Trucking Moves America Forward and Love’s Travel Stops Partner to Bolster Industry-Wide Trucking Movement

Washington, DC – [April 30, 2014] – Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) gained momentum with its first major partnership, announcing an agreement with Love’s Travel Stops, one of the nation’s largest family-owned and operated travel stops. This comes days after TMAF shared it had raised more than a half-a-million dollars since its March launch.

The partnership kicks off with the unveiling of a newly designed No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops car featuring the TMAF logo at Talladega Superspeedway this Sunday, May 4. The paint scheme will run on the car, driven by David Gilliland, for eight races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. The partnership also includes additional promotion of the new industry-wide campaign.

“Love’s is a vital player in the travel and trucking industries with the potential to reach millions of Americans with TMAF’s message,” said Kevin Burch, TMAF vice chair and president of Jet Express. “The goal of TMAF is to promote the benefits of the trucking industry and Love’s – as a family owned company that cares about making a positive impact in their communities – can do just that by empowering and mobilizing TMAF supporters nationwide.”

TMAF – launched at the Mid-America Trucking Show – is an industry-wide image and internal education initiative informing policy makers, motorists and the public about the benefits of the trucking industry to help build a ground swell of political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry.

“Our partnership with TMAF represents our deep commitment to preserving one of the nation’s strongest industries,” said Jon Archard, director of fuel marketing at Love’s.“We, as members of the trucking industry, understand the inherent value of trucking and its community, and are proud to join a movement that will remind the nation why trucking is vital to our economy.”

For more information on the TMAF/Love’s Travel Stop Partnership visit www.truckingmovesamerica.com

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About Trucking Moves America Forward

Trucking Moves America Forward aims to establish a long-term industry-wide movement to create a positive image for the industry, to ensure that policymakers and the public understand the importance of the trucking industry to the nation’s economy, and to build the political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry in the future. . To learn more, go to www.truckingmovesamerica.com, Facebook (www.facebook.com/TruckingFWD), or follow @TruckingFWD on Twitter.

Founding members of the movement include: ACT1, Allison Transmission, American Trucking Associations (ATA), Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Bridgestone Commercial Solutions, Bulldog Hiway Express, Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants, Combined Transport, Inc., Cummins Inc., Daimler Trucks North America, Dana Holding Corporation, Detroit Diesel Corporation, Eaton Corporation – Roadranger, GE Capital, Goodyear, Great West Casualty Company, Hahn Transportation, Inc., Hendrickson, International, J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Jet Express, Inc., Kenworth Truck Company, Longistics, Love’s Travel Stops, Mack Trucks, Inc., Meritor, Michelin, Motor Carrier Service, Inc., Old Dominion Freight Lines, Omnitracs Inc., Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), Pegasus, Peterbilt Motors Company, Randall Reilly, Tennant Truck Lines, Tennessee Express, Inc., TransTech, Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), TRW and Volvo Trucks.

About Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores

Founded in 1964 by Tom Love, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and remains entirely family-owned and operated. With more than 300 locations and 180 Love’s Truck Tire Care centers in 39 states, Love’s approximate growth rate is 20 stores per year. Love’s is currently ranked No. 9 on Forbes Magazine’s annual listing of America’s Largest Private Companies. To learn more, go to www.loves.com, Facebook (www.facebook.com/lovestravelstops), or follow @LovesTravelStop on Twitter.

 

Heavy Duty Trucking: Trucking Campaign Surpasses Halfway Point to Fundraising Goal

Following the official launch of the Trucking Moves America Forward campaign in March, organizers say they have raised more than $500,000, which is more than halfway to its annual goal of one million dollars per year over the coming years.

TMAF describes itself as “an industry-wide image and internal education initiative informing policy makers, motorists and the public about the benefits of the trucking industry to help build political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry.”

“The committee is thankful for the response and feedback since the launch of the campaign, and especially for the top level sponsorship commitments from a host of our industry leaders,” said Steve Ponder, chairman, Trucking Moves America Forward and vice-president of Great West Casualty Company. “This campaign encompasses every person who touches the industry and therefore, every donation is appreciated. There is no amount too small as we are all working toward improving the industry and improving America.”

Groups involved in Trucking Moves America Forward include ACT 1, also known as the Allied Committee for the Trucking Industry, which includes various trucking industry suppliers; along with the American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Truckload Carriers Association, as well as trucking companies and other industry suppliers who are not members of ACT 1.

“The trucking industry is critical to the American economy, it injects more than $642 billion dollars into this country annually and trucks exclusively serve more than 80% of our country’s communities,” said Mike Card, fundraising chairman, Trucking Moves America Forward and President of Combined Transport. “The industry has made great strides in safety, innovation and technology and looks forward to sharing that with the American people.”

