Alabama Trucker, 4th Quarter 2017

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Published quarterly by the Alabama Trucking Assn., P.O. Box 242337, Montgomery, AL 36124-2337. www.alabamatrucking.org or call 334-834-3983 PUBLISHER Ford Boswell fboswell@alabamatrucking.org

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Addressing the need for drivers For the first time in more than a decade, the current shortage of drivers topped ATRI’s annual Top 10 List of Critical Issues. Among the strategies recommended to address the issue include working with state and federal authorities to develop a graduated commercial driver’s license program to attract safe, younger drivers to the industry, and partnering with the U.S. Dept. of Labor to formalize a national driver recruitment program.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Frank Filgo ffilgo@alabamatrucking.org CREATIVE DIRECTOR Cindy Segrest csparks67@gmail.com PRODUCTION EDITORS Jane Nixon, Brandie Norcross CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom Bray, Tim Frazier, Dena Sokolow ADVERTISING Ford Boswell fboswell@alabamatrucking.org

PRESIDENT & CEO Frank Filgo, CAE DIRECTOR OF SAFETY & MEMBER SERVICES Tim Frazier, CDS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Jane Nixon DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Ford Boswell MANAGER OF MEMBER RELATIONS Brandie Norcross ATA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Steve Aronhalt, Dennis Bailey, Nick Balanis, Rhonda Bees, Joe Black, Gary Bond, Jack Brim, Greg Brown, Will Bruser, Dan Carmichael, Fenn Church, Mark Coffman, Jeff Coleman, John Collier, Rodger Collins, Driscoll Colquett, Brent Cook, Gail Cooper, Al Cox, Norman Crow, Jerry Davis, Ranny Davis, Amy DeFee, Joe Donald, Edmund Doss, Mack Dove, Wesley Dunn, Jack Fricks, Kevin Henderson, Beau Holmes, Terry Kilpatrick, Jason King, Mark Knotts, Jerry Kocan, Drew Linn, Hunter Lyons, Jeff McGrady, Barry McGriff, Bruce MacDonald, Tom McLeod, Rollins Montgomery, Buck Moore, E.H. Moore, Jr., Ross Neely, Jr., Tommy Neely, Butch Owens, Clay Palm, Mike Pursley, Kelly Robinson, Kevin Savoy, Bill Scruggs, Danny Smith, Ronnie Stephenson, Steve Stinson, Paul Storey, Harold Sumerford, Jr., John Summerford, James Suttles, Tim Tucker, Bill Ward, Wayne Watkins, Taylor White, David Wildberger, Skip Williams, T.J. Willings, Keith Wise, Pat Wright.

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ELD is here, now what?

Fleets must transition to operating with e-logs or automatic onboard recording devices by December 18. With most fleets somewhere in the process of purchasing, implementing and training on ELDs, fleet managers have their hands full. Equally important, however, is the development of effective policies and procedures around the technology. Are your managers confident that their policies and procedures would pass FCMSA’s scrutiny? It sure wouldn’t hurt to take one last look at what you need to know.

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Classic Blowout Our members never disappoint, and once again they showed up big time for the ATA Golf Classic, held last September in Prattville, Ala. at the Robert Trent Jones Capitol Hill Courses. ATA’s annual fundraiser for its political action committee attracted a record turnout, generating nearly a quarter of million dollars for the 2018 state elections.

Cover photo courtesy of CarriersEdge and Central Oregon Truck Co. via SiefkesPetit Communications.

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E P A R T M E N T S

President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

SMMC Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Trucking News Roundup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Buyers’ Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ATA Events and New Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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An Affiliate of the American Trucking Associations

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334-834-3983 • www.alabamatrucking.org 1

From the President

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Moving Obstacles for Trucking

Chris Spears President & CEO American Trucking Associations

Note from ATA President Frank Filgo: This space is usually reserved for my remarks on the business of the Alabama Trucking Association, but instead I’d like to present American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spears’s state-of-the-industry address, delivered at the opening of his group’s annual Management Conference & Exhibition held in Orlando last October.

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year ago, I stood before you for the first time as your ninth President and CEO. I shared with you that what we think, what we say and what we do must all be the same. Today, I can tell you that your Association is delivering on that promise.

Since 2013, the back-to-back 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and 168-hour requirements were your No. 1 priority on the American Transportation Research Institute “Top Issues” survey.

Thanks to your unyielding efforts, it’s our top priority no more.

Last December, Congress passed, and President Obama signed legislation that permanently struck his own Administration’s illconceived, special interest-driven Hours of Service rules from the U.S. Code. We earned that victory. You helped make that happen.

And this win serves as a reminder to each of us, the sheer strength of this Association, when we work together.

ATA and its coalition partners are looking to continue this winning streak by sending a strong message to policy makers in Sacramen2

to. The F4A issue involves the state’s duplicative meal and rest breaks that collide with federal safety standards, causing drivers to park their equipment in undesignated places, endangering themselves and the motoring public. This confusion has generated a litigious frenzy. Over $250 million in settlements to date and immeasurable exposure in pending and potential litigation. Apparently, California’s lawmakers care more about the plaintiffs’ bar than public safety, or even jobs.

This is an issue we must win, and we will.

It’ll happen by working with Congress and this Administration, continuing to invest over $9.5 billion each year in safety technologies and giving a voice to the 7.4 million employees in trucking jobs throughout the nation.

Not by lining the pockets of trial attorneys.

In January, we created a member-led Task Force to support President Trump’s proposal to raise and invest one trillion dollars in our nation’s infrastructure over 10 years. Our task force immediately went to work, meeting with Sec. of Transportation Elaine Chao during her first hours on the job, as well as all ten House and Senate Committee chairs and ranking members responsible for this historic legislation. But it didn’t stop there.

Joined by 12 America’s Road Team Captains with a combined 29.4 million accident free miles and more than 320 years of behindthe-wheel experience, the task force went to the White House and met with the President and Vice President of the United States. We parked our two image trucks on the south lawn of the White House, just feet from the portico and oval office. News of this meeting and event reached an audience of over 1.2 billion people. Since then, the task force has built lasting relationships with our nation’s most senior leaders and is now advocating dedicated, sustainable funding solutions for our nation’s infrastructure. I want to thank the task force co-chairs David Congdon and Jim Burg, the task force members and our America’s Road Team Captains.

You all upped our game. And now we’re helping drive this outcome.

ATA is now fully engaged in reforming our country’s decaying tax laws. Recently, ATA hosted President Trump in Harrisburg, Penn.

There, he announced his much-anticipated tax

reform plan, which emphasized one very special benefactor: trucking. Citing truckers as “the barometer for the nation’s economy,” the President shared a detailed proposal, entitled the “American Model.” It includes a corporate tax rate reduction to 20 percent, cutting a third of what our industry currently pays, and it eliminates the dreaded estate tax, also known as the death tax. That’s your money. It belongs to you. And with it, you will be empowered to invest more in your employees, your equipment and the future growth of your businesses. The President’s plan is historic and conventional, lowering the rate and broadening the base. And he illustrated what his tax plan will actually mean to our industry, citing the personal experiences of our own ATA Chairman, Kevin Burch and ATA member Calvin Ewell.

Once again, ATA put its own members in a position to shape public policy at the highest level. And with the President now championing our best interests, the entire nation is paying attention to what we have to say. In just days, news media of this one event reached more than 493 million people. Ladies and gentlemen, we have not witnessed a proposal like this in over eight decades. We owe it to our industry and our children’s future to help get it passed.

At the same time, ATA is now supporting the U.S. Chamber-led coalition to advocate and advance sound trade policy. Trucks move 76 percent of the NAFTA surface freight, 82 percent of the cross-border traffic with Mexico and 71 percent with Canada, our nation’s largest trade partner. I’ve visited our borders and can tell you first hand that our industry will be the first to feel any changes in NAFTA, good or bad. Together, ATA and its Mexican and Canadian counterparts, CANACAR and CTA, have come together to help our respective nations preserve and promote policies that benefit our industry, our customers and the United States’ ability to grow its economy.

Last year, we shined a spotlight on technology, most notably, autonomous technology.

We wasted no time taking our seat at the table, securing a coveted slot on the Federal Advisory Committee on Autonomous Technology and testifying on Capitol Hill. We Continued on page 28 A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

Photos by Ford Boswell

Growing Driver Shortage Impacts Industry Improving economy, increased hauling demand sets stage for major long-term truck driver shortage.

By Dan Shell veryone loves to talk about an improving economy, obviously, but the side effects of increased business activity can include growth problems that are mostly good to have – as long as they don’t become insurmountable or threaten a company’s competitive position.

A prime example is the building truck driver shortage, which is growing as the overall economy improves after the downturn a decade ago. Other issues include competition from other industries, demographics with an aging driver ranks and regulations.

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Taking a closer look at the ongoing driver shortage – and there’s no doubt the trucking industry is looking at a long-term lack of drivers – the impact can vary depending on many factors that in turn affect large and small, regional and national carriers differently.

For starters, the shortage itself can fluctuate a bit year to year, depending on overall economic activity and shipping demand. According to a major paper released in October by Bob Costello, Chief Economist and Sr. Vice President of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the organization first documented a shortage of roughly 20,000 drivers in

2005 that was virtually erased by 2007-2009 as the economy slowed and bottomed out.

Yet, as the economy has improved in the years since, the driver shortage has returned and steadily worsened, reaching 45,000 by the end of 2015. A slight drop in trucking freight demand slowed the rate of growth of the shortage, which is now back up over 45,000 and expected to reach 60,000 by the end of 2018.

It’s important to note that a driver shortage and driver turnover are two different things.

Driver turnover tends to increase when drivers and freight haulers are in high demand.

That’s what’s happening right now, according A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

to the ATA report: As of the second quarter this year, turnover in the for-hire TL sector had reached a 90 percent annualized rate.

Looking at causes of the driver shortage, the ATA study points to a half-dozen areas where the trucking industry is falling short. l Aging work force: Right now, the median age of OTR drivers is 49, and private fleet drivers have a median age of 52. Regulations requiring OTR drivers crossing state lines be at least 21 keeps some young people from entering the industry l Missing females: Women make up almost half the U.S. work force, yet only 6 percent of drivers are women. Industry is missing out on a large, untapped segment of workers. l Family time: While some embrace a life on the road, many, especially those with young families, are gravitating to jobs that don’t include frequent weeks or more of time away from home. l Improving job market: As the economy has improved and wages have gone up, more opportunities for driver-type workers (such as construction or heavy equipment work) are taking away potential drivers. l Regulations: Historically, trucking regulations tend to reduce productivity, and that in turn aggravates the driver shortage because it takes more drivers to move the same amount of freight.

Response The study also looked at several ways industry can address and head off the driver shortage. There’s no one solution, and attracting more drivers will require improvements and changes in multiple areas. l Increased pay: Currently, drivers are looking at improvements in driver wages, as ATA reports show fleets implemented pay increases in 2015 and 2016. Signing bonuses and better benefit packages are also becoming more common as competition for drivers heats up. The report expects driver pay to continue to increase. l More Home Time: Drivers are often reluctant to take jobs that require extensive time away from home. More use of retail distribution centers and hub-and-spoke systems have reduced average haul length, yet finding ways to accommodate drivers wanting more home time will be an ongoing challenge. l Lower Driving Age: Industry officials believe trucking interests are missing out on younger workers due to the “over 21” regulation for interstate hauling. While federal officials are beginning a study on the safety of commercial drivers age 18-20, industry has criticized it for being too small and restricA LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

R.E. Garrison Trucking of Vinemont, Ala. brings in several new drivers a week for new driver orientation. Their orientation program lasts several days and includes equipment training, company culture expectations, and personal finance tips.

