News - Trucking Moves America

TMAF Meets First-Year Fundraising Goal, Plans to Expand Message During 2015

April 6, 2015/in News /by Editorial Staff

By Eugene Mulero Staff Reporter –LOUISVILLE, Ky.

After reaching its $1 million fundraising mark for 2014, a coalition that promotes the trucking industry’s image and safety record plans to raise more this year, an industry executive said here March 25 at the Mid-America Trucking Show. Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc. and second vice chairman of American Trucking Associations, said the “Trucking Moves America Forward” coalition is determined to continue to raise awareness about the industry’s contributions to the nation’s economy through social media campaigns and traditional advertising. “We’re trying to get all of the professional drivers involved; trying to get the legislative people and the motoring public to understand what we do,” Burch told Transport Topics. “We got momentum going. The state associations, I’ve noticed, have really embraced TMAF. The associations, I think, are saying, ‘You know what? This is something that people want to use to promote our industry.’ So I really look forward to the second year.” Burch also touted the coalition’s efforts since the launch. Thus far, 140 more donors have signed up, and there are prominent sponsorships on the Love’s Travel Stops and Pilot Flying J NASCAR race cars. The coalition has an active presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Coalition-sponsored messages have accounted for more than 25,000 YouTube views, more than 2,300 Facebook “likes” and nearly 900 Twitter followers. Dick Pingel, from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, echoed Burch’s enthusiasm. “From the professional truck drivers, to the technicians, travel-plaza attendants, dispatchers, and others, all who have joined together . . .,” the coalition is making a difference, Pingel said. “We must continue to tell the story that today’s drivers are skilled professionals and devoted family men and women, trained to focus on safety, efficiency and reliability, while operating the safest and most sustainable trucks,” added Keith Tuttle, president of Motor Carrier Service and chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association.

A significant number of drivers have been responding to the campaign as well. “As a driver, we are the public image of the trucking industry. We know that safety and respect is critical to our image, and TMAF, through its resources, will help us showcase our safe-driving records and a greater image overall,” trucker Don Logan said. During 2015, the coalition plans to launch a national campaign to press federal lawmakers to pass long-term highway legislation, according to ATA. The public education effort also will look to educate policymakers about the industry’s regulatory concerns and to encourage employees and other groups to tell people how they promote roadway safety. The coalition currently consists of ATA, OOIDA, TCA and companies including Allison Transmission, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Bridgestone Commercial Solutions, Bulldog Hiway Express, Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants, Combined Transport Inc., Cummins Inc., Daimler Trucks North America and Dana Holding Corp. This year, the coalition has expanded its online multimedia presence by adding new videos, images and literature detailing the industry’s safety aspects. The group’s website also includes a health and fitness advice section featuring author and motivational speaker Pete Thomas, a former contestant on NBC’s “Biggest Loser.” There also is an easy-to-use page that people may access for making donations for promotional efforts. The coalition also is making available banners along with full-trailer wraps for anyone interested in promoting the campaign. The cost of the trailer wraps, with installation, is estimated at $3,000.

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CCJ: Trucking Moves America Forward meets first year $1M goal, announces new initiatives

March 25, 2015/in News /by Editorial Staff

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In the first year since its official launch at the 2014 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., Trucking Moves America Forward has reached its initial goal of $1 million in fundraising to support the comprehensive industry image movement, said Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express, during a press conference at this year’s MATS.

Burch said that 140 companies and individuals contributed to making the first-year goal a reality, and paused to recognize the late Mike Pennington, president of the Allied Committee for the Trucking Industry (ACT 1) for his efforts in helping get funding underway for the program.

“Without the contributions of Mike Pennington, Trucking Moves America Forward may not have been able to secure the support of its founding members and members of ACT 1,” said Burch. “I’m proud to say Mike’s legacy moves on with Trucking Moves America Forward and we will miss him greatly.”