More information is available at TruckingMovesAmerica.com.

 

Transport Topics: Trucking Moves America Forward Campaign Raises $500,000

The industry image campaign, Trucking Moves America Forward, said it has raised upward of $500,000, more than halfway to its annual goal of a million dollars.

The campaign is designed to inform the public and policymakers about the benefits of the trucking business to build support to grow the industry.

“The trucking industry is critical to the American economy; it injects more than $642 billion dollars into this country annually, and trucks exclusively serve more than 80% of our country’s communities,” Mike Card, campaign fundraising chairman and president of Combined Transport Inc., said in a statement. “The industry has made great strides in safety, innovation and technology and looks forward to sharing that with the American people.”

The campaign will use radio, television and print advertising, opinion columns, social media and murals on the sides of trailers to spread the message.

Officials from American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and industry suppliers kicked off the initiative at a press conference before the start of the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in late March.

Top-level donors include: Cummins Inc., Midsouth Truckers Group Inc., Trucking Association Executives Council Region IV, National Tank Truck Carriers, Great West Casualty Company and Allied Committee for Trucking.

“This campaign encompasses every person who touches the industry and therefore, every donation is appreciated. There is no amount too small as we are all working toward improving the industry and improving America,” Steve Ponder, campaign chairman and vice president of Great West Casualty Company, said in a statement.

Trucking Moves America Forward Campaign Raises More Than $500,000 Since Launch

“Trucking Moves America Forward” Enhances Industry Image, Public Perception

Washington, DC – [April 28, 2014] – Trucking industry executives announced today that following the launch of the Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) campaign in March it has raised more than a half-a-million dollars, which is more than halfway to its annual goal of one million dollars per year over the coming years.

TMAF is an industry-wide image and internal education initiative informing policy makers, motorists and the public about the benefits of the trucking industry to help build a ground swell of political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry.

“The committee is thankful for the response and feedback since the launch of the campaign, and especially for the top level sponsorship commitments from a host of our industry leaders,” said Steve Ponder, chairman, Trucking Moves America Forward and vice-president of Great West Casualty Company. “This campaign encompasses every person who touches the industry and therefore, every donation is appreciated. There is no amount too small as we are all working toward improving the industry and improving America.”

Trucking companies and associations that have contributed top level sponsorship include: Cummins Inc., Midsouth Truckers Group Inc., Trucking Association Executives Council Region IV, National Tank Truck Carriers, Great West Casualty Company, and Allied Committee for Trucking (ACT1).

“The trucking industry is critical to the American economy, it injects more than $642 billion dollars into this country annually and trucks exclusively serve more than 80 percent of our country’s communities,” said Mike Card, fundraising chairman, Trucking Moves America Forward and president of Combined Transport. “The industry has made great strides in safety, innovation and technology and looks forward to sharing that with the American people.”

An entire list of donors and information on how to donate are available on TruckingMovesAmerica.com.

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About Trucking Moves America Forward

Trucking Moves America Forward aims to establish a long-term industry-wide movement to create a positive image for the industry, to ensure that policymakers and the public understand the importance of the trucking industry to the nation’s economy, and to build the political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry in the future.

Founding members of the movement include: ACT1, Allison Transmission, American Trucking Associations (ATA), Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Bridgestone Commercial Solutions, Bulldog Hiway Express, Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants, Combined Transport, Inc., Cummins Inc., Daimler Trucks North America, Dana Holding Corporation, Detroit Diesel Corporation, Eaton Corporation – Roadranger, GE Capital, Goodyear, Great West Casualty Company, Hahn Transportation, Inc., Hendrickson, International, J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Jet Express, Inc., Kenworth Truck Company, Longistics, Love’s Travel Stops, Mack Trucks, Inc., Meritor, Michelin, Motor Carrier Service, Inc., Old Dominion Freight Lines, Omnitracs Inc., Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), Pegasus, Peterbilt Motors Company, Randall Reilly, Tennant Truck Lines, Tennessee Express, Inc., TransTech, Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), TRW and Volvo Trucks.

Heavy Duty Trucking: Interconnected Trucking on the Horizon

In the not too distant future, everything in a trucking company will be connected – not just a carrier’s moving stock, but every device and piece of equipment within the operation.

That was the message delivered by Kenneth J. Spangler, senior vice president and chief information officer with FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight, during his keynote address to attendees at the Carrier Logistics user conference and executive forum April 10 through 11 in White Plains, N.Y.