Drivers these days are reluctant to take jobs that require extensive time away from home. To keep drivers happy, many fleets have moved to retail distribution centers and hub-and-spoke systems to reduced average haul length.

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tive. The ATA supports introduced federal legislation that would allow CDL holders from 18-20 who have a clean driving record. l Improved Image: The ATA study notes public perception of truck drivers tends to be negative and supports the “Trucking Moves America Forward” positive image initiative that highlights the industry and truck driving as a demanding but rewarding career. l Military Source: ATA is supporting efforts to make it easier for vets with military driving experience to move into truck driving, including personnel to obtain commercial learners permits outside their home state, and allowing military training to count toward civilian licensing requirements. l Better Treatment: All entities within the supply chain should strive to work closely and treat drivers with respect.

Complaints range from unreasonable load-unload times to things like restricted bathroom access. Shippers and receivers should do all they can to treat drivers as professionals and with respect.

Appearances matter: Younger drivers are nothing like their older counterparts.

Aging work force: The median age of OTR drivers is 49, and private fleet drivers have a median age of 52.

Family Time Working for an LTL carrier, Kerry Miller, recruiter for BR Williams Trucking, says because they do more round trip work his company is not as affected as the large long haul carriers, but he does see a shortage of drivers as an issue going forward.

“We may be looking for a driver or two a month, but some of the larger companies may be looking for 20 or more a week,” Miller says. “You Creature comforts: Drivers want newer trucks with more technology. have to want that lifestyle to be an that years ago no one would blink at staying OTR driver.” out on the road six weeks. “But that takes a From what he’s seeing and hearing, high toll on families.”

Miller believes new driver numbers aren’t Heather Darnell, safety director at Watkins keeping up with demand long term, and Trucking, says the first thing she hears from the lifestyle issue is one industry will need drivers who are coming from a larger compato continue to address. ny to a smaller one like Watkins is “the Guys with young families don’t want to amount of home time, and how they want to spend a lot of time on the road, and I don’t be able to enjoy their family.” The other thing blame them,” Miller says. “I used to drive she hears from prospective drivers is a desire some long hauls back when I was single but to be known as more than a number and to now that I’ve got four kids, I wouldn’t want be part of a team. to do it.”

“As safety director, I always make time for As a private carrier, Doug Chamness, head the drivers, ask about their wives and kids of fleet safety at Greenbush Logistics, says and take a true interest in each one,” Darnell “We’re a little different. Our turnover is only says. “A big part of that is having good comabout 7 percent” and adds that smaller, primunication with the drivers, having respect vate fleets are seeing a different dynamic than all around and truly being a team.” larger, cross-country hauling companies. “DriThe landscape of trucking itself is changvers are after a better lifestyle,” he says, noting 6

ing partially in response to some of these trends, says Page Siplon, CEO of TeamOne Logistics, citing the use of more regional distribution centers and hub-and-spoke systems to move products. “OTR trucking, though it’s still a huge staple of the industry, is being replaced where possible with more regional routes because companies are having a tough time finding people to make those long hauls,” he says.

Echoing Darnell, Siplon says prospective drivers ask about the job and home time first and pay second. “I think that’s telling,” he says.

The TeamOne group is proud of the company’s turnover rate that’s only about a third of the national average, Siplon says, adding that TeamOne makes a total commitment to honesty and transparency when recruiting.

“Our recruiters and managers spend the time to find out exactly what a prospective driver wants to do, and you have to be honest if it’s not a home every day or home every week job,” he says, adding that he’s always hearing from prospects about large carrier recruiters telling potential drivers they’ll be home plenty, make lots of money and everything will be wonderful – but it’s not.

“I think that’s a sign of desperation and that people are just trying to put butts in seats, but actions like that do hurt industry,” Siplon says, emphasizing that honesty and working together are always the best policy.

“Be honest with the driver, make sure it’s a right fit, and if not, let them go find what they want until you can find one who really wants to do what the job entails,” he adds.

Trends Noting the average age of driver ranks is going up, seeking new and different sources for drivers is important, as is adding more CDL holders – though there’s not a true silver bullet out there.

“We’re seeing most people breaking into truck driving in their early 30s; we don’t see too many in their early 20s,” Darnell says.

While Watkins does have a woman driver, most of the calls they get are from men, she says, adding that you tend to see more women driving vans and reefers instead of flatbeds.

Chamness says they’ve found newspapers to be the least effective when advertising for A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

drivers. Instead, he’s doing more online solicitations in a mixture of trucking-focused and trade sites, where he gets better results than the big general job sites. “We’ve also done some Craigslist ads and Facebook has been good for us, so social media in general is becoming a better recruitment tool,” he says.

“How do you find drivers?” Siplon says.

“Truckers are an older workforce, and we have to find ways to get younger people interested in transportation careers.”

One thing to note, he says, is that younger people want more technology and automation. “That will play a role in how we take care of our drivers.”

Siplon notes that TeamOne has been doing some online recruiting. “Facebook has been a pretty good source, and we’ve also used Craigslist,” he says, noting that it depends on the market or region. For example, there’s an area in the Northeast, he says, where they get very little response from on-line ads but good response from newspapers.

Darnell believes the key is soliciting a “younger generation that’s had a little time to mature” – finding the sweet spot that will turn those people breaking into trucking in their early 30s to their mid 20s.

She believes the industry as a whole doesn’t do a good job of promoting employment

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and driving as a true profession that’s part of a critical industry. “It’s looked down on for some reason, and a lot of these guys are making 40, 50, 70 thousand a year,” she adds. “People don’t realize it’s a real profession, and some make a really good living.”

And while many agree the number of new CDL holders isn’t keeping pace with ongoing and projected hauling demand, simply adding more CDLs isn’t necessarily the solution. And all drivers and fleet operators know there’s a big difference between certified and experienced.

“What about insurance?” Siplon says, noting that putting a significant number of less experienced drivers on the road is bound to draw a stern reaction from the insurance industry.

There’s occasional talk of graduated CDLs, training and apprenticeships, but in many cases it’s a tough economic sell. “Having a senior driver training a junior driver, well that’s at least time and a half, and you can’t do that for long,” Siplon says.

E-Log Impact The upcoming electronic logging device (ELD) requirements are bound to have an

impact on the industry, though somewhat limited. It was big news as the implementation date has drawn closer: A reader survey for Overdrive magazine in early 2017 noted up to 71 percent of independents and owner-operators said they’d quit before complying; and Gail Levario, EROADS vice president of strategy and market development noted earlier that full compliance could result in a loss of 3 percent-5 percent of capacity.

Darnell says she’s heard of some older drivers not really liking the new ELD requirements, but it’s still too early to see what impact it will have on driver numbers.

Siplon says the change hurts all companies equally and industry will learn to deal with it. “I think you’re seeing some anger from those who didn’t want to see it, and I get that,” he notes, adding he doesn’t think it will have that big of an impact.

With the new ELD regulations, Chamness believes only a small percentage of drivers will opt out instead of adopting and learning the new technology. He notes that all his drivers like it. “Once they get over an initial fear of it, it’s no big deal,” he says. “I tell my guys it’s no different than adding a bunch numbers, and would you rather do it with a pen and paper or a calculator?”

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Strong Support for Trucking ATA’s annual Golf Classic once again attracted a record turnout, generating nearly a quarter of million dollars for industry political action.

Four former Chairmen: from left, Ronnie Stephenson; Bill Scruggs; Barry McGriff and Buck Moore

By Ford Boswell

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ore than 300 people, representing 138 ATA member firms gathered in September at the Robert Trent Jones-Capitol Hill golf complex in Prattville, Ala. to play in the Alabama Trucking Association’s 2017 Golf Classic, the lone fundraiser for the Association’s political action committee, TRUK PAC. According to Golf Classic Chairman Rendy Taylor, this year’s event surpassed all previous Classics in terms of money raised and member participation. “Our total revenue eclipsed $245,850, which will generate an estimated $200,000 for the Association’s future political endeavors,” he announced at the tournament’s shotgun start. “There were 306 golfers signed up to play this year – that is amazing support. We are especially appreciative to Vertical Alliance Group for its role as the tournament’s Presidential Sponsor. Their commitment of $15,000 spurred our record amount of sponsorship revenue – it definitely served as a catalyst for increased participation.”

In addition to Vertical Alliance’s donation, 12

there were 14 other firms that each put up $5,000 (Senator Sponsors). Those included the ATA Workers’ Comp Fund, which sponsored lunch and dinner during the 19th Hole Party; Marmon Highway Technologies, Putting Green sponsor; B.R. Williams Trucking, Greenbush Logistics, Gulf City Body & Trailer Works and McLeod Software—which were Closest to the Pin Sponsors for each of the three courses.

Truckworx Kenworth sponsored the Straightest Drive contest on all three courses; Boyd Bros. Transportation and Wiley Sanders Truck Lines sponsored the Longest Drive on all three courses; Fitzgerald Peterbilt was the Hole-In-One Sponsor on the Judge; Buddy Moore Trucking was the Hole-In-One Sponsor on the Legislator; and WTI Transport was the Hole-In-One Sponsor on the Senator.

Southland International Trucks sponsored the Driving Range; and J&M Tank Lines sponsored the Longest Putt on the 18th Hole on all three courses.

Broken down by level, this year’s Classic had 53 - $2,000 sponsors; 47 - $1,000 sponsors; and 22 - $500 sponsors. “These funds are earmarked to support pro-truck

candidates in our state and local elections,” said ATA President Frank Filgo. “By supporting the Classic, these companies are helping our industry elect lawmakers and regulators who understand the vital role trucking plays in our state. With the success of our event, our TRUK-PAC is on target to raise and spend $1 million dollars for the 2018 state elections.”

Taylor also praised his Classic Finance Committee for its hard work in securing sponsors. Members of the committee were Joe Black, McGriff Tire Co.; Gary Bond, National Bank of Commerce; Jack Brim and Greg Brown of B. R. Williams Trucking; Will Bruser, Truckworx Kenworth; Fenn Church, Church Transportation & Logistics; John Collier, Transport Trailer Center; Terry Kilpatrick, Billy Barnes Enterprises; Hunter Lyons, Gulf City Body & Trailer Works; Tommy Neely, Ross Neely Systems; and Wayne Watkins, Watkins Trucking Co. “On behalf of the Association, I thank everyone involved for their support and dedication in making the 2017 ATA Classic a success,” Taylor said.

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From left, T.J. Willings; Ray Lambeth; Greg Brown and Jack Brim

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SAFETY & MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT COUNCIL NEWS

Special alert: Security group warns of rash of cargo thefts The Pharmaceutical Cargo Security Coalition (PCSC), an industry trade group offering supply chain security intelligence and education, warns of a rash of recent high-value cargo thefts that have occurred in the mid-eastern part of the U.S. Three of the thefts involved electronics shipments, which are prevalent now as the holiday season starts. In all three of the electronic thefts there was a complete recovery, as each were actively being tracked using GPS technology. In each case the victim, the trucking firm, the GPS service provider, and law enforcement all worked in concert to recover the loads.

According to PCSC officials, what is important to take note is where these occurred and the methods that were used.

