August, 2014 - Trucking Moves America

Transport Topics: Trucker Hailed as Hero for Assisting Crash Victims

August 20, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

Truck driver David Fredericksen and his co-driver, Walter Letterman, were making their weekly run from Lake Wales, Florida, to California, on Aug. 11 when a fiery accident involving an automobile and an 18-wheeler unfolded in front of them.

Fredericksen jumped out of his cab, used a fire extinguisher to calm the flames, then pulled a 1-year-old girl from the back seat of the burning car while others came to the aid of her grandmother in the front seat.

Now Fredericksen is being hailed as the “hero truck driver” who stepped up before anyone else did and may have helped save the lives of one or both of the accident victims.

“We thought the people were dead,” said Fredericksen, who stopped his truck in the middle of Interstate 10 just north of Gulfport, Mississippi, when a Lincoln Town Car spun out of control as it tried to merge onto the highway, striking the 18-wheeler and bursting into flames. “I figured if they were dead, I could at least put the fire out.”

In fact, they escaped relatively unharmed, according to Gulfport police, as did the driver of the 18-wheeler. Fredericksen, 45 and a father of four, first pulled open the passenger side door of the automobile, but then spotted the child in the back seat, and tended to her first. “Her eyes were big; she was in shock,” Fredericksen said.

His efforts might have garnered little attention, were it not for the Internet.

A video of the accident, the fireball and the rescue effort has gone viral on the Web, with more than 830,000 views on YouTube as of Aug. 19. (See video here.)

That video was recorded by Fredericksen’s “dash cam,” which he happened to activate that day when he took the wheel from co-driver Letterman just minutes earlier in Biloxi.

The video sat in his camera for an entire week before he mentioned it to his son Logan, 26, who uploaded it to YouTube. The video has a faulty date time stamp, making it appear as though the accident occurred in 2013.

The video became the focus of stories on ABC’s “Good Morning, America” and other news outlets. But Fredericksen deflects the “hero” accolades and says most people would have done the same thing he did – that he’s getting attention mostly because it was caught on video.

“I don’t feel like a hero; I feel like a Good Samaritan,” he said by phone Aug. 19, while he and Letterman (who was driving) were making another Florida-to-California run for Oakley Transport. They drive orange juice out to California and typically bring lemon juice back in a 48-hour, 2,700-mile journey. “I was praying that the people were all right.”

He did acknowledge that it was nice to come home from that trip and have his kids call him a hero. Fredericksen lives in Palm Coast, Florida, with wife Jinny, and is the father of four boys between the ages of 6 and 26.

And Fredericksen, a truck driver for five years, is happy for any positive light the incident might shine on truck drivers.

“We’re often the first responders,” he said of their presence on the highways. “We get out of the truck with the fire extinguishers and the first-aid kits and try to help people until the police and firemen get there.”

Transport Topics: Graves Touts Drivers’ Professionalism at NTDC

August 15, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

Trucking’s lifeblood is quality professionals — the drivers and law enforcement officers — American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves said Thursday during the Breakfast of Champions at the start of the National Truck Driving Championships.

“Annually, 9 billion tons of freight are moved by trucks over nearly 400 billion miles,” Graves told more than 1,000 people at NTDC, which is held simultaneously with the inspectors championships.

That’s 18 trillion pounds of freight being moved thanks to nearly 3 million driving professionals and the million-plus trucking companies that employ and contract them, Graves said.

Yet, those numbers mean nothing if we’re not moving freight safely, Graves said.

“Every accident, every injury, every driver who weaves in and out of traffic and hugs a bumper defeats all the good that the rest of the trucking industry does,” he said. “That’s why as an industry we hold the champions in this room in such high esteem.”

The driving champions inspire and brandish a positive image on the trucking industry, and the inspectors champions are “our ears and our eyes,” Graves said.

“You keep those who would give trucking a bad name, you keep them in line,” he said.

Jack Van Steenburg, chief safety officer and assistant administrator at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said he “loves” talking to the drivers and praising them for fueling the nation’s just-in-time economy.

“For what you do for all of us . . . you should be proud of what you do,” he said. “You are true, true professionals.”

American Trucking Associations Donates $100,000 to Trucking Moves America Forward

August 14, 2014/in Press Releases /by Editorial Staff

Today, American Trucking Associations announced a $100,000 commitment to help Trucking Moves America Forward – the growing industry-wide movement – tell the positive stories of the trucking industry and its essentiality to America’s economy and communities. With ATA’s donation, TMAF stands at $700,000 towards its goal to raise one million dollars by the end of the year.

TMAF – launched in March 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 groundswell of political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry.

“One of our most important jobs is to tell the trucking industry’s story,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “There’s so much to know about the safety, the essentiality and the sustainability efforts of this industry and Trucking Moves America Forward has been designed to do just that.”

“We have come a long way in almost two years of planning and preparation, and now ATA is proud to announce we’re taking our support to a higher level today announcing a contribution of $100,000 to Trucking Moves America Forward,” Graves said.

