Florida Truck News- Spring 2018

Spring 2018

The Official Publication of the Florida Trucking Association, Inc.

More than the Sum of its Parts Taking a look under the hood to see how each part works together to drive FTA down the road ALSO INSIDE:

FTA’s legislative process Getting to know FTA’s new VP “Going the Extra Mile:” Florida Road Team

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TABLE of CONTENTS

8 | MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS From public policy to statewide competitions, networking events and conferences to recruitment, it takes a lot of horsepower to run FTA. See who drives the Association.

By Alix Miller

SPRING 2018 DEPARTMENTS President’s Message

3

Legislative Update

13

Trucking Day at the Capitol

20

On the Move

32

FEATURES

28 4

6 33

Road Team Selection Event 4 Platooning in Florida 14 Meet the new FTA Vice President 36 INDUSTRY INSIDER After the Hurricanes 6 Tax Reform and Trucking 18 IRP Registration Tips 24 Recruiting Drivers 27 SAFETY FIRST

36

14

Crash Prevention Program 29

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 1

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KENNETH S. ARMSTRONG, PH.D. PRESIDENT AND CEO, FLORIDA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

VOLUME 73, NUMBER 1 • Q1 2018 STAFF: President and CEO, Kenneth S. Armstrong ken@FLTrucking.org Vice President, Alix Miller alix@FLTrucking.org Director of Operations, Angela Cundiff angela@FLTrucking.org Executive Assistant, Dot Butler dot@FLTrucking.org Coordinator of Special Projects, Ben Schultz ben@FLTrucking.org Industry Intern, Kayla Hagen kayla@FLTrucking.org

PUBLISHED BY:

350 E. College Ave. Tallahassee, FL 32301 www.FLTrucking.org

EDITORIAL Editor: Alix Miller ADVERTISING Sales: Ben Schultz DESIGN & LAYOUT Art Director: Jeremy Ashmore © 2018 Florida Trucking Association.

The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of FTA. For subscription information, please contact FTA at 850-222-9900.

PHOTO: KAY MEYER PHOTOGRAPHY

Postmaster: Address changes to Dot Butler, 350 E. College Avenue, Tallahassee FL 32301

Back to School You can tell a lot about any organization’s priorities by looking at how the Board of Directors spends its time.

For three consecutive meetings FTA’s Board has focused on outreach into schools. Something’s obviously going on.

Fast forward to April 18 and 19 of this year. You find yourself at “The Rendezvous” at the Radisson in Port Canaveral. This is a big new event taking the place of the annual Spring Round-Up. You see the regular educational sessions but also the saltwater fishing, the golf, the VIP tour of America’s spaceport. “Hmmm,” you say to yourself, “I bet this has something to do with those FTA Board meetings.” You’d be right!

Every moment of fun (and there will be lots) and learning will be aimed at FTA’s message going “back to school.”

Plus every dollar of the Rendezvous’ profits is supporting our dramatic new emphasis on getting FTA’s message directly to students: safety on the roads, the importance of trucking, and the job opportunities available.

We already have lots of momentum to build on. We’re in the third year of the incredible Teacher Tour—orienting elementary, middle-, and high-school teachers about how and why they should bring information about trucking into their classrooms. The Share the Road program in schools has huge capacity for growth. We need our companies to create partnerships with individual schools. Students could be engaged through clubs and competitions.

All of this will be supported by the Rendezvous. We can change people’s minds about trucking and highway safety only if we reach them while they’re young!

Support the Rendezvous—sponsor, attend, promote! See you in Port Canaveral.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors of the articles contained in Florida Truck News magazine are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Florida Trucking Association or its member companies.

Printed in Florida.

Please recycle where facilities exist.

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ON THE ROAD

Tommy Triplett and Mark Shallar

4 | SPRING 2018

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

Eddie Weeks and Mark Shallar

ON THE ROAD

2018 FLORIDA ROAD TEAM SELECTION The members of the Florida Road Team serve as ambassadors for the trucking industry and exemplify the truck driving profession. Since its inception in 1996, approximately 150,000 students across the state have been educated by the Florida Road Team on safe driving techniques and how to safely share the road with trucks.

Candidates are nominated by member companies, selected for their experience, skill and demeanor, as they will be representing the trucking industry’s best.

To be considered for the Road Team, drivers must have a minimum of 10 years of CDL experience and worked for their current employer for at least five years. Additionally, nominees are considered for their ability to speak well and convincingly communicate their commitment to safety and courtesy.

Current members of the Florida Road Team are seasoned professionals, having reached thousands of students each year with FTA’s Share the Road message, promoting safe driving to students. They are also tasked with bringing the trucking industry’s message to civic organizations, business and professional associations, and the public in general.

In February, 13 finalists were selected and invited to travel to Tallahassee for a two-day selection process to be considered for the 2018-2022 Florida Road Team. During the selection process, finalists observed Road

professionals and gave a short safety presentation. The process culminated in a dinner, at which the newest members of the Florida Road Team were announced.

Team members at schools, who presented Share the Road alongside Florida Highway Patrol. All in attendance were provided with a continuing education session on inspections, led by Steve Sherman, President/CEO of Commercial Vehicle Safety Associates of Florida.

During the event, two retiring members, Tommy Triplett and Eddie Weeks, were honored for their exemplary service to the Florida Road Team, FTA and the industry.

On day two, the finalists interviewed with a panel of industry and government

Members of the 2018-2022 Florida Road Team Welbridge David Allen

Gary Hash

FedEx Freight, Orlando

Publix Super Markets Inc., Lakeland

Paul Cleary

Eddie Moody, Sr.

FedEx Freight, Orlando

Werner Enterprises, Jacksonville

Fred Combs

George Moore

Walmart Transportation, Alachua

United Parcel Service, Jacksonville

Gregory DeFranco

David Shutterly

United Parcel Service, Jacksonville

FedEx Freight, Jacksonville

Marco Garofoli

David Swierenga

FedEx Freight, West Palm Beach

FedEx Freight, Clearwater

Salvador Gonzalez UPS Freight, Ocala

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ON THE ROAD

Was Your Business Inoperable Because of Irma?

