact from its grant programs
to help the trucking industry grow and prosper.
“Earlier this month, we announced our notes of funding
opportunities for 2024,” she said. “We have more than
$180 million available, including opportunities for CDL and
other driver training and programs specifically for veterans
who want to become truck drivers. I hope that this has
given you some insight into our work at FMCSA. I’m proud
of our work/ I’m encouraged by our partnership.”
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 37

TALKING TCA
Photographs and Memories
Truckload 2024: Nashville
From March 23-26, nearly 1,500 attendees and more than 130 vendors and
exhibitors checked into the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville for the Truckload
Carriers Association’s 2024 convention. In addition to annual committee meetings
and numerous informative educational sessions, the event featured keynote
speaker Kevin O’Leary, aka Mr. Wonderful of TV’s “Shark Tank,” a presentation
by noted statistician Ken Gronbach, a musical performance by Gavin DeGraw
(complete with a surprise appearance by Colbie Caillat), and much more.
38 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 39

TALKING TCA
DRIVERS
making a
DIFFERENCE
2024 TCA Professional Drivers of the Year
TCA’s 2024 drivers of the year, highway angels
of the year represent the ‘best of the best’
During Truckload 2020: Nashville, the Truckload
Carriers Association (TCA) recognized two
groups of exceptional drivers — the 2024 TCA
Professional Drivers of the Year and the 2024 TCA
Highway Angels of the Year. Each of these drivers has made
a difference in the lives of others and in the trucking industry.
2024 PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS OF THE YEAR
TCA, along with program sponsors Cummins Inc. and
Love’s Travel Stops, announced the five winners of the 2024
TCA Professional Driver of the Year on March 26 during the
convention’s closing banquet. This year’s program saw a record
number of drivers nominated for the honor.
The five winners are recognized as the best in class within
the professional driver community. Each of these drivers has
a compelling story to share. In addition, each one is committed
to safety, demonstrates leadership both on and off
the road, and has contributed significantly to the success
of their companies, the trucking industry, and their communities.
Each driver received $20,000 and standing ovations
during the awards ceremony.
“To be selected for this top honor, each of these professional
drivers have truly set an example when it comes to
safety, work ethic, and making a difference in their communities,”
said Jon Archard, vice president of sales for Love’s.
“These drivers represent a lot of the same core values we
aspire to here at Love’s, and we’re excited to see what they’ll
continue to accomplish.”
This year’s top drivers are:
• Tim Chelette, Big G Express
• Rosalinda Tejada, Knight Transportation
• Howard Robinson, NFI Industries
• Clark Reed, Nussbaum Transportation
• James White, P&S Transportation
“At Cummins we are incredibly proud to sponsor this
competition to help highlight the drivers that are the heart-
Tim Chelette Rosalinda Tejada Howard Robinson Clark Reed James White
40 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

2024 TCA Highway Angels of the Year
beat of this great industry,” said José Samperio, vice president and
general manager-North America On Highway for Cummins. “These
drivers represent the impact that they’ve had not only in their workspace
but also to our economy and in our communities.”
To find out more about the TCA Professional Driver of the Year Program,
visit TCAProfessionalDriversoftheYear.com.
2024 TCA HIGHWAY ANGELS OF THE YEAR
For the first time since the 1997 inception of the program, not just
one, but three drivers were honored as the 2024 TCA Highway Angels
of the Year. Each driver was selected because of their selfless acts of
heroism and caring for others in times of crisis while on the road.
TCA Highway Angel sponsors EpicVue and Northland Insurance introduced
this year’s winners during the association’s annual convention
in Nashville.
This year’s TCA Highway Angels of the Year are:
• Tony Blunnie, Knight Transportation
Blunnie was recognized for rescuing a driver who was trapped in
her vehicle following a crash. He was able to extract her from the
wreckage just moments before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.
• Dawna Jacobsen, Erb Transport
When a boy on a snowmobile was struck by a vehicle while attempting
to cross a snowy road in Northern Ontario, Canada, Jacobsen used
her truck to shield the boy from further injury.
• Terry Reavis, Maverick Transportation LLC
Reavis put his experience as a first responder to work, rescuing
three children and providing aid to an injured woman after a pickup
truck, which was driving erratically, T-boned an SUV.
The drivers received a standing ovation from the audience.
Each driver will receive a complimentary EpicVue satellite TV package
that includes a 24-inch flat-screen TV, a DVR, and a one-year subscription
to over 100 channels of DIRECTV programming, including
premium channels such as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and the NFL
Sunday Ticket.
To find out more about the TCA Highway Angel program, which
is sponsored by EpicVue, Northland Insurance, and DriverFacts, visit
highwayangel.org.
Tony Blunnie Dawna Jacobsen Terry Reavis
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 41