Trucking Moves America Forward has produced five videos in its first year promoting a positive image of the trucking industry to help educate the motoring public, industry advocates, regulators and legislators on the essentiality of trucking.

“We want to educate and inform the market of all the great attributes of the trucking industry and that includes safety, essentiality, economics, sustainability and community message that the trucking industry does in fact move America,” said Burch.

Keith Tuttle, president of Motor Carrier Services and current chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association, added, “Image is at the very heart of the Trucking Moves America Forward movement, and that is exactly what makes it one-of-a-kind. It tells the stories behind the wheel of trucking professionals that the general public doesn’t always see or hear.”

Tuttle added that Trucking Moves America Forward doesn’t belong to any one association or industry group, but that it is an all-inclusive program designed to lift all segments and participants in the industry.

“No other movement in the history of the trucking industry has been able to bring all sectors together to promote trucking,” said Tuttle. “Trucking Moves America Forward has been tailored to represent every single segment of the trucking industry.”

Trucking Moves America Forward representatives also announced a significant donation from the Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association, as well as a new trailer wrap initiative spearheaded by Old Dominion Freight Lines.
Four distinct trailer wraps are available and will cost roughly $3,000 installed.

http://www.ccjdigital.com/trucking-moves-america-forward-meets-first-year-1m-goal-announces-new-initiatives/

The Post Crescent: FVTC grad finds a home on the road

February 3, 2015/in News /by Editorial Staff

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By Meghan Diemel

Julie Matulle, a recent graduate of Fox Valley Technical College’s trucking program, is at home behind the wheels of semi.

Matulle’s parents owned a small trucking business during her childhood and when she wasn’t in school, she could be found hanging out in the truck.

Now 48, Matulle decided to return to the industry after her children were grown. She works for H.O. Wolding Inc. in Amherst and enjoys her frequent routes to the Southeast, which typically begin Sunday morning and run through Friday.

“I raised my kids and now it’s my turn to have fun,” Matulle said.

Matulle isn’t alone in embracing the trucking industry as a “new” career path. Rob Behnke, instructor and department chair for FVTC’s truck driving program, said the technical college has added space, staff and program offerings to meet the growing enrollment numbers.

“There always has been a demand for drivers, although the demands appear to be more vivid, meaning the carriers are still looking aggressively, but for that person with good character, attitude, and work ethic — that ‘perfect fit,'” Behnke said. “It is extremely cost prohibitive in hiring a poor fit.”

Demand for drivers with good work ethic who are committed to their employer and the industry will continue for years to come, he said. The American Trucking Associations estimate that more than 100,000 drivers are needed throughout the next three years.

Women account for less than 5 percent of students enrolled at FVTC’s truck driving program, but it’s the only career path that interested Matulle. She was awarded the the Mike O’Connell Memorial Award — the nation’s top rookie-of-the-year award — in 2014 and recently participated in Wreaths Across America, delivering wreaths to place on soldiers’ graves in Arlington National Cemetery during the holidays.

Matulle said she feels “very, very lucky” for the opportunities the trucking industry has provided, and thinks it’s a great profession for men and women alike.

“If you’re a strong, independent person, it’s very rewarding,” she says. “But you need to be strong and independent.”

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Trucking Info: Wreaths Across America Hits Milestone at Arlington

December 30, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

December 29, 2014

For the first year in its history, Wreaths Across America received enough money and volunteer help to place a wreath at each of the 230,000 graves at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Including the wreaths at Arlington, there were a total of 720,000 wreaths distributed nationwide through the Wreaths Across America program with nearly 300 trucks providing transportation for them.

The TCA coordinated logistics for the volunteering trucking companies and truck drivers who participated. Altogether, there were nearly 50,000 volunteers on hand to help place wreaths. They were delivered to several veteran’s cemeteries nationwide on Dec. 13, which was this year’s Wreath’s Across America Day.

The wreath laying efforts this year were highlighted in a MSNBC special called Taking the Hill. The program not only outlined the logistics of the wreath laying operation but touched on the industry’s Trucking Moves America Forward, message.