By Michael Helton, CPA & Kevin Bass, CPA – Rivero Gordimer & Company, PA If you own a trucking company and were unable to do business because of Hurricanes Irma, Harvey, or Maria, you could be entitled to some tax relief on your 2017 tax return. The Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017 was enacted to provide statutory relief to taxpayers impacted by the recent, devastating storms.

The Employee Retention Tax Credit is a credit that could help you in recovering at least some of the damages caused by the hurricanes.

The legislation created the employee retention tax credit for employers who were conducting business in designated disaster zones on the hurricane date (August 23, 2017 for Harvey; September 4, 2017 for Irma; and September 16, 2017 for Maria) and became inoperable, due to the hurricanes, during the period of relief. The credit provides relief for employers on 40% of wages paid to eligible employees during the disaster period, with the cap at $6,000 of wages paid per employee. This means employers have the opportunity of taking a maximum credit of $2,400 per employee.

The legislation does not provide a definition of “inoperable” for this credit. However, the IRS provided guidance on what qualifies a business as inoperable for an employee retention credit like this one for the Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and the Midwestern Disasters of 2008. The FAQ for Hurricane Victims – Employee Retention Credit

on the on www.irs.gov explains that to be eligible for the credit, the damage does not need to be to the employer’s place of business. The business qualifies as inoperable if it is physically inaccessible to employees, raw materials, utilities, or customers.

at a different location, employers can still take the credit. The credit cannot be taken for any employee in which the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is already being claimed. Employers are also not able to claim the credit for family members.

Eligible employees include any employee whose principal place of employment was in one of the disaster zones. Employers can take credit on wages paid each day the business was inoperable between the hurricane start date and the date in which significant operations have resumed or January 1, 2018, whichever date came first. Even if the employee returned to work or worked

For more details, and to see if you meet all the qualifications for this credit, contact your tax advisor. If you believe you meet all the qualifications, but you have already filed your 2017 return, it’s not too late. You can still amend your return to include the benefits of the credit.

Employers in the designated disaster zones with qualified wages paid could save some serious tax dollars on their 2017 return due to this credit and could be worth the effort of determining if you are eligible or not.

And although it does not make up for all the damages caused by these major hurricanes, every little bit helps.

Michael Helton and Kevin Bass are CPAs at Rivero Gordimer & Company, P.A., located in downtown Tampa, Florida. They can be contacted at (813) 875-7774 or mhelton@ rgcocpa.com and kbass@rgcocpa.com.

Rivero Gordimer is an FTA member.

6 | SPRING 2018

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

ON THE ROAD

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MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS

PARTS:

A look under the hood to see how FTA drives the industry

By Alix Miller On my first day of work, President and Ken Armstrong took me to his favorite Mexican restaurant for “Quesadilla Tuesday.” What started as a lesson on key regulatory and policy issues turned into a four-hour conversation about how FTA’s members serve as the engine for the Association, working tirelessly, and often behind the scenes, to promote our industry.

So for this issue of FTN we sat down again, to talk about who makes the wheels turn for Florida Trucking Association.

AM: Tell me about the concept of the cover of the magazine this time.

KA: It’s pretty self-evident that we think FTA is a collective effort, and what the cover attempts to show is that, while there are all of these individual pieces and parts of the Association, we get it down the road by putting all of those together in the way they function and support one another,

8 | SPRING 2018

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

and in having a common purpose. I think it’s exciting to watch the components of the trucking industry and FTA having that intent to mobilize one other and to be mobilized in the interest of the industry.

AM: Clearly FTA has been successful. What are the special ingredients, or “parts,” if you will, of FTA that have made it so?

KA: That’s like asking a parent who their favorite child is. The power of FTA over the course of 70-80 years, and obviously the past few years, comes from lots of parts. I guess the place I would start is with sponsorships—and that may surprise some people. It has been the most shocking and rewarding element of the last few years. In 2013 we had $128,000 worth of sponsorships for our events and activities.

This year I expect we will pass $400,000, and that’s a big contributor to what FTA has been able to accomplish recently.

AM: So how did that burst in sponsorships happen?

KA: This is an almost perfect “success breeds success” story. Momentum is a wonderful thing: when you get things moving in the right direction at some speed, and people see some leaders out there chipping in and chiming in, it really builds the collective willpower of the organization and brings people in to support the Association in ways they never thought possible before.

There are two specifics on this: one is the momentum, that it’s just the human phenomenon, that when people see other people stand up, they tend to do the same.

The second is more tangible: The sponsors help us step up the quality of events, and that lets us boost the benefits, the value for those attending the events. And the value in turn increases the number of people attending. That’s where you get the upward spiral.

AM: You know I’m going to ask you for some examples, right?

KA: Yes. [laughing]. I could give you 20 or 30 examples, because there are that many

PHOTOS: JOE CANCELLARE

PARTS< companies which have been incredibly generous. Keith Walpole, of Walpole is pretty much always the first to the plate.

If we are getting ready to do something special with the Road Team or the Teacher Tour, Keith always says, “Put me down to help with that.” He steps up with the Annual Conference, and on and on and on.

The parent company of PrePass, HELP, has bent over backwards. They make a major annual contribution. They’ve been extremely generous to us; Karen Rasmussen even came to our Annual Conference last year. I know that I can rely on their annual support.

And it would be difficult for me to identify a particular leader on this next one. But our dealers have supported us in a big way. We have received $7500 or $10,000 contributions from several of our truck dealer groups. Usually one of the dealers or a factory rep takes a leadership position and says they want to be the signature sponsor for the Roast, or a major sponsor for the Annual Conference. Those groups have been a dynamic difference for us.

AM: Now a lot less leading of a question…

Our Road Team has had an enormous impact on students across the state, and it takes a lot of planning and support from our member companies, who essentially are donating time through their best drivers, who spend days at school every month. Who has been instrumental in making sure the program is a success?

KA: The Road Team is the personification of “going the extra mile.” They get out and go to wherever FTA is going to be and other places they have been invited. Whether it’s the Share the Road Blitzes in our schools to emphasize highway safety, or representing us as they do at Trucking Day at the Capitol, or leading the way at Driver Appreciation events…

AM: They are an integral part of Pinwheels for Prevention Month throughout April as well.