Those methods mirror what full truck load cargo theft victims in the past have routinely seen. Single driver shipments, in three cases over weekend periods, where the driver stops at a truck stop and leaves his vehicle unattended for a brief period of time. Thieves steal the entire rig, attempt

to swap out the original tractor, and bring it to another location to let it sit to see if anyone will come for it (essentially to check if a tracking device is active on the tractor, trailer or inside the shipment).

Increased activity A quick rundown of the thefts follows: l Tuesday, Nov. 14 – at the Flying J Travel Center off Interstate 75 near Jackson, Ga. A tractor and trailer (apart) were recovered less than a mile from the point of theft. l Sunday, Nov. 19, a truck stop in just outside of Shepardsville, Ky., off Interstate 65. The vehicle was recovered in Portland, Tenn. at truck stop 122 miles south on Interstate 65. l Friday, Nov. 17, a full truck load of cosmetics was stolen from a Wal-Mart parking lot near Oxford, NC, just off Interstate 95. The tractor was swapped out by the thieves and recovered a short distance from the actual theft. The trailer and its contents remain at large.

Cargo theft experts are concerned about the surge of this type of activity in recent months. Most feel these can all be associated with the organized cargo theft gangs that have traditionally operated out of South Florida. After a couple of years of relative calm, things seem to be going back to the way they were some time ago.

Be Proactive, Vigilant Trucking firms are advised take note of this recent trend – no matter the type of commodity being shipped. If you have anything on the road (especially during the holiday season), share this intelligence with those both monitoring and transporting your loads. Don’t be a victim.

Be proactive.

If you do suffer a loss get the information to law enforcement as fast as you can.

Quick transfer of information, along with an established supply chain security program – that includes the likes of covert GPS tracking – were things that saved those three electronic loads.

SMMC Gulf Coast Chapter holds road side inspections The Alabama Trucking Association’s Safety and Maintenance Management Council’s Gulf Coast chapter held its fall courtesy roadside inspection on October 19 at the Alabama Welcome Center near the Alabama-Mississippi state line on I-10, inspecting about 20 commercial vehicles and drivers for safety and regulation compliance.

The event was a co-operation between the SMMC and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Motor Carrier Safety Unit.

Continued on page 16 Ward International Trucks graciously provided lunch for participants.

About 20 trucks were subjected to official “live” inspections by ALEA officers.

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ALDOT provided portable weigh scales, processing dozens of vehicles.

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News Local chapter members worked alongside troopers from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and inspectors from the Alabama Dept. of Transportation performing Level 1, 2 and 3 inspections, which are legitimate procedures and impact a carrier’s CSA score and the driver’s record, if violations are found. Non-officers can point out violations, but only troopers can issue citations or place a vehicle or driver out of service.

All trucks travelling eastbound into Alabama on I-10 were required to come through the rest area and trucks were chosen at random by ALDOT employees.

Those drivers were instructed to pull their rigs into designated parking spaces; queue for weight measurements by portable weigh scales; or continue through the rest area to resume their route.

Once parked, troopers, assisted by SMMC members and CDL students, in-

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spected the vehicle. A routine inspection depends on the presence of violations, but it usually takes about 20 minutes for a driver to get back on the road.

“These inspections are a great opportunity for our members to see what happens when a vehicle is stopped by law enforcement agencies,” Frazier said.

“It gives fleet managers firsthand information they can pass along to their employers and drivers to make sure that they know what exactly is required to keep a truck in top condition every time it hits the road.

If it’s not up to par, eventually you will pay for it.”

On this day, the inspection operation ran just under three hours, processing approximately 20 vehicles to full inspections and several dozen trucks rolled over ALDOT’s portable weigh scales.

Ward International Trucks of Mobile provided hamburgers and smoked sausage and beverages for all attendees.

ATA’s SMMC has three chapters, including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Gulf Coast. These groups meet regularly to discuss current issues and events. Each chapter is governed by an elected group of officers and executive board. For more information visit www.alabama trucking.org.

CVSA releases results from Brake Safety Day On Sept. 7, 2017, enforcement personnel throughout Canada and the United States conducted 7,698 inspections on commercial motor vehicles as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Day. About 14 percent of the vehicles inspected were placed out of service specifically for brake-related violations.

The goal of Brake Safety Day is to conduct roadside inspections, and identify and remove vehicles with critical brake violations from roadways in an effort to reduce the number of crashes caused by or made more severe by brake system deficiencies on commercial motor vehicles.

Inspection data from Brake Safety Day featured the following notable results: l In all, 7,698 inspections were conducted as part of Brake Safety Day. l The United States conducted 6,361 commercial motor vehicle inspections; Canada conducted 1,337. l 14 percent (1,064) of all inspections conducted resulted in a vehicle being placed out of service for brake-related violations. l 22 percent (1,680) of vehicles inspected were placed out of service for vehicle violations of any kind.

Continued on page 20

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WH Thomas Oil Co. Clanton, AL 205-755-2610 Decatur, AL 256-351-0744

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As your Chevron Distributor, we do more than just offer high quality motor oils, transmission fluids and gear lubricants for your fleet. We provide effective lubrication solutions that can reduce your operating costs and improve your bottom line.

Whether it’s performing an oil analysis, helping with inventory management or any other service, we’re always ready to help minimize downtime, extend maintenance intervals and the life of your engines so your entire business is always in high gear.

And that’s good for your bottom line

News l 78 percent of the vehicles inspected did not have any out-of-service conditions. l A total of 40 jurisdictions participated – 31 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces/territories.

Brake Safety Day also captures data on how well antilock braking systems (ABS) are maintained in accordance with federal regulations. ABS help the driver to stop in the shortest possible distance under many conditions and to maintain steering control in situations when tires start to slip. Many participating jurisdictions surveyed ABS compliance. ABS violations were counted when the malfunction lamp did not work or the malfunction lamp stayed on, indicating a fault of some kind. The findings are as follows: l 5,456 air-braked power units required ABS; 11 percent (610) had ABS violations. l 3,749 trailers required ABS; 14 percent (540) had ABS violations. l 821 hydraulic-braked trucks required

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ABS; 5 percent (45) had ABS violations. l 49 buses required ABS; 10 percent (five) had ABS violations.

“Brake-related violations are the largest percentage of all out-of-service violations cited during roadside inspections. CVSA’s Brake Safety Day provides an opportunity enhance brake safety,” said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner with the Kansas Highway Patrol. “Our goal is to reduce the number of crashes caused by faulty braking systems, by conducting roadside inspections, educating drivers, mechanics, owneroperators and others on the importance of proper brake inspection and maintenance.”

Properly functioning brake systems are crucial to safe commercial motor vehicle operation. Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce braking efficiency and increase the stopping distance of large trucks and buses, posing serious risks to driver and public safety. ABS, combined with the brake system, provide a platform for stability control and for other safety-enhancing systems to function.

Brake Safety Day is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake Program in partnership with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administra-

tion (FMCSA). More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998.

EPA to issue a rulemaking repealing Phase 2 Rule for glider kits Transport Topics reported on Oct. 27 that the Environmental Protection Agency has notified the Office of Management and Budget the agency intends to issue a proposed rule repealing the greenhouse gas Phase 2 emissions requirement for glider vehicles, glider engines and glider kits.

In a related action, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Oct. 27 issued a stay in the implementation of Phase 2 rules that would have allowed EPA to regulate trailers for the first time — responding to a lawsuit filed by the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association.

Meanwhile, glider kits use new truck bodies and chassis to house remanufactured older engines that do not meet the Phase 2 standard. EPA has estimated 10,000 glider kits are made each year.

North America’s market leader in Class 8 sales said the move to rescind the glider kit provision would have no effect on its plans regarding implementing GHG Phase 2.

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Daimler Trucks North America “will move forward according to the original GHG Phase 2 regulations,” DTNA Corporate Communications Manager Paige Jarmer told Transport Topics.

In August, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said the agency would revisit the regulation’s sections on trailers and glider kits.

The Obama administration made Phase 2 a priority, and the rule from EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration became final in October 2016.

The truck and engine sections of Phase 2 are to be rolled out in 2021, 2024 and 2027.

The trailer and glider sections were to start Jan. 1. Phase 1 took effect in 2014.

FMCSA nominee Martinez committed to ELD Rule David Cullen from Heavy Duty Trucking magazine reported November 1 that President Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Raymond Martinez will not delay implementation of the electronic logging device mandate that starts to kick in on Dec. 18.

According to the report, Martinez was replying to Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) query as to whether FMCSA “should delay the implementation of the mandate prior to Dec.

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18” specifically “in light of the cost” estimated to implement it of $2 billion.

Martinez said that while “regulatory reform should be an ongoing process,” it is “legally required” that the December deadline to implement the ELD mandate be met.

In his Oct. 31 testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on his nomination to head FMCSA, Martinez went on to state that, if confirmed, he would “look forward to working with industry and all stakeholders, safety advocates and particularly the impacted sectors of commerce.

“I’ve heard that this rule could cause serious hardship to some small independent truckers, particularly those working in the agricultural sector,” he explained, “so, I’d want to meet with those involved in those areas who oppose the rule to learn more about their concerns. The goal is to not cripple commerce. The goal is to make our roadways safer. That is our mission and that’s in everything we approach… through that lens of safety.

“So, first and foremost,” Martinez added, “[I would] abide by the law, but also have an open door policy and work with all the impacted stakeholders.”

Martinez is currently Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Com-

mission. His previous experience includes serving as Chairman of the Governors Traffic Safety Committee in New York.

Trucking Alliance supports AAA Foundation’s large truck safety findings The Alliance for Driver Safety & Security, also known as the Trucking Alliance, has adopted four truck safety technologies that the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety concludes are critical to reduce large truck crashes and saving lives.

A new AAA Foundation report, Leveraging Large Truck Technology and Engineering to Realize Safety Gains, examined the costs and safety benefits of installing four advanced safety technologies in large trucks: 1) Lane Departure Warning Systems, which detect when the vehicle drifts out of its lane and warn the driver; 2) Video-based Onboard Safety Monitoring, which utilizes in-vehicle video cameras and sensors; 3) Automatic Emergency Braking Systems, which detect when the truck is in danger of striking the vehicle in front of it and brake automatically if needed; and 4) Air Disc Brakes, which are superior to traditional drum brakes.

Continued on page 22

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News While the AAA Foundation’s report acknowledges that “many large commercial fleets have begun equipping trucks with these advanced safety technologies,” the Trucking Alliance is the first U.S. carrier based organization to adopt these technologies as conditions for membership.

“These technologies can make the highways safer for our drivers and the public and why the Trucking Alliance carriers are installing them on new trucks,” said Steve Williams, president of the Trucking Alliance and Chairman/CEO of Maverick USA in Little Rock, Ark. “The AAA Foundation report shows how these automated technologies can help commercial drivers and motorists avoid accidents and return home safely to their families.”

The AAA Foundation report found that by installing automatic braking systems and air disc brakes on all new trucks, 7,705 accidents, 92 deaths and 4,200 injuries could be avoided. The report also projected that if

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onboard cameras and lane departure warning systems were installed on all new and existing commercial trucks, another 69,372 large truck accidents could be avoided, saving 408 lives and 24,105 injuries.

“AAA applauds the Trucking Alliance for taking such an important step toward improving safety on U.S. roads,” said Marshall Doney, president and CEO of AAA. “Adding key safety technologies to fleets is critical if we are to reverse the growing rate of crash deaths on our roadways and we are glad to see the Trucking Alliance is making such a strong commitment to safety.”