“It was so impressive to see 70 tractor trailers there and to realize that trucking made it happen,” said Wendy Hamilton, the TCA’s communications co-chair. “It made me so proud to be a part of this industry.”

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Trucking Moves America Forward Highlights Trucking’s Critical Role in Congressional and Military Tributes

December 22, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

[December 22, 2014] – Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) highlighted today trucking’s significant role in two important national events, the 2014 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree lighting and Wreath’s Across America tributes.

“Without the trucking industry, these special holiday events would not be possible,” said Kevin Burch, TMAF co-chair and president of Jet Express. “TMAF wants to share how important a role trucking not only plays in our everyday lives, but especially how trucking plays a role in ensuring these events happen for all of us to enjoy.”

The trucking industry was the sole mode of transportation for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, which traveled from Minnesota’s Chippewa National Forest to the west front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Two specially-made Kenworth trucks carried both the 88-foot white spruce and thousands of handmade ornaments directly from the spot where the tree was cut down in Minnesota to the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Three professional truck drivers were given the honor of driving both trucks through several cities and towns along the way to Washington, D.C.

The tree arrived in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 21 and was lit on Dec. 2, 2014. Members of Congress, including Speaker of the House John A. Boehner gathered at the ceremony, and the tree was officially lit by 10-year-old Aaron Urban who was given the honor as part of fulfilling his Make-A-Wish.

Trucking also played a major role in fulfilling the mission of Wreaths Across America, which places wreaths at the headstones of fallen veterans at 1034 veteran cemeteries across the country and Arlington National Cemetery. Across the country, 283 truckloads made it possible for 720,000 wreaths to be placed at the headstones of fallen veterans.

A convoy of 67 trucks delivered wreaths directly from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery where 50,000 volunteers covered the headstones of all 230,000 veterans at Arlington National Cemetery. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery, and it was the first year that Wreaths Across America was able to cover every headstone in Arlington.

Trucking Moves America Forward has captured and created a video to highlight the essentiality of trucking in these major commemoration events, the importance of trucking to the country, and the millions of trucking professionals who are dedicated to the trucking industry.

To view TMAF’s video documenting these two events, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hfpJBpaaN4

The New York Times: Trucker Buddy International Makes Pen Pals of Students and Truckers

December 5, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

By BENJAMIN PRESTON

DEC. 4, 2014

It’s not uncommon for adults to criticize school-age children over their lack of geographical knowledge.

A nonprofit group helping to solve that problem is Trucker Buddy International, which in 1992 began linking long-haul truck drivers, who tend to have a fairly thorough knowledge of the nation’s roads and cities, with classrooms around the country.

Essentially, it’s a pen-pal program, with teachers selecting how the drivers will communicate with their classes, said Randy Schwartzenburg, the organization’s executive director. Some choose email, some prefer letters and others like truckers to send postcards from the places they visit. A few truckers set up blogs.

“Teachers love the program because each postcard or email is an instant geography, math, history, social studies and reading lesson,” Mr. Schwartzenburg said in an email, adding that about 2,100 drivers, 2,300 teachers and nearly 60,000 students participate in the program in all of the contiguous 48 states, as well as in Canada and parts of Europe.

The program challenges drivers to learn more about the places they go and transforms run-of-the-mill things like calculating driving time and distance into lessons for elementary school children. There’s also the thrill of bringing to life the landscape that slides by their windshields day in and day out.

“This program reaches way beyond a pen and paper,” said Fred Sweetwood, who has been driving trucks for nearly 40 years and has been involved with Trucker Buddy for 11. “It paints the Rockies, the bitter cold of North Dakota and the devastation of Oklahoma City and Katrina. It brings America to the classroom through the eyes of a truck driver.”

Truckers like Mr. Sweetwood and K.?C. Brau, who has been driving for 28 years, can form long relationships with the teachers whose classes they exchange letters with.