KA: Correct. They’re always present in force. The key to that program and a lion’s share of where the credit goes has to be to the employing companies which make it

possible for those drivers to be on the Road Team. These companies are giving their drivers that time and the equipment to take to events. That’s drivers and equipment that aren’t hauling freight, so it’s a double contribution, and for those companies to say that the image of the industry and the safety message delivered are so important to us, we are going to do this. That’s hugely generous. What they bring to the table is very special to the industry.

AM: We just had our largest attendance at Trucking Day at the Capitol. To what or whom do you attribute that?

KA: One of the most fun aspects of the last few years has been seeing the evidence of people’s interest in public policy. I know our members have opinions about regulations, enforcement and legislation, and elections and advocacy. They’ve

FTA Members Sponsoring $3,000 or More Last Year, In Order International Dealers of Florida Publix Super Markets Help Inc./PrePass Walpole, Inc. Vertical Alliance Group Kenworth Dealers of Florida Hilton Daytona Beach JJ Keller Walmart Peterbilt Dealers of Florida Volusia County Ocean Center Oakley Transport

The Road Team is the personification of “going the extra mile.”

Nextran Truck Centers Thermo King Corporation Davis Express Quality Distribution Rowland Transportation Bynum Transport

shared these opinions with me on many occasions! But to see them actually take time away from their business to come to Tallahassee or go to Washington and see them engage with elected officials, legislators and ATA staff has been fascinating to watch. The numbers are up dramatically. We had more than 30 people attend Trucking Day this year. And that’s a mutually reinforcing thing. When they see how the Attorney General or the Majority Leader reacts to them, it empowers and emboldens them—they are responsible for getting the FTA message across in Florida and with our congressional delegation.

I think these numbers are going to keep going up. People are going to want to get more engaged. When policymakers see what’s important to us, and see people put their time where their mouth is, there are huge benefits. Our legislators know all of the people who work for our companies

FedEx Indian River Transport Subrogation Division Tom Nehl Trucks Landstar FTA Safety Management Council Florida Utility Trailers Breakthru Beverage Florida Florida Rock & Tank Lines CDT Cummins Sales and Service Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Instructional Technologies Omnitracs McTyre Trucking USI Insurance Services

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 9

> COVER STORY

Florida Road Team and their Member Companies Charles Demchock

Walmart Transportation

Eric Blandford UPS Freight

Steven Molnar

Walmart Transportation

Charles Lobsiger

Walmart Transportation

Victor Parish

Walmart Transportation

Louis Medders

Walmart Transportation

Larry Kammeyer

Walmart Transportation

Mark Shallar

MPS Transportation

Denny Johnson Fedex Freight

Kenneth Crotts Fedex Freight

John Kinchen

Publix Super Markets

Alfredo Lemus UPS Freight

John Wright UPS Freight

Jorge Acosta

FedEx Freight Corporation

Clarence Weeks

AAA Cooper Transportation

Phillip Allender

FedEx Freight Corporation

Ricky Gonsales

FedEx Freight Corporation

Tommy Forrest

FedEx Freight Corporation

Tommy Triplett FedEx Ground

Frank Silio

Publix Super Markets

Charlie Fuller

FedEx Freight Corporation

Edward Pennington FedEx Freight Corporation

Larry Ahern

10 | SPRING 2018

are voters too, and they can do the math.

When they have someone from Publix or Ryder or Landstar talking to them, they know how many people are employed by those companies. They also know that our PAC is getting more contributions from our members and is able to put more dollars into campaign war chests. Engaging in public policy has long-term benefits for our industry and Association.

AM: What strikes me, in my short time here, is all of the members who work behind the scenes to ensure the success of our events and growth. Who are some members who “go the extra mile?”

KA: I could have easily started the interview about our volunteers, because they are the fuel inside the vehicle. If you think about the formal act of volunteering and think about our Finance Committee, our Member Recruitment Committee, the Truck Driving Championships Committee, the SuperTech committee, the larger umbrella groups like the Safety Management Council and the Technology and Maintenance Council and 2.0, it doesn’t take you very long before you get into the hundreds of people you see devoting their time, their energy and their companies’ willingness and commitment to make the industry more visible. Education is a big part of this. A lot of our time is spent educating either the public or our own members on how to be safer and more profitable and learn best practices. I came out of the nonprofit world where the volunteers are as important, and it warms my heart to come to a trade association and see that our volunteers are just as committed and enthusiastic about the messages we need to share and the improvement we need. And yes, I know you are going to ask me for examples.

AM: You know me so well!

KA: The first person that comes to mind is Phares Acuff with Florida Utility Trailers.

I don’t think anybody would mind me singling out Phares, because everybody values his support of this association as much as we do here in the FTA office. He is our “go to” guy on member recruitment, chaired the committee for years, and if we were to have a title of “Member Recruiter

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

Emeritus,” everybody would agree it should go to Phares Acuff, because he’s going to do it for as long as he lives—help build FTA’s membership. And he’s as good a guy as there is. I don’t think he has a conversation with one of his customers or a potential customer without talking about FTA and its values.

Jeff Day from Publix Super Markets is in a category all to himself. Jeff really doesn’t much care what needs to be done.

He’s just going to make sure it gets done.

Sometimes that’s at a high level, as Chair of the Board, but more often that’s working on SuperTech; it’s taking the drivers around the course at the Truck Driving Championships; or making sure somebody else at Publix is involved in what FTA is working on. He embodies the perfection of volunteerism in not needing the credit for it and making sure that the request ends up in the right place, getting the right attention.

Bill Roy from Walmart. If you asked Bill a few years ago if he would ever sit on the FTA board, he would have said, “Heavens no.” Of course Bill chaired the Herman Fauss Scholarship Golf Tournament and the selection process for the scholarship students, and along the way got involved with the SMC, and lo and behold, now he’s the Chair of the SMC and on the voting membership of the FTA Board. And that’s a complete byproduct of the fact that he and his team at Walmart bend over backwards to help FTA and the trucking industry in any way they can.

That’s just three of the hundreds.

AM: What’s something about FTA’s success that would surprise our readers?

KA: The first thing that pops into my mind is that there are people who invest in FTA and FTA’s success just because they want to. The ones I’m thinking about right now aren’t carriers, they’re not suppliers, they’re not members. They just feel like FTA is really important to them, and they want to be a part of it.