ATA’s contribution brings TMAF closer to its goal of raising $1 million to fund its educational and outreach mission.

“It is not surprising that the industry’s vendors and suppliers are embracing the movement, as well as other industry organizations like National Tank Truck Carriers and the Truck Dealers Association,” said Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express and vice chairman of ATA. “Associations like OOIDA, the Truckload Carriers Association and Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association all are spreading the message.”

“As an industry-wide image campaign, we’re happy that such a prominent industry association as American Trucking Associations is now combining its in-kind contributions with financial ones,” said Mike Card, Chairman of the TMAF Fundraising Committee and president of Combined Transport. “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.”

For more on the donation, click here to see a video message from ATA President and CEO Bill Graves.

To join the movement, go to www.truckingmovesamerica.com

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About American Trucking Associations

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation’s freight. Follow ATA on Twitter and Facebook.

About Trucking Moves America Forward

Trucking Moves America Forward is 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, 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, Pilot Flying J, Randall Reilly, Tennant Truck Lines, Tennessee Express Inc., TransTech, Trucking Associations Executive Council, Truckload Carriers Association, TRW and Volvo Trucks.

Trucking Moves America Forward Introduces “High-5 and Show Your Pride” Campaign

August 12, 2014/in Press Releases /by Editorial Staff

The Trucking Moves America Forward movement introduces the “High-5 and Show Your Pride” campaign, which will debut at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas on August 20, and encourages each attendee to donate five dollars to the TMAF movement to reach its goal of one million dollars its first year, emphasizing the pride within the industry.

The second phase of the campaign – “Show Your Pride” – urges industry workers to sign a pledge at the TMAF booth, #8042 showcasing their dedication to trucking and is open to anyone affiliated with the industry.

Launched in March, TMAF is an industry-wide image and internal education initiative informing policymakers, motorists and the public about the benefits of the trucking industry to help build the groundswell of political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry.

“We are 70% of the way to our goal of raising $1 million since our launch six months ago,” said Mike Card, fundraising chairman, Trucking Moves America Forward and president of Combined Transport. “These incredible results are a testament to the passion within trucking and we believe the ’High-5 and Show Your Pride‘ campaign will continue to energize, excite and inspire our industry at GATS and beyond. TMAF is a long-term movement and we aim to continue fundraising well past our goal.”

Attendees of GATS will be able to donate at the TMAF booth along with founding member American Trucking Associations (Booth #14059). Member companies will be easily identified via “High-5 and Show Your Pride” signage throughout the convention and those who donate will receive special recognition at the show as well as on TMAF social media and its website.

“We challenge the more than 40,000 attendees to continue celebrating and supporting the TMAF movement by participating in the ’High-5 and Show Your Pride‘ campaign at GATS,” said Steve Ponder, chairman, Trucking Moves America Forward and vice-president of Great West Casualty Company. “There would be nothing more exciting than moving closer to our goal with our friends and colleagues in Dallas.”

Significant landmarks to TMAF include reaching the half-million dollar donation mark two months after its launch thanks to major contributions from ATA, Allied Committee for the Trucking Industry, Cummins Inc., Great West Casualty Company, Jack Cooper Transportation, JJ Keller, Lipscomb & Pitts, Longistics, Love’s Travel Stops, Minnesota Trucking, NTTC, Old Dominion Freight Lines, Pilot Flying J, TAEC Region IV and Southeastern Freight Lines.

For more information visit www.truckingmovesamerica.com

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About Trucking Moves America Forward

Trucking Moves America Forward is 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, 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, Pilot Flying J, Randall Reilly, Tennant Truck Lines, Tennessee Express Inc., TransTech, Trucking Associations Executive Council, Truckload Carriers Association, TRW and Volvo Trucks.

Transport Topics: Trucking Adds 2,300 Jobs in July

August 4, 2014/in News /by Editorial Staff

Trucking added 2,300 jobs in July and the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 6.2% as more people entered the workforce, Labor Department reported Aug. 1.

The economy added 209,000 jobs, after a 298,000 increase in June that was 10,000 higher than originally reported. Economists had forecast a 230,000 July increase.

The department revised the trucking industry’s June increase to 3,900 jobs, from an originally reported 3,300.

“In recent conversations with our schools, we are seeing increased interest from carriers for drivers,” said Commercial Vehicle Training Association President and CEO Don Lefeve “Clearly, the driver shortage is real and our schools stand ready to meet the challenge of producing high quality drivers into the industry.”

The transportation and warehousing sector, which includes trucking, added 7,900 positions in July. That followed a 14,800 gain in June that was lower than the 16,600 first reported.

Manufacturing jobs jumped by 28,000, after a June increase of 23,000 that was higher than the 16,000 originally reported.

Construction added 22,000 positions in July, after a 10,000 gain in June that was up from an originally reported 6,000.

The Labor Department’s survey of households — a separate survey that is used to derive the unemployment rate — showed that more people entered the labor force. The workforce participation rate rose to 62.9% from 62.8% in June, which had matched the lowest since March 1978.