“To date, I estimate approximately 350 students have passed though classes I have shared with,” Mr. Brau said. “I have seen several teachers retire and a couple more move into other positions in the schools.”

Caroline Walradt, a second-grade teacher at Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart, a private school in Princeton, N.J., said she had been working with Mr. Brau for about nine years.

“My students gain in many ways,” she said. “First, they learn a lot about the value that truck drivers provide to us by moving goods across the country. Second, they feel they have a friend in K.?C., who writes letters and sends postcards every week without fail.”

Ms. Walradt says her students are enthusiastic about receiving letters from him.

“We have a map of the United States in the room, and we mark each state as he visits it,” she said. In addition to his letters, Mr. Brau sends pictures of the places he visits so students can get a sense of the variety of places around the country.

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Caroline Walradt, a second-grade teacher at Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart in Princeton, N.J., keeps a special map displayed in her classroom so students can track their trucker buddy. Credit Caroline Walradt
“Not only are they learning about geography, but a reason knowing geography is important,” Ms. Walradt said.

Linda Carson, a fifth-grade teacher at Marais des Cygnes Valley Elementary, in Melvern, Kan., said she connected with Mr. Sweetwood, who drives trucks for the Walmart distribution center nearby, about 11 years ago. She has been teaching there for 38 years.

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“Trucker Buddy Fred shares stories, pictures and highlights of his trucking trips as well as personal vacations,” she said. “With this wealth of information, we connect with other academic subjects such as social studies, science, math and reading.”

There are challenges, too, Ms. Walradt said. But that was mostly when she first got into the program and couldn’t find a trucker who would send letters once a week.

“It took me a few tries before I found K.?C.,” she said.

With regular correspondence, a sort of community can develop among the truckers, the teachers and the students.

“Fred will attend as many events as possible to show the students he cares about them,” Ms. Carson said. “Fred and his lovely wife, Sandy, are also very generous in donating to our annual school carnival. Their donation helps supplement our reading and math programs.”

Mr. Sweetwood said that many students regularly wrote letters and forged friendships with drivers. He remembers one letter he received from a student this year.

“One little girl started the year telling me her dad was dying with brain cancer,” he said. “I mean, wow, I’m just a truck driver, but sometimes they just need someone to listen.”

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Heavy Duty Trucking: Trucking Moves America Forward Making Progress

October 13, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

October 10, 2014
By Deborah Lockridge

Since its public launch at the Mid-America Trucking Show in March, the Trucking Moves America Forward program has made great strides toward its goal of showcasing the positive side of trucking for the public and law- and regulation-makers.
The TMAF campaign seeks to raise $1 million by the end of 2014 to fund education and outreach. It’s well on its way, with more than $850,000 to date, organizers said in a status update for the trucking press during the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference and Exhibition this week.

The money will largely be used in an advertising and PR campaign in consumer publications aimed at the general public, inside-the-beltway publications aimed at lawmakers, city newspapers, radio talk shows, etc.

“We are shaping the way the public views the trucking industry and the ways we view ourselves,” said Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express and vice chairman of Trucking Moves America Forward. “Public opinion changes public policy. We want better laws and better regulations that affect our businesses and our workforce. TMAF is reenergizing us and reminding us we should take pride in what we do.”

Burch said that in addition to the funding, those involved in the campaign have had the opportunity to tell trucking’s story to the media and to lawmakers, and trucking companies, suppliers and trucking associations are incorporating the movement into their daily businesses.

The movement has been working to spread the word via social media, with a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TruckingFWD and Twitter feed @TruckingFWD. Videos on its website are now on state trucking association websites and others such as Truckinginfo.com.

To help the organization function effectively, three committees have been formed to handle different aspects of its mission:

Advocacy (to deliver the message in Washington, D.C. as well as state legislatures)
Engagement (getting other trucking associations, including state trucking associations, involved)
Internal (building the movement within the trucking industry)
“TMAF has been overwhelmed with the support we’ve received from all corners of the industry and look to continue this momentum this year and beyond,” said Mike Card, chairman, TMAF Fundraising Committee, and president, Combined Transport.