Jamie Hammons, who is our regional contact for American Trucking

PARTS < Associations (ATA), has multiple states that he represents and it’s a huge responsibility, if you think about how many events and activities are going on in all of those states.

His day job is making sure the member companies in ATA are feeling connected, but still somehow Jamie seems to show up every single time FTA opens its door for something. Because of course we’re his favorite state!

Chief Derek Barrs of Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and his immediate predecessor, Lt. Colonel Troy Thompson are the same.

They speak at our events, they’re involved at Trucking Day at the Capitol. Every Share the Road Blitz has multiple FHP officers out, present and involved. That’s because Chief Barrs makes sure that that happens.

The partnership isn’t a partnership in name only—it is quickly apparent to people that FHP and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV) really do see the collaboration with FTA as something that makes our highways safer.

And their involvement will help make our trucking companies better.

A third person deserving mention is Chris Dudley of Southern Strategy Group, who for almost 15 years now has been representing and advising us on our public policy initiatives. Chris doesn’t treat us like a client; he treats us like family. He takes a personal interest in us. He emcees our annual Roast, he organizes our Trucking Day at the Capitol, he attends our Annual Conference. These are things which I think he doesn’t do because he needs to; I think he does so because over the years he has come to realize himself how important the trucking industry is to Florida’s commerce, highway safety and our role in the business community.

AM: As you talk, I come back to the cover of the magazine. FTA seems like the proverbial “finely tuned machine.”

KA: There are two or three phrases that we like to use and feel summarize the value of this association. One of those which you will frequently hear us use is “strength in numbers.” Another is “we’re all in this together.” And I think the magazine cover

illustrates this. What makes one of us better in this industry makes us all better. When one of us is safer, we’re all safer. The cover shows a sense of common purpose—95% of the time our companies are competitors —they are individuals, dealing with their own issues, their problems, their customers, their routes. But when they’re doing FTA work, we’re all in it together.

They set aside individual competition and individual successes and throw all their cards on the table to help FTA. It’s the time when we are collective rather than separate. The only way we get important things done is when we are unified.

There’s a great expression, “all the easy stuff is already done. There’s only hard stuff left.” It’s a powerful statement. The only way FTA tackles hard stuff is through combined brainpower and combined effort. We know we will all be better because of it. I like the picture of all of these parts working together to make the truck go down the road.

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12 | SPRING 2018

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Is Legislation Really like Making Sausage?

FTA and the 2018 Legislative Session -Ken Armstrong By the time you read this, you will already know the outcome of FTA’s 2018 legislative efforts, but as of this moment in front of my computer I have no idea!

I do know better than trying to predict how the legislature will act, so for the first time this update will share a behind-the-scenes look at how we’re getting to the finish line.

Chris Dudley, our lobbyist, is at the heart of FTA’s legislative affairs. The relationships he maintains and his savvy about the process are second to none. Combine that with his dozenplus years working on trucking issues with FTA, and we always enter legislative session with a good chance of success.

2018 offered both an unusual challenge and opportunity. For the first time in memory neither the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) nor Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV) was offering a bill in the legislative process. Even before we knew that, however, our strategy had been set in the summer when we decided to promote a trucking-only bill. This was a major step for us, but we believed this unusual approach reduced the danger that our priorities and provisions would get caught in a political crossfire. That roadblock had been the case in the closing days of the 2017 session when the HSMV bill failed to pass…and thereby several of our provisions that were in it.

In October, Chris and I met to hone down our wish list to what we really needed. What was that?

• A ban on the use of GPS jammers • Tougher penalties for cargo theft • A five-year apportioned plate (replacing Florida’s current requirement for annual plates) • Funding for a school-based safety education program • Protection of the State Transportation Trust Fund (STTF)

By November, Chris was running the traps with FDOT and HSMV, identifying our preferred sponsors, and working with the leadership in both House and Senate. When

we sat down again in December we were focusing in. Senator Brandes had filed the bill on the 6th. The Governor had submitted a $10.8 billion budget request for FDOT, and the likelihood of a sweep of the STTF seemed near zero. Equally important, the vital collaboration with HSMV and FHP was strongly in play. This was essential because “our bill” contained important language for Florida to conform with key federal regulations—many of which had to be adopted during 2018.

The wild card was the safety education fund which was an important priority but was not a part of our bill since there was a spending element involved. We had work to do.

January opened with a bang. Rep. Bobby Payne filed the bill in the House just a few days later, and FTA had a new ally—Vice President Alix Miller. She and I met with Chris at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 8 to sort out next steps. Of course Chris had been working tirelessly at the Capitol, but key decisions were waiting to be made.

• Do we have an avenue for the safety education fund? No, not yet.

•

Are we going to support a 2019 date for Florida’s intrastate adoption of ELDs, or should we propose 2018? This question ultimately went to the Public Policy Committee (PPC).

•

Is an annual decal necessary for the apportioned plate? Alix and I agreed to meet with HSMV to get more information.

• Is any amendment that’s being offered to the bill threatening either our objectives or the chances of it passing? We felt we were OK on that score.

By Trucking Day at the Capitol on January 30 the bill had passed two committees in the House and one in the Senate. The drama was ramping up. FTA was becoming more convinced that an annual decal on the apportioned plate might not be necessary after all. The 2018 vs. 2019 effective date on intrastate ELD actually came to a vote of the PPC—unanimous for 2018. We still didn’t have a “home” for the safety education fund.

In the opening days of February, Chris was building momentum for the bill and our other priorities. Alix and I were continuing to

meet with, email, and call HSMV and FHP. On February 8 the bill passed its last committee in the House. The very next day a critically important phone call happened between HSMV Executive Director Terry Rhodes and me. We talked about the annual decal and the safety fund. She assured me that as a department they were focusing strongly on both issues. Alix and Chris attended committee meetings to answer any questions regarding our bill; show support for the texting and driving legislation, which makes doing so a primary offense; and monitor other bills that impact our member companies and industry.

As a result of my call, Chris was immediately back in the hunt for the magic bullet on the safety education fund and working toward a no-decal solution…or at least a compromise.

We knew that House and Senate leadership remained key elements in getting the major FTA priorities across the finish line.