The AAA Foundation noted that large trucks with gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 lbs. drove approximately 280 billion miles on U.S. roads in 2015 and were involved in more than 400,000 crashes, which resulted in 116,000 injuries and 4,067 deaths. Advances in technologies like those cited in its report can “provide the opportunity to prevent substantial numbers of these crashes, injuries, and deaths.”

“The trucking industry can’t be satisfied, until we dramatically reduce the number of injuries and loss of life from large truck crashes,” said Williams. “We must ensure that truck drivers are well trained, well rested, drug and alcohol free, and operating trucks with the latest technologies.”

“There’s no question that truck safety technology saves lives,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, in a statement related to the study. “This new research shows that the benefits of adding many of these technologies to trucks clearly outweigh the cost.”

Trucking Alliance carriers have adopted standards for membership to improve the safety of drivers and reduce accidents. The standards exceed federal requirements to operate as a motor carrier. The Trucking Alliance membership standards including Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs); truck speed limiters – Utilize truck speed limiters, set at a maximum speed of no greater than 65 mph; hair testing for drug screens; public liability insurance; truck safety technologies such as lane departure warnings, video monitoring, auto brakes and air disk brakes.

Safety belt usage among commercial drivers rises FMCSA announced recently that safety belt usage by commercial truck and bus drivers rose to a new record level of 86 percent in 2016, up from 65 percent in 2007, according to results of a national survey.

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“Buckling up your safety belt, regardless of the type of vehicle you drive or ride in, remains the simplest, easiest and most effective step you can take toward helping to protect your life,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Cathy Gautreaux. “While it is good news that we are making strong progress, we need to continue to emphasize that everyone, everywhere securely fasten their safety belt 100 percent of the time.”

Since 2007, FMCSA, in collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has conducted the Safety Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Survey six times. In each survey, safety belt usage by commercial drivers has been shown to be steadily increasing.

The 2016 survey observed nearly 40,000 commercial drivers operating medium- to heavy-duty trucks and buses at more than 1,000 roadside sites nationwide. The survey found that safety belt usage for commercial drivers and their occupants was highest by trucks and buses traveling on expressways at 89 percent, compared to 83 percent on surface streets. Male truck and bus drivers outpaced their female counterparts by buckling-up at a rate of 86 percent to 84 percent, respectively.

States with “secondary” seat belt laws

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(law enforcement officers may only stop drivers for violations other than not being buckled) have nearly matched states with “primary” seat belt laws (officers can stop and ticket drivers and occupants for simply not wearing a safety belt) - 84 percent compared to 85 percent - in the most recent survey.

Regionally, the survey found that commercial vehicle drivers and their occupants in the West, the Midwest and the South all wore safety belts at an 87 percent rate. Only in the Northeast region was safety belt usage by truck and bus drivers different and significantly lower at just 71 percent.

The survey was designed and conducted in accordance with data collection methodologies used by NHTSA in its National Occupant Protection Use Survey of passenger vehicle passengers. Data collection sites for the survey were randomly chosen. Teams of spotters and recorders collected data through observations from overpasses on weekdays and weekends during daylight hours in all weather conditions.

DOT adds four opioids to driver drug screening panel The U.S. Department of Transportation is adding four commonly abused opioids to

its drug screen panel in an effort to meet new Health and Human Services drug testing guidelines. A Final Rule was published in the Federal Register Monday, Nov. 13, and the new testing standards will go into effect on Jan. 1.

The drugs added include hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, and oxycodone, which are usually taken as pills.

Opioid abuse has reached epidemic levels increase in recent years. And the Trump Administration has recently declared opioid abused a public health emergency.

Also, DOT will remove methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) from the existing drug testing panel and add methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA).

The rulemaking also clarifies that only urine testing is allowed for DOT drug tests.

Point-of-collection urine testing or instant tests are not allowed, as the tests have to be screened and confirmed at HHS labs.

The DOT states in the rulemaking it is aware that the HHS is looking into allowing oral fluid testing and hair testing under its guidelines, but until those methods of testing are added, DOT cannot recognize them. The agency adds that if HHS does add other testing methods to its guidelines, it will follow with its own rulemaking to conform.

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ROUNDUP T RU C K I N G I N D U S T RY

Trucking leaders join President Trump in tax reform push

Trucking leaders were with President Trump in October to ask Congress to quickly act on comprehensive tax reform as a way of growing the economy and creating jobs. The event, held at an airport in Harrisburg, Pa., was organized by the American Trucking Associations and the message was clear: Lowering taxes for individuals and companies, coupled with simplifying the tax code, creates jobs and strengthens the nation’s economy.

“While trucking sustains the vitality of the U.S. economy, we also carry a heavy tax burden, paying the highest corporate tax rate of any transportation mode,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “That is why we joined President Trump at today’s event, in support of his plan to reform our tax code.

We urge Congress to follow the President’s lead and pass tax reform by year’s end.

“Hearing the President specifically call out the benefits of tax reform for ATA’s members and the trucking industry underscores the need for this effort. We urge Congress to work with the President to achieve the goal of reducing the rates families and small businesses pay in taxes,” he said.

Spear was joined at the event by several ATA members, in support of the tax reform effort.

“Few industries are as connected to every facet of the American economy as trucking.

From that vantage point, we can see clearly what the President’s tax reform plan would do to drive our economy,” said ATA Chairman Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc., Dayton, Ohio. “Every day, we proudly do our job to move America forward. We join the President in calling on Congress to do the same.

“Lower rates equal money that can be used to hire and pay drivers – the top job in 29 states. It can be used to purchase new, safer equipment, or hire highly skilled technicians to maintain it,” Spear said. “By easing the tax burden on the truckers that literally move our economy, Congress will enable us to invest in our employees, equipment and the growth of our companies.

Higher tax rates mean higher transportation costs, which make everyday goods more expensive – hurting lower-income Americans the most. By contrast, the benefits of low24

ered rates will reverberate up and down the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the small business and individual household.”

“Passing tax reform would help me as the owner of a small family-owned business, by not only helping us add drivers and trucks, but in allowing this business to stay in my family by eliminating the estate tax,” said ATA member Calvin Ewell, president of H.R. Ewell Inc., East Earl, Pennsylvania. “Trucking is a low-single-digit-margin business, and family-owned companies aren’t flush with cash, but they have millions in capital tied up in trucks and facilities, so eliminating this tax will preserve our small family trucking businesses as a small family business.”

Industry considers steps to attract younger drivers Transport Topics reported that Trucking and government leaders at the American Trucking Associations’ annual Management Conference & Exhibition set their sights on solving perhaps the industry’s most persistent challenge — recruiting and retaining professional drivers.

According to the report, with the freight market expected to grow and many members of trucking’s current workforce nearing retirement age, the industry will need to hire near-

ly 1 million drivers and technicians in the next decade just to meet economic demands.

“To build trucking’s future, we need to look beyond the hood,” ATA President & CEO Chris Spear said. “We need to stop talking about problems and start addressing them.”

To that end, ATA announced it is establishing a workforce development subcommittee that will work with federal and state officials to find solutions to the driver and technician shortages.

Two members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet — U.S. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao — addressed trucking’s labor challenge at MCE. Acosta touted apprenticeships as a key strategy for meeting the industry’s demands for skilled workers such as truck drivers and repair technicians.

“In your industry, you’ve developed robust training programs, yet few are established apprenticeship programs,” Acosta said. “To help ensure a pipeline of skilled workers for the future, apprenticeships deserve a good, close look.”

Later, Transportation Secretary Chao told MCE attendees that the current and anticipated shortage of truck drivers also gets her attention.

Crow appointed to state education board Governor Kay Ivey has appointed Alabama Trucking Association board member Norman Crow to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). He will represent Congressional District Seven and will be subject to confirmation by the 2018 Alabama Senate.

Crow is president of D.T. & Freight Co., Inc., which was founded in 2004. The long haul flatbed trucking company delivers products Crow throughout the southeast.

The Tuscaloosa native is active in his community and also serves on the executive boards for the Alabama Workforce Council and the Business Council of Alabama. He is a past chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama and currently serves on the Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority. From 2013 to May of this year, he served on the Tuscaloosa City School Board of Education.

“Commissioner Crow’s extensive business and educational background will be a tremendous asset to the Commission,” said ACHE Executive Director Jim Purcell. “His expertise will be crucial as we begin implementation of our ACHE Strategic Plan (2018-2030).

Crow holds an accounting degree from the University of Alabama.

He was appointed to the Alabama Trucking Association’s Board of Directors July 1, 2017.

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education, founded in 1969, is the state’s coordinating board for all public institutions of higher education.

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is looking at a number of approaches, she said, including apprenticeships and outreach to veterans and historically underserved communities.

“I think a lot more women would be interested in helping out as well,” Chao added, pointing out that only about 7 percent of commercial drivers are women.

ATA’s new workforce development subcommittee will be led by John Smith, ATA’s secretary and chairman of CRST International.

“By elevating this issue within ATA, I hope we can come to the table not just to further recognize the problem, but to identify solutions,” Smith said.

The panel will look at a variety of ways to address the labor shortage, including job training, apprenticeships and the minimum age requirement for interstate drivers.

Another potential solution discussed at MCE was hiring and training 18- to 21year-olds to get them interested in the industry before they head down other career paths.

TCW Inc. President Dave Manning — newly elected as ATA’s 73rd chairman at the conference — said apprenticeships could be a way for the industry to get prospective drivers into a truck out of high school instead of having to wait until they pursue a second or third career. “That’s a big problem for us today.”

While 18-year-olds can obtain licenses to drive commercially within a state, the federal age requirement for interstate truck drivers is 21.

Manning also said the technology available in modern trucks makes it much more feasible for drivers under 21 to operate them.

“You can tell minute by minute how that individual is handling the truck, and if they’re not safe, you can get them out before the accident occurs,” he said.

Further highlighting the urgency of the issue, the American Transportation Research Institute reported at MCE that the driver shortage jumped to No. 1 on its annual top 10 list of trucking’s most pressing concerns.

Also, ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello warned that the driver shortage may reach 50,000 by the end of the year based on his latest research and could widen to more than 174,000 by 2026 if current trends continue.

“Now that freight volumes are accelerating again, we should expect to see a significant tightening of the driver market,” Costello said.

And the upcoming mandate of electronic logging devices could elevate the industry’s A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

Reliance Partners promotes Hammonds Reliance Partners LLC recently announced that it has promoted Ashley Hammonds to Senior Vice President of Sales.

Hammonds began his career with ReHammonds liance Partners in 2011 as a commercial insurance producer and quickly rose to a management position, overseeing a large team of producers while also successfully building his client base and book of business.

He previously served as Vice President for Hammonds Trucking where he managed daily operations for the 100-unit trucking company.

“Ashley has been a key part of our success and rapid growth,” says company President and COO, Chad Eichelberger.

“He has an incredible talent for team building, and we look forward to his continued success leading our sales team.” need for more drivers by reducing freight capacity through tighter enforcement of hours-of-service limits.

Trump administration pushing for apprentice programs According to various trade press reports, the Trump administration wants to make it easier for industries like trucking to put in place apprentice programs to close the job skills gap and help address driver and technician shortages.

U.S. Labor Secretary Alex Acosta said as much at last October’s ATA’s Management Conference & Exhibition. “American companies have 6.1 million job openings today,” Acosta said. “That’s a record high, almost the highest since we started keeping these statistics. There were 247,000 in transportation and warehousing as of this month’s report.

Job creators want to hire. And Americans want to work, with nearly 7 million individuals looking for jobs. Job seekers need different skills to fill the open jobs. This is frequently referred to as the skills gap.”