TALKING TCA
ELEVATE
Class of ’24
TCA leadership program offers unique
opportunities for young professionals
The inaugural class of the Truckload Carriers
Association’s (TCA) Elevate Young Leadership
Program was introduced during the association’s
annual convention, held in Nashville March 23-26.
Designed to empower and nurture the leaders of tomorrow,
TCA’s Elevate program offers young professionals a unique
opportunity to engage with each other and industry mentors,
further their trucking knowledge, and thrive in their careers.
Each member of this year’s group of 15 young transportation
executives was selected from a large, competitive pool
of applicants, and they are to be congratulated for their
selection. The Elevate Class of ’24 is made up of TCA carrier
and associate members:
• Samantha Bodnar, executive team, D.M. Bowman, Inc.
• Sarah Burns, manager of transportation, scheduling and
planning, Swto LLC
• Rayvaun Christenson, vice president, Christenson
Transportation
• Jeff Dorais, operations manager, Brown Dog Carriers
• Ryan Doran, business development, Diamond
Transportation System, Inc.
• Jason Douglass, director of retention and recruiting,
Stokes Trucking
• Alfonso Dozal, cross-border administration, Landstar
Transportation Logistics, Inc.
• Craig Enns, CFO, Arnold Bros Transport Ltd
• Michael Foley, senior transportation specialist, TrueNorth
Companies
• David Hoerres, director of national accounts, Comdata Inc.
• Jennifer Nuest, senior vice president of transportation
practice, Amwins Group
• Tyler Smith, maintenance manager, Wilson Logistics, Inc.
• Derek Vanblargan, president, Northern Logistics
• Molly Vidler, external communications specialist, Tenstreet
• Ryan Whelan, district sales associate, Volvo Truck Group
Members of the Elevate TCA Young Leadership Program
participate in a mix of in-person meetings at TCA events in
addition to six virtual meetings throughout 2024. Tenstreet is
the program’s presenting sponsor.
For more information about the Elevate program, visit
truckload.org/elevate.
42 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

Champions Club
During TCA’s annual convention in Nashville, members of the Champions Club were recognized (from left): Tracy Bogler of Woody Bogler Trucking; Mike Coble
of Recruit, Hire, Retain; Trevor Kurtz of Brian Kurtz Trucking; Jeff McKinney of the GTI Group; Christi Proctor of McLeod Software; and Kim Richardson of KRTS
Transportation Specialists.
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 43

TALKING TCA
Steve Phillips steps into role of TCA
Profitability Program facilitator
In February, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) welcomed Steve Phillips to
the team as facilitator for the association’s Profitability Program (TPP).
As program facilitator, he is responsible for bolstering the Best Practice Groups.
Carriers participating in these groups work to identify ways to improve their operations
through benchmarking and in-person meetings.
“We are excited to welcome Steve Phillips to our team as TPP Facilitator,” said TCA
President Jim Ward. “We are confident that his wealth of experience, strategic vision,
and commitment to excellence will be invaluable to our team as we continue to drive
profitability forward in the truckload industry.”
Steve brings over 30 years of experience in transportation management to the program,
having served many years in senior leadership roles at Werner Enterprises and
as senior vice president of over-the-road operations at U.S. Xpress, Inc. Throughout
his career, he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate the challenges and
opportunities of transportation management, leading to significant improvements in
operational efficiencies and profits.
In addition to his leadership roles within carriers, Phillips has served on numerous
boards promoting prosperity in the transportation industry, including the North American
Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) and Trucking Profitability Strategies (TPS).
“TCA’s ability to provide robust performance platforms and benchmarking opportunities
through programs such as TPP, make them the premier resource for any company
looking to improve,” Phillips said. “I am thrilled to be joining an organization that
has such a positive impact on the trucking industry.”
Tim Chelette
2 and 4-year college students across the US and
Canada with ties to the truckload industry are
elligible to receive scholarships of up to $6,250!
44 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

Looking forward
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
calendar is filled with exciting opportunities for
member growth and involvement. Here are just
a few upcoming events. Mark your calendar!
June 2-4
2024 Safety & Security Meeting
Indianapolis
July 15-17
2024 Refrigerated Meeting
Stowe, Vermont
September 11-12
The Truckload Carriers Association
welcomes companies that joined the association
in February and March 2024.
ACT Research
Aggressive
Transportation
AIG Insurance
Company of Canada
BlueJay Advisors
Bolt System
BreakerOne9, LLC
Copart
Emerge Career
Enru Logistics &
Postal Optimization
Galloway Johnson
Tompkins Burr Smith
Jay Transport, Inc.
Lion Force Transport
LobLaw
Magnus Technologies
MDMtoGo
Medlog Trucking
Canada
Modern Transportation
Napora
Next Logistics LLC
Openforce
Polaris Transportation
Primary Risk Services
Recruit Hire Retain
Ryder System, Inc.
Seward Motor Freight
Summit Virtual CFO by
Anders
T-Mobile
Trucking Clicks
Trucksafe Consulting
Vulcraft Carrier
Webb Pallet Service
2024 Fall Business Meetings & Call on Washington
Washington, D.C.
September 11-12
Bridging Border Barriers
Mississauga, Ontario
Visit
truckload.org/events
for updates
Cover Photo
2024-25 TCA Chairman John Culp
Photo courtesy of the Truckload Carriers Association
Additional photography/Graphics
Associated Press: 14
iStock: 4, 6-7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16-17, 18,19,
20-21, 22-23, 46
Jason Douglass: 33
Linda Garner-Bunch: 32, 39
Modern Transportation: 30, 31
Truckload Carriers Association: 3, 24-25, 26,
28, 29, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44
46 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA MAY/JUNE 2024

Truckload Carriers Association
SAFETY &
SECURITY
MEETING
June 2 - 4
Indianapolis, IN
LEARN MORE
AND REGISTER
TCA MAY/JUNE 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 47