And that is where things stand as of February 20 as we prepare to go to press with FTN. On the federal front, we are monitoring everything from President Trump’s infrastructure proposal to the continuing ELD waiver requests to the need for nationally uniform meal and rest breaks. Alix sat down with Cong. Mario Diaz-Balart and other industry leaders on February 12 to promote the trucking industry and discuss the future of the nation’s workforce, economy and infrastructure.

We also find ourselves focused on Jacksonville where a city council committee has proposed the creation of a truck route system, but with all roads not declared as truck routes being forbidden for truck usage. Both the way this proposed ordinance developed and the provisions in it cause us to be strongly opposed.

The nature of public policy work is that it is never done. This quick look at the ins and outs of state, federal, and local issues probably makes you glad it’s our trucking association dealing with “all of that” rather than you having to intervene. We are always doing our best to represent you.

More updates to come!

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Truck Platooning on Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roadways

By Rachel Cone

14 | SPRING 2018

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

On a late December day at Florida’s Turnpike, two highly advanced Volvo VNL670 Class 8 trucks equipped with linked, collision-avoidance platooning technology set out to perform the state’s first ever vehicle platooning test.

The technology, demonstrated by automated vehicle technology developer Peloton, enabled two individual drivers to form a two-truck platoon traveling at 65 miles per hour at a distance of 65 feet.

Multiple state and federal agencies, along with representatives from the Florida Trucking Association, were on hand for the event.

“I thought it was kind of neat,” said Cary Watkins, Second Vice Chair of the FTA’s Safety Management Council. “It was very controlled, very fluid, very smooth.”

To utilize the technology, a truck must first include several minimum requirements such as adaptive cruise control, lane and other crash mitigation systems. Peloton emphasizes that drivers are essential to its system, so it doesn’t eliminate human control of any vehicle.

The pilot was completed in coordination with the Central Florida Automated Vehicle Partnership – one of ten regions selected in the country as a proving ground for autonomous vehicle testing.

Nine other states across the U.S. have confirmed allowance for commercial

deployment of driver-assistive truck platooning, including Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Other states are considering rolling out the technology later this year, including the Sunshine State.

Platooning and the future The primary benefit for truck platooning, according to companies such as Peloton, is the significant fuel savings that can be realized for the lead and the follow trucks.

Peloton’s technology allows for two trucks to drive in tandem, giving the lead truck an average of 4 to 5 percent fuel savings and the rear truck a hefty 10 percent savings.

Other technologies deployed in Europe allow multiple trucks to platoon.

When connected, typically at a distance of 30 to 60 feet, both drivers remain in control of the steering wheel. The front driver, however, is fully in control of acceleration and braking, while the rear driver is feet free.

This new wave of technology is also intended to make trucks safer by using radar, cameras and reflective light scanning to reduce and mitigate future crashes. By later this year, industry leaders expect to put pairs of trucks on Florida’s road at a distance that before would not have been possible or safe before.

While technologies such as the one demonstrated on Florida’s Turnpike could significantly reduce fuel spend and increase safety for some companies, the logistics of utilizing the technology may be beneficial to only certain types of hauls. While truckload and line-haul LTL operations would be the most likely fit for early adoption of the technology, it may be a while for some of the smaller transport operations to realize a benefit.

“The struggle with the dispatch side is you have to have two trucks leaving at the same time, and headed out on the same road,” Watkins said. “It’s really not something that would fit the trucking company I worked for, so for me there wasn’t really much of a benefit.”

One other potential road block to full utilization of automated platooning technology on U.S. roads, is the question of who to platoon with. Most fleets would prefer to platoon with their own trucks, while other owner-operator outfits would prefer linking up with other owneroperators. So, it may still be awhile before this form of driving is widely deployed on the nation’s transportation network.

But that’s not stopping Florida from plowing ahead to ensure the state’s reputation for creating a friendly regulatory environment for connected and autonomous vehicle and trucking technology remains intact.

FTA members (L to R): Cary Watkins, Jake Severit, Scott McCarron, Jeff Day and Ray Lloyd got an incab view of platooning.

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 15

“As a leader in transportation technology, Florida is proud to participate in the piloting of transportation technologies that benefit the commercial trucking industry, while improving the safety of Florida’s roadways,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Dew.

Florida’s Regulatory Framework To attract companies such as Peloton and others, the state legislature last year directed the Florida Department of Transportation to study the use and operation of driverassistive truck platooning technology.

With its economic, environmental and mobility benefits, truck platooning offers a competitive advantage for the state.

“We welcome this and other opportunities to test connected vehicle systems and other advanced transportation concepts that will improve roadway safety and bring new economic opportunities to the region,” said Tom Byron, Assistant Secretary of Strategic Development for the Florida Department of Transportation, who was on hand for the event.

State Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) is championing a bill this 2018 legislative session that explicitly authorizes motor vehicle platoons to be operated on Florida roadways, after an operator provides notification to the Florida Department of Transportation and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

“Since my election to the Legislature, I have been working with my colleagues to make Florida the best state in the country to deploy autonomous and connected transportation technology,” said Sen. Brandes. “Truck platooning has the potential to revolutionize the industry and to produce significant increases in efficiency. I was thrilled to see the positive

results of the recent demonstration, and I am actively working on legislation to enable deployment in our state.”

The bill (SB 1104) provides an exemption to the “following too closely” law – a law that requires no less than 300 feet between trucks and trailers – for any non-lead platooning vehicles. The bill also adds that the prohibition on television receivers does not apply to an electronic display used by an operator of a platoon. The companion bill is HB 1189 carried by Rep. Bobby Payne (R-Palatka).

SunTrax The legislation also authorizes the funding, construction and operation of test facilities for the advancement of autonomous and connected transportation technology solutions that improve safety and congestion.

The Florida Turnpike broke ground late last year on a 475-acre site called SunTrax that will include a 2.25-mile long oval track

to provide a place for companies to test highway speed toll technology, vehicle-toinfrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications like the one used in the Peloton demonstration.

“We’re excited to be collaborating with other US DOT-designated AV proving grounds around the country,” said Paul Wai, Executive Director of Florida’s Turnpike. “Our driver-assistive truck platooning pilot is just the beginning.

SunTrax, the Turnpike’s Center for Testing Tolling Technology and Transportation Innovation, will become the partnership’s primary connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) controlled testing environment when it is complete.”