One solution, he noted, and one the Trump administration is pushing, is rapid expansion of apprenticeship programs. The administration is creating something called industry recognized apprenticeships.

“Apprentices earn skills for which there is actual demand,” Acosta said. “You’re educated

in something for which there are jobs open.

Second, they earn while they learn, lessening the burden of student debt. Third, apprentices gain expertise from the real experts in the field.”

Yet apprenticeships are vastly underutilized, Acosta noted, making up only 0.3 percent of American workers – and the average age is 28, meaning workers are only finding out about these opportunities mid-career.

“By rapidly expanding apprenticeship opportunities, we can create new career pathways, especially for students, for young Americans looking for jobs,” Acosta said.

Expanding apprenticeships across all industries is a priority for the Trump administration, he said, and an executive order created a new model of industry-recognized apprenticeships. The Department of Labor will bring together trade and labor groups to design and certify high-quality apprenticeships appropriate for each industry.

Per diems to remain the same for 2018 The federal Internal Revenue Service has announced that the amount allowed as the standard per diem for meals and incidental expenses incurred by truck drivers and other transportation workers when they travel away from home will remain at the level of $63 for travel within the continental United States, and at $68 for travel outside it. IRS made the announcement in IR Notice 2017-54, which may be found on-line at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-1754.pdf. The general rules governing this complex area of the tax law are in IRS Rev. Proc.

2011-47, found at https://www.irs.gov/pub/ irs-drop/rp-11-47.pdf.

Industry applauds White House recent announcement on association health plans President Trump recently signed an executive order allowing individuals to purchase health insurance through association health plans.

“After laying out the case for how tax reform benefits our industry, President Trump is taking substantive action to improve the lives of millions of Americans, including the 7.5 million employed in trucking-related jobs,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “By allowing people to pool together to purchase health insurance plans that are sponsored by larger associations and groups, the administration is helping to lower health care costs and improve access.”

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Spear, along with ATA Chairman Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc., Dayton, Ohio; Alabama Trucking Association board member Harold Sumerford Jr., CEO of J&M Tank Lines Inc., Birmingham, Ala.; and professional truck driver Danny Smith, Big G Express, Shelbyville, Tennessee, represented the trucking industry at a White House signing ceremony October 12.

“Most trucking companies are small businesses, with nine in ten carriers having fewer than six trucks, The types of plans the President announced today will allow those companies to pool resources and offer affordable health care options that meet the needs of their employees,” Spear said.

“One of the primary things I’m responsible for as a fleet executive is the welfare of my employees,” Burch said. “Today’s announcement will make it easier for employers across the country to provide good, affordable health plans to their employees and

that is a good thing.”

“The trucking industry is a path to a middleclass salary and benefits like health insurance. This announcement will make providing insurance to my drivers and for millions of other Americans,” said Summerford.

“Being a safe, professional truck driver has not only been a tremendous career for me, it has allowed me to see the country and to provide for my family – including providing health insurance,” Smith said. “Reducing the cost of that insurance is very important so I’m happy President Trump is taking steps to do that.”

Council on State Taxation issues business tax study The Council on State Taxation has published the 2017 edition of its annual Total State & Local Business Taxes report. The corporate tax watchdog group reports that U.S.

Alabama trucking execs in Washington D.C. to promote industry A delegation of Alabama fleet owners and executives was recently in Washington D.C. promoting the industry to state Members of Congress, key congressional staff, federal regulators, fellow industry leaders, and American Trucking Associations staff.

The group discussed legislation and regulations currently affecting the industry. Atop the list were infrastructure improvement and funding and corporate tax reform.

ATA president Frank Filgo says the trip was made possible through the American Trucking Associations’ Call on Washington Program, which allows state affiliate members to meet directly with lawmakers and key regulatory officials to network and learn more about the nation’s political and lawmaking process.

ATA’s Call on Washington delegation at the U.S. Capitol.

“This trip is an outstanding opportunity for our Association’s leadership to become more aware of and involved in the effort to shape key industry policy,” Filgo said. “This week, we have meetings scheduled with several of our state’s Congressional delegation. Our goal is to ensure that Alabama’s trucking industry is well represented in Washington, and our wants and needs are considered when making policy. Hopefully, our efforts will help make the industry safer and stronger.”

Alabama’s Call on Washington delegation included: ATA Chairman of the Board Terry Kilpatrick, Billy Barnes Enterprises; ATA Vice Chairman Fenn Church, Church Transportation & Logistics; Alabama State Vice President to the American Trucking Associations Greg Brown, B.R. Williams Trucking, Inc.; Wayne Watkins, President of Watkins Trucking Co.; Scott White, AMX; Collins White, AMX; Jeff Colman, Coleman Worldwide Moving; Barry McGriff, McGriff Tire Co.; Harold Sumerford, Jr., J&M Tank Lines; Gary Bond, National Bank of Commerce; Buck Moore, Buddy Moore Trucking; Joe Donald, Baggett Transportation Co.; Daniel Wright, Wright Transportation; Wesley Dunn, RangeWay Carriers, LLC.; Danny Smith, UPS; and Jamie Hammons, American Trucking Associations.

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businesses paid more than $724 billion in state and local taxes in fiscal year 2016 – up about 1 percent over the previous year. State taxes actually went down, but local taxes – and property tax is always the largest tax businesses pay, overall – went up 3.4 percent.

According to the Council, businesses pay 44 percent of state and local taxes, and an increasing share is paid as individual income taxes by the owners of pass-through entities like subchapter S corporations and limited liability companies. The report contains data by state, by type of tax, and by level of government. Prepared for the Council by Ernst & Young and the State Tax Research Institute, the study is available for download at http://www.cost.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=96735.

2018 carrier registration period ‘delayed until further notice’ The carrier registration process for the 2018 fiscal year has been indefinitely delayed, according to a notice posted to the Unified Carrier Registration board’s website earlier this fall.

The governing UCR Board of Directors has recommended that all states delay the enforcement period of 2018 registration compliance until 90 days after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration publishes a final rule setting the 2018 registration period and an updated registration fee structure.

Registration is supposed to begin each year on Oct. 1, but a Federal Register notice issued

by FMCSA last month announced that the annual registration period had been delayed until Nov. 1. The same notice announced that fees for the 2018 fiscal year would be reduced from 2017’s fee structure.

However, FMCSA’s failure to complete the formal rulemaking process regarding 2018 registration and fees has prompted a further delay in the registration period. “We regret this inconvenience and appreciate your patience,” reads the announcement from the UCR Board of Directors.

“Until further notice, please do not accept any carrier fees for the 2018 registration year,” the UCR Board told state administrators in an Oct. 27 letter. “If received prior to the final rulemaking, please return to the entity that paid the fee.”

A lawsuit filed in late September claimed the UCR Board of Directors violated federal open meetings acts by failing to notify the public of a Sept. 14 meeting, at which the UCR Board determined the 2018 fee structure and the delayed Nov. 1 registration start period.

A court agreed with the plaintiffs in the A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

case and required the UCR Board to post to its website the minutes from the Sept. 14 meeting. However, the court said it lacked the authority to rescind the decisions made by the Board at the meeting.

New ATRI research provides clear guidance on infrastructure investment The American Transportation Research Institute recently released its much-anticipated assessment of the nation’s transportation investment options. The report entitled A Framework for Infrastructure Funding concludes that the only meaningful mechanism for attaining the administration’s vision for a large-scale infrastructure program is through a federal fuel tax increase, The inefficiency of other mechanisms, including mileage-based user fees and increased tolling, will fall far short of the needed revenue stream without placing undue hardship on system users.

In addition, ATRI’s research documents that a federal fuel tax increase will incentivize states to generate multi-million dollar matches to the new federal funds, ultimately moving the United States closer to the infrastructure investment goals proposed by both Congress and the President.

“Maybe the most important and unexpected benefit of a federal fuel tax increase is the hundreds of thousands of new, high-paying construction jobs that will be produced,” said Dennis Dellinger, President of Cargo Transporters, “We often assume that the only reason to raise the fuel tax is to lay more asphalt and concrete. Forgotten in the mix is that tax revenues can simultaneously produce good roads and good jobs.”

The report further documents the consequences of continuing with the “do-nothing” option, the federal fuel tax has not been raised in more than two decades, resulting in significant costs to system users, particularly the trucking industry. While the trucking industry contributes more than $18 billion in federal user fees each year, growing traffic congestion and freight bottlenecks now cost the industry more than $63 billion annually. The report also indicates that growth of e-commerce will likely slow as freight deliveries fail to meet the real-time demands of U.S. consumers.

TCW’s Dave Manning elected 73rd National ATA Chairman The American Trucking Associations’ Board of Directors elected Dave Manning, president of TCW Inc., Nashville, Tenn., as the federation’s 73rd chairman during its annual meeting in Orlando last October.

“It is a tremendous honor to be elected by my fellow ATA members as their chairman for the coming year,” Manning said. “I look Manning forward to continuing the work of immediate past Chairman Kevin Burch, and all my predecessors as we work to build a bright future for our industry.”

“Dave has been a strong and steady voice for our industry,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “He will be an outstanding representative for our industry, and I congratulate him on this honor.”

Manning replaces Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc., as chairman.

“Being ATA chairman was the honor of a lifetime,” Burch said. “I’m sure Dave will do an incredible job as chairman, and I wish him the best for a great year to come.”

Manning has been an executive with TCW since 1985, helping to grow the company from a single terminal operation to diversified transportation firm with more than 600 employees across the southeastern U.S. Manning has been very active in the ATA federation for many years, including chairing ATA’s Intermodal Carrier Conference and working with the Tennessee Trucking Association as chairman of the state association’s political action committee.

He is also a leader in the intermodal transportation world, having been past chairman of the Intermodal Association of North America, active in the Tennessee Trucking Association, a board member of the Intermodal Interchange Executive Committee and chairman of the North American Chassis Pool Cooperative.

In addition, the Board elected Barry Pottle, CEO of Pottle’s Transportation, as ATA First Vice Chairman and Randy Guillot, president of Triple G Express Inc. as ATA Second Vice Chairman. The Board also elected Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, president and CEO of Garner Transportation and Harold Summerford Jr., CEO of J&M Tank Lines Inc., as ATA Vice Chairmen. ence & Exhibition held last October in Orlando, Fla. Alabama Trucking Association members Collins White of Alabama Motor Express, and James Wright of Wright Transportation were among this year’s graduates.

“From class to class, we are able to find young men and women who are determined to do more than just enhance their professional profiles. These individuals truly want to gain a deeper understanding of how trucking can impact communities and how they can

help position trucking as a safety-first industry with a strong public image,” said ATA President Chris Spear.

Each LEAD ATA class has exclusive education opportunities available to a select group of up-and-coming trucking industry professionals. ATA provides the class information about how the regulatory and legislative process affects the trucking industry and the role ATA plays in influencing those processes. The program is sponsored by PeopleNet.

Two Alabamians graduate LEAD ATA The American Trucking Associations named its newest graduates for its fourth LEAD ATA industry leadership program during its recent ATA Management ConferA LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

The 2017 Lead ATA Graduating Class

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From the President hired one of the most prominent experts in this field, formed a new ATA autonomous vehicle subcommittee, joined the Safety Spectrum Coalition, and we’re working closer than ever with the Technology & Maintenance Council to help our members shape a policy framework that is good for our drivers and for our industry.