Spangler told trucking executives attending the conference that he expects there to be more change within the next five years in terms of information technology than occurred over the last 20 years.

As an example, he cited the latest technology deployed by FedEx that can take pictures of all six sides of a box as it moves along a conveyor belt in their sorting facilities. Likewise, designs for the latest forklifts the company plans to deploy include onboard computers and scanners.

Chuck Hammel, president of Pitt Ohio Express told attendees that rebranding, aggressive marketing tactics, taking care of drivers and diversifying their offerings were key components of his company’s success.

In addition to the keynote speeches, conference attendees attended workshops on various CLI software capabilities, social media and security. A supplier showcase displayed offerings and services from CLI’s technology partners.

CLI provides transportation software for customers in the less-than-truckload, package delivery, combined LTL/truckload and bulk liquid carrier segments.

Overdrive Magazine: Five trucking companies make Forbes’ 100 Most Trusted Companies list

By James Jaillet

Mega fleets Con-way (No. 4 in the CCJ Top 250), Werner (No. 10), Old Dominion (No. 12), Knight (No. 25) and Marten (No. 46) were among Forbes’ annual 100 Most Trusted Companies list, released this week.

Con-way, Knight, Old Dominion and Werner all ranked in the Mid Cap category, which consists of companies with a market cap between $1 billion and $5 billion.

Marten scored in the Small Cap category, companies with a market cap between $250 million and $1 billion.

The list of 100 is calculated based on ratings from GMI, who reviews the accounting and governance behaviors of about 8,000 publicly traded companies in North America. Factors like consistency, transparency, management practices and lack of high risk events are used to rate the companies to produce the so-called Aggressive Accounting and Governance Risk score.

The list is not ranked 1-100, but is instead broken down by market cap size and alphabetical order.

Click here to see Forbes’ full list.

Toledo Blade: Semi truck expert Ron Hawkins, Jr. shares tips for driving on the highways

By Rose Russell

Ron Hawkins, Jr., wants to save your life, especially if you’re sharing the road with a semi truck.

Say you’re driving and you need to get around the tractor-trailer in front of you. You decide to use the right lane to pass the semi.

Bad idea, Mr. Hawkins says. Why? Because the truck driver cannot see you.

“Never pass a truck on the right side because my blind spot is four or five lanes wide,” on that side of the truck, he said. “If you cannot see the driver’s face in the mirror, he cannot see you at all.”

That’s why he urges passenger cars to “Always pass on the left. The blind spot is smaller.”

Mr. Hawkins should know. He’s been driving a semi for 30 years, and not once has he had an accident. In March his company, K-Limited Carrier LTD of Toledo, honored him for having such a stellar record. He has driven more than 2 million miles, and in 2007 he was named the state’s professional driver.

In 2009 and 2010 he was an American road team captain, which featured his driving skills. Mr. Hawkins is currently a finalist for the National Tank Truck Usher Driver of the Year award.

He enjoys talking about his clean record, and he makes it clear that he wants other motorists to be safe around tractor-trailers. In 2012, there were 1,130 traffic fatalities on Ohio highways. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that slightly more than a third of all highway fatalities involving trucks occur within a truck’s blind spots.

Mr. Hawkins talked more about the blind spots around semis after the Toledo Trucking Association’s annual luncheon at the Inverness Club. The highlight of the event was the awarding of a $5,000 scholarship to Christina Koepke, 21, of Temperance. The University of Toledo student has a triple major: supply chain management, human resources management, and marketing.

Semis need a significant safety cushion so they can stop safely, according to Mr. Hawkins, who has driven semis for 30 years.

Mr. Hawkins, a 1976 graduate of Toledo’s Start High School, said, “The main thing about driving around large vehicles is that you want to give them plenty room. I cannot see you if you are within 25 car lengths behind. I can take a full length school bus, fold the mirrors in, and park it behind the truck, and you would never see it in my mirrors.”

Because of their size, semis need a significant safety cushion so they can stop safely, Hawkins explains. When the tank on the 55-foot to 60-foot long semi he drives is full, it takes the length of “one football field and both end zones to stop.”

Stopping distance can also be impacted by the cargo being carried. Smooth bore tankers (ones that don’t use baffles to compartmentalize their cargo) have nothing inside to slow down the flow of the liquid. Therefore, forward and back surge is very strong. Smooth bore tanks are usually those that transport food products such as milk. Sanitation regulations rule out the use of baffles because of the difficulty in cleaning the inside of the tank. Corrosive liquids are also routinely transported in smooth bore tanks.