In addition to the capabilities listed above, the track and its 200-acre infield will also be home to testing of high-speed merges and entrance and exit ramps, various materials testing, the deployment of movable barrier systems to provide flexible lane configurations and construction zone safety technology. SunTrax, located just off of I-4 in Auburndale, is a partnership between FDOT, the Turnpike and Florida Polytechnic University. Its mission is to accelerate the future of transportation, and it is set to open in early 2019.

-Rachel Cone was the former Interim Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, and she served as the deputy chief of staff for Gov. Rick Scott. She is currently a lobbyist at Southern Strategy Group in Tallahassee, Fla. Editor’s Note: Peloton is a new FTA member.

16 | SPRING 2018

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

APRIL 18-19 2018 // RADISSON RESORT AT THE PORT // CAPE CANAVERAL

THE RENDEZVOUS FELLOWSHIP

RECREATION

EDUCATION

Day 1: Noon Kickoff Afternoon recreation: golf, fishing, etc.

Steak and fish-fry cookout Evening activities and networking Day 2: Breakfast General session Educational sessions and committee meetings Lunch on the Run Afternoon recreation: golf, fishing, etc. (optional)

FTA looks to build on the huge success of its SHARE THE ROAD and TEACHER TOUR programs. THE ROAD AHEAD initiative would expand upon and develop new programs to persuade students across Florida that trucking has value, importance, and is a vital and beneficial industry.

Program 1: Trucking Goes to School Program 2: Teacher-Led Orientation Program 3: Student Organized Activities Program 4: Company Site Visits Program 5: Orient Tallahassee Policymakers

100% OF PROCEEDS SUPPORT FTA'S SCHOOL-BASED INITIATIVES FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS SPRING 2018 | 17

Changes Taxpayers Want to Know

By Michael Helton, CPA & Kevin Bass, CPA – Rivero Gordimer, PA On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed P.L. 115-97 known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which made some notable changes to the Internal Revenue Code.

Most of these changes will be effective January 1, 2018, while a select few will be in effect starting with the 2017 tax year.

Clarification Regulations are currently in process.

CORPORATIONS The C-corporate tax rate is reduced to a flat 21% for 2018. Also, the corporate Alternative Minimum Tax has been repealed.

The requirements for using the cash method for small business have expanded.

C corporations with average gross receipts for the past three years of less than $25 million may choose the cash method. If the threshold is met, corporations can treat inventories as non-incidental materials and supplies if it conforms to financial treatment of inventories. The exempted corporation would also not be required to allocate overhead to inventory under Section 263A.

18 | SPRING 2018

PASS-THROUGH ENTITIES For pass-through entities, there is a new 20% deduction under Sec. 199A on qualified business income. This complex deduction is taken on the individual’s tax return from taxable income. Several limitations exist based on taxable income, W-2 wages paid, and depreciable property acquisitions made. The deduction is phased out for certain service industries (not trucking or transportation) when the taxpayer’s taxable income exceeds a $315,000 for joint return ($157,500 for single) thres-hold amount.

The use of business losses has been limited for Pass-Through Entity owners. The twoyear carryback of NOLs have been repealed.

There is also an 80% limit on the current year use of NOL carryforwards against taxable income. Excess business losses from pass-through entities have caps.

BUSINESSES IN GENERAL Any qualified fixed asset purchases acquired and placed into service after 9/27/17 will fall under 100% additional first year bonus depreciation. There is a schedule to phase the percentage down after 2022. Bonus depreciation is now

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

allowed for both new and used property, which can make substantial tax impact following merger and acquisition transactions. Business owners may still elect out of bonus depreciation or to use 50%, instead if they wish.

The section 179 expense allowances have been increased to $1 million and the phaseout threshold begins at $2.5 million of assets purchased. The luxury auto depreciation limits have also increased.

The nonrecognition of a gain or loss utilizing like-kind exchanges are now limited to only real property that is not held primarily for sale.

For larger entities, there is a 30% of taxable income limitation on business interest expense deduction for businesses over $25 million gross receipts.

Business and travel meals are still limited to a 50% deduction but there will be no deduction allowed for entertainment expenses. Meals provided for the convenience of the employer go from 100% to 50% deductible, and then not deductible after 2025. Office holiday parties are still 100% deductible.

INDIVIDUALS There are still seven tax brackets for 2018, but the highest tax rate decreases from 39.6% to 37%. Income levels are generally in a lower tax bracket rate than in 2017 (see below). The standard deduction increases by almost double per filing status - $12,000 for single, $18,000 for head of household, and $24,000 for married filing joint. However, personal exemptions are no longer available.

The child tax credit increases to $2,000, refundable up to $1,400. There is also a new nonrefundable $500 credit for dependents that do not meet the child credit requirements, but are able to meet the dependency requirements.

The individual AMT exemption limits increased and the phasedown of exemption is much higher.

There are several changes to itemized deductions. The Pease limitation that created an overall limit on high income taxpayersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; itemized deductions has been repealed. The medical deduction threshold is reduced to 7.5% in 2017 and 2018, then increases back to 10% in 2019. For the home mortgage interest deduction, the total limit on acquisition indebtedness reduces to $750,000 from the previous $1 million limit for new homebuyers.

There are timing rules in place that should be reviewed. However, the home equity debt is no longer included in the total of home acquisition indebtedness, therefore the interest paid will no longer be deductible. The state and local tax deduction income, sales, real estate and property tax - is now limited to $10,000 per couple and

$5,000 if married filing separately. The adjusted gross income limitation increased to 60% for cash charitable contributions from 50%.

The biggest impact for employee drivers of motor carriers could be that miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2% adjusted gross income threshold are no longer deductible, including but not limited to unreimbursed employee expenses, meals, tax prep fees, hobby expenses, investment fees/ expenses, legal fees related to producing income, safe deposit fee, etc. Per diem rules have not changed and could be the way to go due to these changes.

The individual mandate to maintain insurance coverage was repealed, but that starts in 2019. The conversion of a Roth IRA to a traditional IRA is not allowed after 2017.