We cannot afford to concede this issue to another mode of transportation. Innovation is happening whether we like it or not. Conforming innovation to the benefit of our industry and our drivers is key, and with your help and support, ATA is better positioned to steer such outcomes than it was just one year ago. And this future framework will soon have a solid foundation.

Come December 18, the Electronic Logging Device rule will take effect. Congress first passed this legislation five years ago, and twice more in 2015, each time instructing the FMCSA to complete a rule. And thanks to a full court press by ATA and its members, the House in September defeated yet another attempt by ELD opponents to delay the December effective date. This issue has been legislated, promulgated and litigated. And it is

28

now time to move forward.

ELD technology removes one’s ability to exceed the legal hours of service, ushering in a safe, efficient and fair playing field for the nations’ trucking industry. ATA is also advocating policies that benefit members like you, including: association health plans; universal recognition of security credentials; common sense policies that lower carbon emissions from our equipment; eliminating redundant drug testing requirements and improving drug screening; improving driver training; and, removing government barriers so that cars, trucks and infrastructure can connect, dramatically reducing congestion, fatigue, accidents and fatalities. And as we have also demonstrated, ATA will aggressively call out federal policies that fall short of their intended goals, such as joint agency rules to require speed limiters on commercial vehicles only, and rigid test standards for sleep apnea.

And, as issues arise at the state level, those that have national implications and when our state executives seek our help, ATA is stepping out of its Washington D.C. comfort zone and flanking our federation leaders wherever battles need to be fought. Protecting independent contractors, combating toxic and discriminatory tolls on existing roads and bridges, and preserving interstate commerce from redundant state requirements are just a handful

of ongoing efforts ATA and several state executives are now actively addressing together.

In 2017 alone, ATA is hosting 42 state trucking associations for their Calls on Washington. That’s up to 75 executives each week taking the time and expense to travel to Washington, meet with their elected officials, tell our story. We do that nearly every week Congress is in session, making this program one of the leading reasons ATA delivers success for its members where others cannot.

And when elected officials are home, we’re hosting them at our facilities, introducing them to our workforce, and putting them in a truck. These experiences leave lasting impressions, build trust and hopefully, create some new champions for our industry.

And in the last 12 months, ATA itself has undergone a major renovation. We aligned with issues that matter most to our members, adopted a flat, accountable structure, reduced our overall headcount, added new talent and promoted within. This new energy and passion is felt throughout the organization and reflected by our commitment to provide members a measurable return on their investment. Just consider TruckPAC, where the participation rate by ATA staff alone has doubled this past year from 16 to 32 percent and the number of Chairman’s Club contributors has surged from 2 to 10.

A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

But if more evidence is needed, look no further than the member-led Revenue Task Force, set up last fall, and whose recommendations were unanimously adopted and became effective July of this year. It’s been two decades since ATA took on such a challenging overhaul of its dues structure, reducing a 6page schedule down to a paragraph-sized table. These changes account for more than $1.2 million in reduced dues revenue and a simpler, fairer dues schedule. I want to personally thank co-chairs Tommy Hodges and Mike Kelley and the members of this task force for their service. Job well done. And thanks to the generous support of James Welch and the entire YRCW team, ATA has established the “Trucking Cares Foundation,” upholding our promise to promote the compassionate side of our industry.

It’s who we are, and the goodwill we provide charitable causes will now be told as part of our story. A special thanks to our past-ATA Chairman Phil Byrd for serving as our first Chairman of Trucking Cares Foundation.

The leadership Phil and the foundation’s board provide will make a lasting difference in the lives of many in need.

These results, all of them, happened because we rolled up our sleeves and we went to work. As dues paying members, you expect

A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

results, and quite frankly, you deserve them.

And these results started because we took the time to listen. We came to you. And in nearly every state in the nation, we heard your concerns and we took your advice. This is your Association, and this is your story. So, to that end, you have our commitment to maintain this level of outreach to you, our members, to be certain we have our fingers on the pulse of this industry; and, that we never forget who we work for.

When it comes to our priorities, we have a lot of roadwork ahead. To build trucking’s future, we need to look beyond the hood. We need to stop talking about problems, and start addressing them. We’ve all seen ATRI’s surveys. Year after year, we read about the growing shortage of drivers and technicians.

Recently, ATRI released its latest annual issue survey, which places Driver Shortage as the new No. 1 ranked priority. Currently, our industry is short 50,000 drivers. And if the trends continue, that number will double to 100,000 in just five years. During the next decade, our industry will need to hire nearly 1 million drivers and technicians just to meet economic demands. With an average salary of $56,000 for drivers and $50,000 for technicians, employer health insurance and more than 90 percent of employers providing retirement and other benefits including life insur-

ance and paid holidays, one would think this is a pretty attractive industry for individuals without a college degree.

Based on the numbers, it is. But our industry faces several barriers that must be addressed if we’re to grow, including: establishing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training programs, and hiring and training 18-21 year-olds. We need interstate recognition of credentials, entry-level training standards for veterans and nonveteran employees, solutions for the impact of detention time and congestion on drivers’ Hours of Service, and more.

Henry Ford once said, “The only thing worse than training your employees and seeing them leave is not training them and having them stay.” Well said. So, we are announcing a new, member-led Workforce Development subcommittee to be chaired by John Smith, CRST Chairman and ATA Secretary. John’s leadership and this subcommittee will enable ATA to work closely with this Administration, Congress and state governments to solve this problem.

Back in Washington, anti-truck and amateur-hour advocacy groups believe they know what’s best for our industry. This wave of special interests has built a cottage industry fueled by ideology, emotion and misguided narContinued on page 30

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From the President ratives – all intended to divide our industry and this association. Obstruction is their weapon of choice. From bad bills to frivolous law suits, trolling social media and issuing personal attacks. Theirs is an agenda purely based on the notion that if it feels good, do it, and if it fails, blame someone else.

Agendas rooted in ideological divisions are nothing more than self-fulfilling prophesies. Rest assured, ATA will not be driven into this rut, nor allow such division to impede our ability to win. Our focus will remain on safety, sound data, the truth – doing what’s best for our industry and the country, not what’s good for a political party or one’s personal agenda. And we will leverage all our assets, most notably, our drivers. From America’s Road Team Captains to the National Truck Driving Championships, we celebrate our drivers, their many talents, and the indelible mark they make each day on the lives of all Americans.

These are the rocks that break this wave.

Unity makes us strong. It gives us a powerful, more amplified voice. And that will only continue if we come together. My first boss, Sen. Alan Simpson, encouraged his Wyoming

30

constituents to “get in and get wet.” We’ve witnessed record setting attendance and participation at MCE to TMC, policy committees and webinars. Our inaugural Economic Summit and our Motor Carrier General Counsels Forum received high marks.

Meanwhile, Transport Topics’ new website is up, exceeding its previous record of site visits by 30 percent. Truck PAC is surging. And, ATA new membership has risen 48 percent over the previous year. The ATA team is passionate, full of energy and committed to winning. We’re well-equipped to handle the strategy. But we need you all to help us write the narrative, tell our story and fight for what is rightfully ours.

Our industry, our 84-year old Association, is at its best when we’re working together. We invest more in safety, training, in our environment, our communities and in our nation’s roads and bridges than most anyone. We live and work in every state and in every Congressional district. Our kids grow up and attend schools from Maine to Maui. We worship, we pray, and we work hard. We represent an industry of 7.4 million employees. 1 in 16 jobs in the United States is trucking related, where trucking is the top job in 29 states. Trucks move 70 percent of the domestic freight tonnage and more than $10 trillion dollars of America’s freight each year. We are caring and

compassionate – from charitable giving and volunteering time to serving on the front lines whenever disaster strikes. We are among the most patriotic people in America. And united, we are the most powerful voice of our industry, best positioned to tell our story and advance our agenda than any other advocacy group in the country.

Three weeks ago, I led a short retreat for my senior team in Annapolis, Md. There, we took a tour of the United States Naval Academy. We were led through the hallowed campus grounds to the crypt of John Paul Jones, Father of the American Navy. Our guide shared how in late September 1779, Jones was engaged in battle at Flamborough Head against superior guns.

The colors of his ship, the Bonhomme Richard, were blasted away (Striking or lowering a ship’s colors is the sign of surrender).

But in the face of fierce enemy resistance, Jones’ words were important for my staff and me to hear. When asked “has your ship struck?” his answer was “I have not yet begun to fight.” Well neither have I, neither has my team and neither have you.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m looking for warriors. If you’re an ATA member, thank you.

If you’re not and you have what it takes, join us, and let’s build trucking’s future together.

A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

PO Box 242337 • Montgomery, AL 36124 • Phone: (334) 834-3983 • Fax: (334) 262-6504

Application For Membership Motor Carrier: ___

Private: ___

Household Goods: ___

Allied Industry: ___

Your Dues Amount: $ __________________ (please fill in by using dues chart)

Firm Name:______________________________________________________________________________________ Address: (Box)________________________________(Street)____________________________________________

City, State & Zip: ________________________________________________________________________________

DOT Number: ______________________________________ Number of Trucks: ____________________________

Telephone: (______) ____________________ Fax (______) ____________________ 800/ ______________________

Website Address: ________________________________________________________________________________

Type of Business: ________________________________________________________________________________

Official Representative :________________________________ Title:______________________________________ Email address: __________________________________________________________________________________

Alternate Representative:________________________________ Title:______________________________________ Email address: __________________________________________________________________________________

Signed:________________________________ Date:________ Referred by:________________________________ CONTRIBUTIONS OR GIFTS TO THE ALABAMA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION, INC., ARE NOT DEDUCTIBLE AS CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS. HOWEVER, A PORTION OF YOUR DUES ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE AS ORDINARY AND NECESSARY BUSINESS EXPENSES.

CODE # _________________

Date_________________________

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Mbr Type ____________________

Nxt Bill Date__________________

Check #______________________

Dues Cat _____________________

AL Sen______________________

Mbr Class____________________

Exp Date_____________________

CG Dist______________________

Dues Amt ____________________

Freq_________________________

AL Hse______________________

MAG ______ MC ______ GC ______ YR ______ LTR/PLQ ______ RSL ______ BC ______

A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017

31

Schedule of Membership Dues (Effective July 1, 2017)

A. For-Hire Motor Carriers (Membership dues are based on truck count; maximum of $4,000) $500 plus $20 per truck

B. Private Carriers (Schedule based on miles traveled in Alabama)

$300.............................. for up to 1 million miles $600.............................. for 1,000,000 up to 4 million miles $900.............................. for 4,000,001 up to 7 million miles $1,200........................... for 7,000,001 up to 10 million miles $1,500........................... for 10,000,001 up to 13 million miles $1,800........................... for 13,000,001 miles up to 16 million miles $2,100........................... for 16,000,001 up to 19 million miles $2,400........................... for 19,000,000 up to 21 million miles $2,800........................... for 21,000,000 up to 24 million miles $3,100........................... for over 24 million miles

C. Household Goods Carriers (Schedule based on intrastate revenue only)

$420.............................. for under $100,000 $480.............................. for $100,001 up to $150,000 $540.............................. for $150,000 up to $200,000 $660.............................. for $201,001 up to $250,000 $780.............................. for $250,001 up to $300,000 $900.............................. for $300,001 up to $400,000 $1,200........................... for $400,001 and over

D. Allied Industry (Those who service and equip the trucking industry) $600 annually

CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT – The amount of dues paid by individual members of the Alabama Trucking Association is confidential information and is not subject to publication. Dues information can only be released by ATA to the principal representative of the member in question, and requests by other persons or parties will not be honored. Members are strongly urged to honor this privacy statement and to not share their confidential dues information with other ATA members or the general public.