At the MC&E, the Allied Committee for the Trucking Industry (ACT1) announced a $100,000 donation, and Meritor announced a contribution of $10,000. In August, ATA announced it was donating $100,000 to the campaign.

The largest donation to date was $1 million commitment over five years from Pilot Flying J.

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Overdrive: Trucking Moves America Forward close to reaching funds goal

October 10, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

The Trucking Moves America Forward campaign surpassed 80 percent of its $1 million fundraising goal, representatives of the industry-wide image-building campaign reported Tuesday at the American Trucking Associations annual MC&E conference earlier this week. The initiative – launched in March at the Mid-America Trucking Show – aims to inform policymakers, motorists and the public about the benefits of the trucking industry and to help build a groundswell of political and grassroots support to strengthen and grow trucking.

Driver image is a two-sided issue, OOIDA’s Todd Spencer said: Part of image, he says, in addition to what the public and trucking outsiders think, …

“To be at 80 percent of our goal already is a remarkable achievement,” said Kevin Burch, vice chairman of TMAF and president of Jet Express, speaking at a “state of the movement” press conference. “We’ve made concentrated efforts to lay the foundation of a groundbreaking movement within the industry and are excited about reaching our one million dollar goal. We’ve had a great start, but the best is yet to come for TMAF.”

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Trucking Info: ATA Honors Mike Russell Trucking Industry Image Award Winners

October 10, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

American Trucking Associations Sunday honored two individuals, a state trucking association and an allied company with the eighth annual Mike Russell Trucking Industry Image Award.

“Every day we think about the image of the trucking industry and work to improve it from a company standpoint and personally,” said ATA Vice Chairman Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express, Dayton, Ohio. “The awards we presented today celebrate a company, organization or individual who over the past year has worked tirelessly to generate positive awareness of the trucking industry.”

This year’s first three winners were:

Great West Casualty Co. for their tremendous support, particularly from Steve Ponder, vice president, during the development and launch of the Trucking Moves America Forward image movement and sustaining it today;
The Texas Trucking Association for their organization’s tireless work in the Lone Star State to spread the message of safety, essentiality and leadership and;
Mike Card, past ATA chairman and president of Combined Transport, who has served as national fundraising chairman for Trucking Moves America Forward and used his platform as ATA chairman get the movement off the ground. Burch praised him for fostering “an enthusiasm and sense of hope that we can unite and make a difference.”

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CNN Money: Meritor Makes $10,000 Contribution to Trucking Moves America Forward Campaign

October 9, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

Meritor, Inc. announced a financial contribution of $10,000 to a nationwide industry campaign highlighting trucking and its important role in the U.S. economy.

Meritor made the contribution to Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), a movement spearheaded by the Allied Committee for the Trucking Industry, on Monday at its annual reception recognizing the outgoing and incoming chairmen of the American Trucking Associations. In addition to promoting the industry’s image, TMAF is working to build the political and grassroots support needed to strengthen and grow the industry.

“This campaign will help maintain and build a positive image for our industry to ensure that the importance of trucking to America’s economy is well understood,” said Jay Craig, president and chief operating officer for Meritor. “We believe in trucking and the work being done to support it, and this campaign is the right activity at the right time.”

Meritor, which has more than 100 years of industry leadership, supports initiatives that promote industry growth, Craig said. The TMAF campaign seeks to raise $1 million by the end of 2014 to fund education and outreach. Meritor and its industry partners have raised more than $700,000 toward that goal.

“TMAF has been overwhelmed with the support we’ve received from all corners of the industry and look to continue this momentum this year and beyond,” said Mike Card, chairman, TMAF Fundraising Committee, and president, Combined Transport.

Trucking currently supports almost 7 million jobs, including more than 3 million professional drivers, according to TMAF.

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