Section 529 plan distributions ordinarily nontaxable for college tuition and fees will

now be allowed for private elementary through high school tuition, up to $10,000 per year. Alimony will no longer be deducted from income from the payor nor includible by the recipient for all divorces executed after 12/31/18. The moving expenses deduction is repealed for all, except for members of the Armed Forces.

ESTATE AND GIFT TAX The estate tax was not repealed but the thresholds are higher. The 2018 estate tax exemption is $11.2 million. The 2018 gift tax exclusion increased to $15,000.

(See Chart Below) Overall, the Act has many changes that affect both Businesses and Individuals at all levels of income. We recommend you contact your tax advisor to plan and prepare accordingly in accordance with your specific fact pattern.

2018 Taxable Income Brackets Rate

Single, Taxable Income Over

Married, Filing Joint, Married Filing Taxable Income Seperate, Taxable Over Income Over

Heads of Household, Taxable Income Over

10%

$0

$0

$0

$0

12%

$9,525

$19,050

$9,525

$13,600

22%

$38,700

$77,400

$38,700

$51,800

24%

$82,500

$165,000

$82,500

$82,500

32%

$157,500

$315,000

$157,500

$157,500

35%

$200,000

$400,000

$200,000

$200,000

37%

$500,000

$600,000

$300,000

$500,000

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 19

Representatives from member companies gathered in the Capitol rotunda

2018 FLORIDA TRUCKING DAY AT THE CAPITOL 20 | SPRING 2018

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

Ken Armstrong, Commissioner Putnam, Rob Sandlin and Chris Dudley

Florida Trucking Day at the Capitol is an opportunity for advocates, executives and leaders to gather together to discuss policy, regulations and the future of the trucking and transportation industry.

On January 30, attendees spent the day at the Capitol meeting with key legislators, Cabinet members and agency heads to promote the industry and educate leaders on policy priorities.

The 2018 Trucking Day brought a record number of members to the state capital from across the country and throughout the state.

The morning began with federal and state legislative updates, led by President and CEO Ken Armstrong and FTA lobbyist Chris Dudley. Attendees were briefed on FTA initiatives and had the opportunity to speak with key leaders during the day.

This included Colonel Gene Spaulding and Chief of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Derek Barrs from Florida Highway Patrol; friend of the industry Rep. Bobby Payne (R-Palatka); Florida Department of Transportation Assistant

Secretary of Engineering and Operations Brian Blanchard; Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson; and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

interest in partnerships between FTA and FDOE to develop strategies to recruit the next generation of workers in the transportation and logistics fields.

New for the group was having the opportunity to discuss industry certifications in the public school system

Lunch, generously sponsored by Harrellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, included two keynote speakers: Florida Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President of Government and Political Relations David Hart and champion of the industry, Agriculture Commissioner and Gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam.

with Florida Department of Education (FDOE) Chancellor for the Division of Career and Adult Education Rod Duckworth. Duckworth expressed his

During the day, members of Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Road Team represented FTA at a display in the Rotunda of the Capitol, while Road Team members positioned themselves in front of the Share the Road truck on the corner of Adams and Jefferson Streets, across from the Capitol, to educate passersby on the goals and missions of the Association. President and CEO Ken Armstrong was interviewed about the day by local ABC affiliate, while The Florida Channel was on hand to

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 21

Capitol, several members of the Florida Road Team spent the day at local high schools in Leon County as part of FTA’s Share the Road campaign.

The Road Team visited Amos P. Godby High School, Florida A&M University Developmental Research School, Lincoln High School and Lawton Chiles High School.

A UPS truck parked at a Godby High School to show a truck’s blind spot during the Share the Road Blitz

Ken Armstrong being interviewed

by The Florida Channel about the day’s events

discuss legislative priorities, including FTA’s support of the pending texting and driving bill.

FUN

FACT: Total miles traveled to attend Trucking Day 2018?

Almost 16,000

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FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

ELD Users Are Required to Carry Backup Logs— COMPLY NOW! Under Section 395.22(h), carriers using ELDs are required to give their drivers enough blank paper logs to last at least 8 days and instructions for dealing with ELD malfunctions. Satisfy these requirements with the new ELD Backup Logs & Inspection Reports from J. J. Keller, the most trusted source for Hours of Service compliance.

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FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

Did you know?

Helpful tips on IRP registrations and renewals The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV) handles a tremendous volume of IRP registrations and renewals every year. The process can be time-consuming for both state employees and trucking companies. Thankfully, there are some simple strategies that may help avoiding a last- minute rush.

Approximately three months before registration expires, all registrants are sent a notice and renewal instructions in the mail. If you plan to prepare your renewal application on paper, you will need to mail the paperwork and supporting documents to the Bureau. Due to the high volume of mail that is handled monthly, HSMV encourages carriers to start this process before the expiration month, which will ensure there is adequate time to ascertain if additional documents are needed or if there are errors in the submission.

A common misunderstanding is having to pay renewal fees earlier, however receiving a bill early does not mean that a payment is immediately due. The timing of the payment is only limited by how soon the registrant desires to have their new credentials on hand, before the current registration expires. If the paperwork is all in order and you are waiting to pay the bill, it takes one call (850-617-3711) to pay by phone. You can also mail it in or use the service center to drop off payment. As soon as payment is posted, it takes about 24 hours for issuance (plus mailing time). If you paid in person, you can walk out with their tags.

(Pro tip: avoid visiting the service center during peak days [roughly the first and last week of every month]).

HSMV encourages carriers to renew online, which is generally the fastest option.

However, because documents cannot be uploaded in the current system, renewing online also requires that the supporting documentation be emailed to a special email address: CVDSefile@flhsmv.gov.

Once your submission is reviewed/approved, you will get an email alert telling you it’s ready for payment. In this case, you can go online to pay or you can call.

Because you have to have an E-file account to use the online system, you should create an account as soon as possible, so you are ready to use the online system the

next time you need a renewal or other IRP transaction that is available online. Other online services for IRP include adding vehicles to your account; transferring tags to another vehicle; and ordering duplicate cab cards. To set up an account, you need to submit an E-File Request form (HSMV 85083). It can be mailed to HSMV, but the fastest way is to use the Bureau’s special email address for this purpose: MCSservicecompanyinq@flhsmv.gov.