2017 ATA Buyer’s Guide

We make every effort to ensure this list is correct. For changes or corrections to your company’s listing, contact Jane Nixon at jnixon@alabamatrucking.org.

Alabama Trucking Assn.’s Buyer’s Guide lists those companies that have taken an active role in supporting Alabama’s trucking industry by becoming members of the Association. We ask that each time you plan a purchase that you consult this guide and give ATA members the opportunity to gain your business. These companies proudly support your association and deserve your support, as well.

ADVERTISING/PUBLISHING Daniel Signs (205) 229-3115 www.danielsignsinc.com Randall-Reilly (205) 349-2990 www.randallreilly.com BUS SALES & SERVICE Southland International Trucks, Inc. (205) 942-6226 www.southlandtrucks.com Transportation South, Inc. (205) 663-2287 www.thebuscenter.com Ward International Trucks, LLC (251) 433-5616 www.wardintltrucks.com CHEMICAL PRODUCTS Rushing Enterprises, Inc. (334) 693-3318 www.rushingenterprises.com COMMUNICATIONS/ELECTRONICS J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. (920) 722-2848 www.jjkellerservices.com Omnitracs, LLC (615) 594-7565 www.omnitracs.com Orbcomm, Inc. (703) 433-7763 www.orbcomm.com PeopleNet (888) 346-3486 www.peoplenetonline.com

Thompson/Caterpillar (205) 849-4365 www.thompsontractor.com EQUIPMENT LEASING CB Repair & Trailer Maintenance, Inc. (205) 753-4495 KLLM/Equipment Solutions LLC (205) 515-1478 www.equipmentsolution.com Metro Trailer Rental (205) 985-8701 www.metrotrailer.com Southern Truck & Equipment, Inc. (251) 653-4716 www.southerntruck.net Southland International Trucks, Inc. (205) 942-6226 www.southlandtrucks.com Star Leasing Co. (205) 763-1280 www.starleasing.com Trailer Sales of Tennessee A Fleet Equipment Co. (615) 259-3301 www.trailersalesoftennessee.com Trico Trailer Leasing & Sales (205) 759-2484 www.trico.com EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING Eaton Corp./Roadranger Field Marketing (334) 398-1410 www.roadranger.com

Rand McNally (865) 856-0584 www.randmcnally.com

EQUIPMENT PARTS/ACCESSORIES Dothan Tarpaulin Products, Inc. (800) 844-8277 www.dothantarp.com

SmartDrive Systems (858) 225-5551 www.smartdrive.net

Imperial Supplies LLC (920) 496-4334 www.imperialsupplies.com

DRIVER STAFFING TransForce, Inc. (205) 916-0259 www.transforce.com

Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems 334/798-0080 www.arvinmeritor.com

Transportation Support, Inc. (205) 833-6336 www.transportationsupport.com EDUCATION & TRAINING J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. (920) 722-2848 www.jjkellerservices.com JP Transportation Safety Consulting, LLC (205) 329-8182 (205) 945-8550 www.jptsc.com

Metro Trailer Repair Co., Inc. (205) 323-2877 www.metrotrailer.net Paccar Parts/Kenworth (206) 898-5541 www.kenworth.com Southern Truck & Equipment, Inc. (251) 653-4716 www.southerntruck.net Star Truck Parts (205) 324-4681

Transportation Safety Services (251) 661-9700 www.transportationsafetyservices.com

Thermo King of B’ham-DothanMobile-Montgomery (205) 591-2424 www.midstatetk.com

USA Driver-s, Inc. (205) 661-0712 www.usadrivers.com

Thompson/Caterpillar (205) 849-4365 www.thompsontractor.com

Vertical Alliance Group, Inc. (903) 792-3866 www.lmstrucking.com

W.W. Williams (205) 252-9025 (334) 279-6083 www.wwwilliams.com

ENGINE MANUFACTURERS Cummins Sales & Service (901) 488-8033 www.salesandservice.cummins.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES BB & T Commercial Banking (205) 445-2464 www.bbt.com

BMO Transportation Finance (770) 960-6307 Comdata, Inc. 615-376-6917 www.comdata.com Crestmark Bank 615-620-3509 www.crestmark.com Electronic Funds Source, LLC (615) 777-4619 www.efsllc.com First Tennessee Bank (615) 734-6046 IBERIABANK (251) 345-9676 www.IBERIABANK.com National Bank of Commerce (205) 422-7111 People’s Capital & Leasing Corp.

(205) 856-9354 www.peoples.com People’s United Equipment Finance Corp.

(205) 664-9374 www.puefc.com PNC Financial Services Group (205) 410-6102 www.pnc.com Renasant Bank (334) 301-5955 www.renasantbank.com ServisFirst Bank (205) 949-3433 www.servisfirstbank.com Signature Financial, LLC (423) 290-9986 TAB Bank (404) 202-4870 www.tabbank.com Trucking Partners, LLC Sales Agency & Factoring (256) 737-8788 www.truckingpartners.com Trustmark National Bank (205) 995-4604 www.trustmark.com Wells Fargo Equipment Finance (314) 374-2165 www.wellsfargo.com INSURANCE Aon Risk Solutions (501) 374-9300 www.aon.com/transportation Aronov Insurance, Inc. (205) 414-9575 www.aronovinsurance.com Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc. (205) 414-2655 www.ajg.com BancorpSouth Insurance Services, Inc. (334) 386-3317 www.bxsi.com The Baxter Agency (334) 678-5900 www.baxteragency.com BB & T Insurance Services (912) 201-4691

Benton & Parker Insurance Services (770) 536-8340 www.bentonandparker.com

Turner & Hamrick L.L.C. (334) 566-7665 www.turnerhamrick.com

Caribou Insurance Agency, Inc. (205) 822-7577 www.caribouins.com

York Risk Services Group (205) 581-9488 www.yorkrsg.com

Cottingham and Butler (563) 587-5521 www.cottinghambutler.com

MEDICAL/DRUG & ALCOHOL SERVICES Alabama Specialty Clinic (256) 736-1460 www.ascoccupationalhealth.com

Custard Insurance Adjusters (404) 702-0851 www.custard.com Dozier Insurance Agency LLC (334) 420-3798 www.doziertrucking.com Farris Evans Insurance Agency, Inc. (901) 274-5424 www.farrisevans.com Great West Casualty Co. (865) 392-3752 www.gwccnet.com

Carlisle Medical, Inc. (251) 344-7988 www.carlislemedical.com ErgoScience, Inc. (205) 879-6447 www.ergoscience.com J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. (920) 722-2848 www.jjkellerservices.com

Hudgens Insurance, Inc. (334) 289-2695

Safety First-Div. of Behavioral Health Systems (205) 443-5450 www.bhs-inc.com

Hudson Insurance Company (317) 810-2038 www.hudsoninsgroup.com

Workforce QA dba EDPM (205) 326-3100 www.edpm.com

JH Berry Risk Services, LLC (205) 208-1238 www.jhbrisk.com

NON-PETROLEUM FUEL PRODUCTS GAIN Clean Fuel – Div. of US Oil (804) 291-7892 www.gainfuel.com

Johnson-Locklin & Associates (205) 980-8008 www.johnson-locklin.com Liberty Mutual Group (804) 380-5169 www.libertymutual,com

Pivotal LNG (404) 783-3550 www.pivotallng.com PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Davison Fuels & Oil (251) 544-4511

Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance (251) 473-4600 www.lyonfrycaden.com

Jack Green Oil Co., Inc. (256) 831-1038

McGriff, Siebels & Williams, Inc. (205) 252-9871 www.mcgriff.com

Kimbro Oil Company (615) 320-7484 www.kimbrooil.com

Joe Morten & Sons, Inc. (865) 392-3844 www.joemorten.com

Major Oil Company, Inc. (334) 263-9070 www.unitedfoodandfuel.com

S. S. Nesbitt (205) 262-2620 www.ssnesbitt.com

W.H. Thomas Oil Co., Inc. (205) 755-2610 www.whthomasoil.com

One Beacon (609) 613-0010 www.onebeacontransportation.com

Waring Oil Company (251) 433-8000 www.waringoil.com

Palomar Insurance Corp.

(334) 270-0105 www.palomarinsurance.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Accounting Firms: Aldridge, Borden & Co. (334) 834-6640 www.aldridgeborden.com

Regions Insurance, Inc. (501) 661-4880 www.regions.com Regions Insurance (334) 674-9810 www.regionsinsurance.com Reliance Partners, LLC (877) 668-1704 www.reliancepartners.com Robinson Group LLC d/b/a Robinson Bryant Agency (334) 356-3665 www.robinsonbryant.com Trans Con Assurance, LTD (205) 978-7070 TransRisk, LLC (334) 403-4114 www.transriskllc.com Transure Services, Inc. (336) 584-9494 www.transure.com

Katz, Sapper & Miller, LLP (317) 580-2068 www.ksmcpa.com Warren Averett (256) 739-0312 www.warrenaverett.com Attorneys: Adams and Reese LLP (205) 250-5091 www.adamsandreese.com Austill, Lewis & Pipkin, P.C. (205) 870-3767 www.maplaw.com Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C. (205) 328-0480 www.bakerdonelson.com Ball, Ball, Matthews & Novak, P.A. 334-387-7680 www.ball-ball.com

(Current as of 11/22/2017) Burr-Forman LLP (205) 458-5393 www.burr.com Carr, Allison, Pugh, Howard, Oliver & Sisson, P.C. (251) 626-9340 www.carrallison.com DeLashmet & Marchand, P.C. (251) 433-1577 www.delmar-law.com Dodson Gregory, LLP (205) 834-9170 www.dodsongregory.com Ferguson, Frost, Moore & Young LLP (205) 879-8722 www.ffmylaw.com Fisher & Phillips, LLP (404) 231-1400 www.laborlawyers.com

JP Transportation Safety Consulting, LLC (205) 329-8182 (205) 329-8183 www.jptsc.com Lytx DriveCam, Inc. (858) 430-4000 www.lytx.com Max Coating, Inc. (205) 849-2739 www.maxcoating.com McLeod Software (205) 823-5100 www.mcleodsoftware.com Motor Carrier Safety Consulting (205) 871-4455 North American Commercial Vehicle Show (416) 459-2365 www.nacvshow.com

Friedman, Dazzio, Zulanas & Bowling, P.C. (205) 278-7000 www.friedman-lawyers.com

Porter Billing Services LLC (205) 322-5442 www.porterbillingservices.com

Hand Arendall LLC (251) 432-5511 www.handarendall.com

Power South Energy Cooperative (334) 427-3207 www.powersouth.com

Hill, Hill, Carter, Franco, Cole & Black, P.C. (334) 834-7600 www.hillhillcarter.com

ProBilling & Funding Service (256) 736-4349 www.probfs.com

James M. Sizemore, Jr. (334) 215-9330 Porterfield, Harper, Mills, Motlow, Ireland PA (205) 980-5000 www.phm-law.com Speegle, Hoffman, Holman & Holifield, LLC (251) 694-1700 www.speeglehoffman.com Starnes Davis Florie LLP (205) 868-6000 www.starneslaw.com

Spectrum Environmental Services, Inc. (205) 664-2000 www.specenviro.com Swift Supply, Inc. (251) 929-9399 www.swiftsupply.com Tax2290.com/ThinkTrade Inc. (615) 942-6219 www.tax2290.com Team One Logistics (205) 232-9902 www.teamonelogistics.com