He also warns passenger car drivers not to linger while passing big trucks. And once by a semi, Mr. Hawkins said, “don’t get back into the lane until you can see both my headlights in your rear view mirror.”

The American Trucking Association estimate there are 15 million trucks on U.S. roads and highways, 2.3 million of which are semis.

Truck drivers need a significant safety cushion so they can stop safely, Hawkins explains. When the tank on the 55-foot to 60-foot long semi he drives is full, it takes the length of “one football field and both end zones to stop.”

Mr. Hawkins, who lives in Perrysburg, has noticed some changes during his three decades behind the wheel of a rig: “Traffic is getting heavier and there’s not as much courtesy,” he said.

And sitting high in the cabin, truck drivers see quite easily into passenger vehicles. “I’ve seen guys shaving and people reading the newspaper,” he said — and yes, he means while they were driving.

“Everybody” is distracted, he laments, whether it’s young people talking to their friends, a parent trying to sooth a crying baby in the back seat, someone eating, or putting on makeup.

The No. 1 offense? That’s easy: passenger car motorists using hand-held cell phones to talk and text. And if you’re curious, Mr. Hawkins said, “It’s illegal for truckers to use hand-held cell phones.”

 

CCJ: Best of MATS: A recap of the trends and popular stories from the show

By James Jaillet

It was a year for connectivity and tech at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., last week: Remote diagnostics, in-dash systems to help train drivers and boost fuel economy, autonomous truck mechanisms, concept trucks and data highlighted the show’s annual announcements from truck, engine and component manufacturers.

Here’s a look at some of the top announcements and stories to come out of MATS this year:

Telematics, diagnostics, driver coaching/scoring systems lead show trends: The show — for trucking press — officially began with a Tuesday night press event with Cummins, who got the ball rolling on the show’s biggest trend: “Smart” systems that use telematics and data to perform diagnostics, score drivers or induce autonomous action from a truck. Here’s what was covered by truck, engine and components makers regarding the systems:

Kenworth also announced an in-dash driver performance system, details of which will be available later in the year.

Walmart shows off concept truck: Walmart, Peterbilt, Great Dane formally introduced a concept truck that takes aerodynamic stylings to an extreme. However, what’s under the truck’s hood — if it can be called that — isn’t your conventional engine, either: It’s powered by a fuel-neutral turbine engine that can run on diesel, gasoline, natural gas, DME, hydrogen and a bevy of other fuel sources. The truck hasn’t been track tested yet, so fuel economy data hasn’t been produced yet. Click here to see more on the truck, along with a photo gallery and a video.

Truck sales outlook expected to be strong: At the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association’s Breakfast Briefing at the show, truck makers said 2014 has the potential for big gains in truck sales, stemming from aging equipment and rising truck demand. 2015, too, is expected to follow in 2014?s footsteps. In each of their press conferences at the show, most truck manufacturers gave figures, with most projecting somewhere around 250,000 trucks to be sold this year. Click here to read more.

Industry image campaign promotes trucking, drivers: Representatives of ATA, OOIDA and ACT 1 unveiled a campaign that’s been in the works for some time, one designed to bolster the trucking industry’s image and the image of drivers in the minds of the public and lawmakers. One of the key goals of the campaign — Trucking Moves America Forward — is to attract new drivers to the industry by changing how potential workers view driving jobs. A few dozen industry partners have signed on to the campaign so far, and the campaign will consist of an advertising blitz, social media campaigns, earned media and paid media. Click here to read coverage of TMAF from the show.

Still waiting on CSA crash accountability report: In a seminar titled “CSA update,” FMCSA field officer Tom Kelly said the agency has completed its study evaluating implementing crash fault weighting into CSA scores. But the study’s still undergoing review, Kelly said. Click here to read more on the questions the study seeks to answer, along with other CSA updates.

Trucking hero rescues fellow driver from fiery bridge crash: Goodyear named Ivan Vasovic as its 2014 Highway Hero for Vasovic’s heroic actions in saving a fellow driver from a fire and a crash in which the other driver’s rig was about to fall from a bridge. Vasovic in October of last year saw a double tanker hit a concrete driver, slam into a guard rail and come to rest hanging over the side of  an overpass. Diesel was leaking everywhere and caught fire. Vasovic saved the man by dragging him through the fire. Click here to read more on Vasovic’s story.

FMCSA listens to public comment on New Entrant rule: In its second listening session held on the subject, FMCSA reps, including Administrator Anne Ferro, heard public comment from trucking industry representatives at the show. The agency has been tasked by Congress to create the rule, and part of its job there is to gather public input. The first session was held in January. Click here to read more on what was said at the listening session.