TMW Systems, Inc. (440) 721-2260 Webster, Henry, Lyons, White, Bradwell www.tmwsystems.com & Black, P.C. (334) 264-9472 Transportation and Logistical www.websterhenry.com Services, Inc (205) 226-5500 Other Services: www.tlsincorp.com ACTS/Anytime Consulting Transportation Service Transportation Billing Solutions, LLC (334) 405-4971 (205) 788-4000 Agile Distribution, LLC (334) 220-2621 Alliance Secondary (205) 821-5478 www.alliancesecondary.com Allstate Beverage (251) 476-9600 Ext. 1231 Corporate Billing, LLC (256) 584-3600 www.corpbill.com Delta Distributors, LLC (334) 222-3671 Drivewyze (780) 461-3355 www.drivewyze.com George L. Edwards & Associates (334) 745-5166 HELP, Inc. Provider of PrePass (931) 520-7170 www.prepass.com J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. (920) 722-2848 www.jjkellerservices.com

Transportation Compliance Services, USA (228) 872-7160 www.dottrucksafety.com Transportation Safety Services (251) 661-9700 www.transportationsafetyservices.com Trico Trailer Leasing (205) 242-6908 Trucking Partners, LLC Sales Agency & Factoring (256) 737-8788 www.truckingpartners.com Repairs: Big Moe Spring & Alignment of B’ham, Inc. (205) 780-0290 www.bigmoespring.com

Childersburg Truck Service, Inc. (256) 378-3101 www.childersburg-truck.com Coffman International Trucks (334) 794-4111 www.coffmaninternationaltrucks.com

Equipment Logistics, Inc. (256) 739-9280 Fleetco, Inc. (615) 256-0600 www.fleetco.net

Eufaula Trucking Co., Inc. (334) 687-0391

Fontaine Fifth Wheel NA (205) 421-4300 www.fifthwheel.com

Lazzari Truck Repair, Inc. (251) 626-5121 www.lazzaritruckrepair.com

Great Dane (205) 324-3491 www.greatdane.com

Metro Trailer Repair Co., Inc. (205) 323-2877 www.metrotrailer.net

Gulf City Body & Trailer Works, Inc. (251) 438-5521 www.gulfcity.com

Rowe Management Corp.

(205) 486-9235 www.rowemachinery.com

Gulf Coast Truck & Equipment Co. (251) 476-2744 www.gulfcoasttruck.com

Southern Truck Center, Inc. (205) 226-0880 www.southerntruckcenter.com

R C Trailer Sales & Service Co., Inc. (205) 680-0924 www.rctrailersales.net

Star Leasing Co. (205) 763-1280 www.starleasing.com

Southland International Trucks, Inc. (205) 942-6226 www.southlandtrucks.com

Thompson/Caterpillar (205) 849-4365 www.thompsontractor.com

Star Leasing Co. (205) 763-1280 www.starleasing.com

W.W. Williams (205) 252-9025 (334) 279-6083 www.wwwilliams.com

Trailer Sales of Tennessee A Fleet Equipment Co. (615) 259-3301 www.trailersalesoftennessee.com

TIRE DEALERS & MANUFACTURERS Transport Trailer Center (334) 299-3573 Best One Tire & Service www.transporttc.com (615) 207-9079 www.bestonetire.com Utility Trailer Sales of Alabama LLC (334) 794-7345 Bridgestone Commercial Solutions www.utilityalabama.com (205) 514-8341 www.trucktires.com Vanguard National Trailer Corp.

(219) 253-2000 Butler Industrial Tire Center, Inc. www.vanguardtrailer.com (334) 376-0178 Columbus Tire Co., Inc. (706) 321-8133 www.columbustireco.com Continental Tire North America (662) 549-7570 www.continental-truck.com GCR Tire Centers (407) 466-5907 www.gcrtires.com Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (708) 557-3406 www.goodyeartrucktires.com McGriff Tire Co. (256) 739-0710 www.mcgrifftire.com McGriff Treading Co., Inc. (256) 734-4298 www.mcgriffindustries.com Michelin North America (859) 661-0855 www.michelintruck.com Wilks Tire & Battery Service, Inc. (256) 878-0211 www.wilkstire.com Yokohama Tire Corp.

(317) 385-2611 www.yokohamatire.com

Birmingham Frame & Alignment, LLC (205) 322-4844 birminghamframeandalignment.com

TRAILER DEALERS/ MANUFACTURERS C & C Trailers, Inc. (334) 897-2202

Carrier Transicold South (404) 968-3130 www.ctsouth.com

Empire Truck Sales, LLC (601) 939-1000 www.empiretruck.com

TRUCK DEALERS, MANUFACTURERS Action Truck Center (334) 794-8505 www.actiontruckcenter.com Birmingham Freightliner (205) 322-6695 www.birminghamfreightliner.com Capital Volvo Truck & Trailer (334) 262-8856 www.capitalvolvo.com

Neely Coble Co. (256) 350-1630 www.neelycoble.com Nextran Truck Corporation (205) 841-4450 www.nextrancorp.com Performance Peterbilt of West Florida (850) 352-9901 www.performancepeterbilt.com Peterbilt Motors Company (770) 330-7014 www.peterbilt.com Rush Truck Center-Mobile (251) 459-7300 www.rushofmobile.com Southland International Trucks, Inc. (205) 942-6226 www.southlandtrucks.com Taylor & Martin, Inc. (662) 262-4613 www.taylorandmartin.com Thompson/Caterpillar (205) 849-4365 www.thompsontractor.com Truckworx Kenworth - Birmingham (205) 326-6170 www.TRUCKWORX.com Truckworx Kenworth – Dothan (334) 712-4900 www.TRUCKWORX.com Truckworx Kenworth – Montgomery (334) 263-3101 www.TRUCKWORX.com Truckworx Kenworth – Mobile (251) 957-4000 www.TRUCKWORX.com Truckworx Kenworth – Huntsville (256) 308-0162 www.TRUCKWORX.com Truckworx Kenworth – Thomasville (334) 636-4380 www.TRUCKWORX.com Volvo Trucks North America (336) 210-3075 www.volvotrucks.volvo.com Ward International Trucks, LLC (251) 433-5616 www.wardintltrucks.com

Coffman International Trucks (334) 794-4111 www.coffmaninternationaltrucks.com

TRUCK & EQUIPMENT AUCTIONEERS Insurance Auto Auction, Inc. (478) 319-8574 www.iaai.com

Daimler Trucks NA LLC (803) 554-4831 www.freightlinertrucks.com

Taylor & Martin, Inc. (662) 262-4613 www.taylorandmartin.com

Empire Truck Sales, LLC (601) 939-1000 www.empiretruck.com

TRUCKSTOPS Love’s Travel Stops, Inc. (405) 202-4451 www.loves.com

Fitzgerald Peterbilt (205) 379-8300 www.fitzgeraldpeterbilt.com

Oasis Travel Center, LLC (251) 960-1148

Four Star Freightliner (334) 263-1085 (Montgomery) www.fourstarfreightliner.com

Pilot Flying J Centers (865) 207-3219 www.pilotflyingj.com

Long Lewis Western Star (205) 428-6241 www.longlewistrucks.com

TravelCenters of America/Petro Shopping Centers (678) 591-4675 www.Ta-Petro.com

Mack Trucks, Inc. (678) 201-4770 www.macktrucks.com Navistar (813) 382-3113 www.internationaldelivers.com

VEHICLE LEASING Southland International Trucks, Inc. (205) 942-6226 www.southlandtrucks.com Ward International Trucks, LLC (251) 433-5616 www.wardintltrucks.com

ATA

NEW MEMBERS & EVENTS

New Members (as of 11-27-2017) Alliance Secondary P.O. Box 430065 (205) 821-5478 Birmingham, AL 35243 Mr. Ollie Newton

KD Cattle, LLC 20193 Paradise Lane (334) 764-3412 Kinston, AL 36453 Mr. Chad F Sessions

MSA Transport LLC 7300 Commerce Drive (205) 799-9693 Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Mr. Randy Hughes

United Veterans Logistics, LLC 7051 Carson Lane (703) 650-8736 Daphne, AL 36527-7015 Mr. Mark Gardner

E&H Moving Services, LLC 2015 Roebuck Street (334) 791-4574 Dothan, AL 36301 Mr. Evan Stinson

LRS Transport LLC P.O. Box 115 (205) 932-5730 Belk, AL 35545 Mr. Steve Newman

MT Select, LLC 2518 Commerce Way (205) 848-4600 Birmingham, AL 35217 Mr. Harold Smith

West Florida Enterprises, Inc. P.O. Box 301 (850) 263-3303 Graceville, FL 32440 Ms. Judy Bell

Hudson Insurance Company 3950 Priority Way South Dr., Ste 200 (317) 810-2038 Indianapolis, IN 46240 Mr. Matt Egenolf

McDaniel Service, LLC P.O. Box 206 (256) 767-7576 Florence, AL 35631 Mr. Terry McDaniel

Sawyer & Finn Logistics LLC 120 Creekwood Circle (256) 349-4646 Florence, AL 35630 Mr. Paul Teran

William Alton Hill dba ACEE Trucking 457 E Pike Rd (256) 784-5515 Falkville, AL 35622 Mr. Alton Hill

A ADVERTISER

Alabama Trucker (AT), the official publication of the Alabama Trucking Association (ATA), is an award-winning trade publication highlighting the Association's activities while documenting the business environment of the day.

AT is published quarterly and distributed to more than 2,500 trucking executives, regulatory officials, and political figures.

Want to reach decision makers at more than 1,500 Alabama-based trucking firms?

Consider this: Advertising in AT reaches the most concentrated readership of trucking professionals in the state. Our rates are affordable, but on top of that, your helping ATA send positive messages about one of the state's largest employers.

Contact Ford Boswell at fboswell@alabamatrucking.org or 877-277-TRUK (8785) For More Information

36

D V E R T I S I N G

I

N D E X

PG. NO.

PH. NO.

Agile Distribution

21

(334) 220-2621

www.ultralifttech.com

ATA WCSIF

BC

(334) 834-7911

www.atacompfund.org

The Baxter Agency

22

(800) 873-8494

www.baxteragency.com

Carrier Transicold

9

205) 328-7278

www.ctsouth.com

R.E. Garrison

29

(800) 643-3472

www.regarrison.com

Great West Casualty

17

(800) 228-8053

www.gwccnet.com

Infinit-i

33

(866) 427-8219 www.VAGBootCamp.com/Training

International Trucks

IFC

(800) 844-4102

J.J. Keller

14

(888) 473-4638 ext. 7892

Johnson Locklin

20

(251) 947-3015

www.johnson-locklin.com

Nextran Truck Center

3

(800) 292-8685

www.nextrancorp.com

Palomar Insurance

23

(800) 489-0105

www.palomarins.com

Pivotal LNG

30

(713) 300-5116

www.pivotallng.com

Regions Insurance

8

(800) 807-1412

www.regionsinsurance.com

Southland Trailer Div.

28

(888) 844-1821

www.southlandtrucks.com

IBC

(205) 849-4288

www.thompsontractor.com

Truckworx Kenworth

7

(800) 444-6170

www.truckworx.com

Turner & Hamrick

16

(888) 385-0186

www.turnerhamrick.com

18-19

(205) 755-2610

www.thomasoil.com

Thompson Cat

WH Thomas Oil Co.

WEB ADDRESS

www.navistar.com www.jjkellermobile.com

A LABAMA T RUCKER • 4 TH Q UARTER 2017