You will receive log-in credentials in two separate mailings (one for user id and one for initial password ). The Call Center (850617-3711) provides technical assistance for first-time users, but there is also a user quick reference guide online (http://www. flhsmv.gov/html/welcome.html).

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 25

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FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

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What Truckers Think Will Help You Find More Drivers

By Scott Rea, President Trucking companies have taken great pains to help new drivers get used to their jobs. They have upped bonuses, splurged on extra training, maybe even developed their own apprenticeship programs.

These are all great ideas. But these can exist without a true driver-centric culture. For these and other ideas to work and make life easier for the driver, you need a real, rock-solid support system. For that to exist at your company, you need drivers and other personnel to help each other out. The easiest way to create a support system like this is to train your drivers to help their fellow drivers, especially new ones, from the very beginning.

For as long as companies and organizations have existed, there have been ideas about how groups of workers need to operate like a family to have the most success. It’s more complicated than the usual system of manager to dispatch to a driver.

While you do need a chain of command, you also need a web of contacts where a

driver or anyone else in your company can go to for help.

A driver-centric culture is exactly what it says; the driver is at the heart of your company.

Without people to deliver your loads, no one gets paid and clients get mad. Drivers need help to do their jobs well; they can’t do it alone. Dispatch needs to direct them and help out when there are issues.

Management needs to have their back when customers give them a hard time or make mistakes. This is simple enough to understand. But there are times when that structure isn’t sufficient to solve a problem.

Sometimes a driver has a problem out on the road and dispatch or management can’t help, for one reason or another. That’s when a driver needs another driver.

You can’t understand a driver’s experience working for your company if you don’t ask them. You have drivers that come to work every day for you and enjoy working for you.

You would clone these drivers if you could.

There is no secret sauce to solving your driver problem but these drivers hold some answers. In surveys taken by Truckers News and Overdrive Magazine, drivers were asked why fleets are having trouble finding drivers today. Chances are, the results of the survey would probably be similar to any internal survey you would conduct.

The key to obtaining actionable data will be understanding “the why” behind the categories.

Here are the categories reported on why drivers think that fleets are having trouble finding drivers today: They don’t pay enough 78.6% They don’t respect drivers 67.6% They don’t get enough time at home 62.0% They don’t support their drivers 59.1% They don’t treat drivers like part of the team 50.6%

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 27

They don’t offer enough miles/loads 37.3% There’s no career path 32.6% They don’t provide good trucks/equipment 19.7% The lowest common denominator to these issues is that they measure your competency of being an effective trucking company.

The observations below on the top issues we see come from taking thousands of stay interviews with drivers over the years and turning them into actionable tasks.

Pay/Don’t Offer Enough Miles/Loads Insufficient pay stems more from consistency than dollar amount. Swings in driver’s paychecks stem from items outside their control: mistakes, traffic, weather, etc. Detention and layover pay are examples of mechanisms created to smooth out the bumps but rarely make up for the true amount of lost opportunity. You have driver scorecards and ELDs to measure and track driver performance in more detail than most office jobs - any reason that drivers can’t be on a salary with a bonus structure besides your ops team would squirm like a toddler in need of a bathroom?

28 | SPRING 2018

Hometime This starts with your business model.

Consistent home time needs to be a key factor in how you bid lanes. Regardless of the amount of hometime, the top priority needs to be a consistent promise you can keep. Drivers understand things happen in transportation. You need to remember that things happen when you make your promises. Broken promises are the first reason a driver quits.

Respect/Support/Treat Drivers like Part of the Team/Career Path Respect, support and feeling like part of a team start with how you set expectations.

Every driver and driver manager should sign a job expectations document that clearly defines the performance requirements and duties of the job for both sides.

This document shows a driver how you plan to support him or her to achieve their job duties. It shows them that we’re on the team together to hit our goals.

When drivers hit their goals, clearly define the reward: bonus, pay increase, safety incentives, ability to become a trainer, sit on the driver’s council, etc. A driver needs a dispatcher and a dispatcher needs a driver.

Treating a driver as an equal and being

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

part of the team is what they mean when they look for respect. Defining your expectations and showing the career path for hitting the goals provides you a productive driver who’s motivated to get the job done properly.

Conduct Stay Interviews Surveys allow you to dip your toe in the water. To uncover why drivers would join and stay with your company, conduct stay interviews to get deeper answers. You’ll get great ammunition for your driver marketing and good insight on what you need to change. Please only ask these questions if you’re serious about change. It’s worse to ask the questions and then do nothing. If you’re not committed to constant improvement, don’t ask the questions.

Scott Rea is the President of AvatarFleet. (https://www.avatarfleet.com)

This article was reprinted with permission from Monthly Motorfleet, a publication of the North American Transportation Management Institute.

Crash Preventability Demonstration Program

By Catterson Oh, Compliance Division, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) safety programs use data from 3.5 million roadside inspections and 150,000 crashes each year to prioritize its enforcement resources on those motor carriers that pose the greatest safety risks on our nation’s roads. Studies show that crash involvement is a strong indicator of future crash risk.

However, stakeholders have expressed concern that the Crash Indicator Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) in the Safety Measurement System (SMS) may not identify the highest-risk motor carriers for interventions and that the listing of crashes on the SMS public website, without an indication of preventability, can give an inaccurate impression about the risk posed by a company.

As a result, on Aug. 1, 2017, FMCSA’s Crash Preventability Demonstration Program started accepting Request for Data Reviews (RDRs) through the DataQs system. Crashes eligible for the Crash Preventability Demonstration Program must have occurred on or after June 1, 2017, and must have been one of eight specific crash types. The Crash Preventability Demonstration Program is expected to last a minimum of 24 months.

Types of Crashes Eligible for the Demonstration Program FMCSA is reviewing RDRs for the following types of crashes submitted through DataQs: 1. The commercial motor vehicle (CMV) was struck by a motorist who was driving under the influence (or related offense).

2. The CMV was struck by a motorist driving in the wrong direction. Eligible crashes are those where the vehicle that struck the CMV was operating completely in the wrong lane and in the wrong direction.

These crashes include when the vehicle that struck the CMV completely crossed the median or center line and traveled into opposing traffic. These crashes do not include when the vehicle that struck the CMV swerved across the center line but did not travel entirely in the wrong lane and in the wrong direction.

3. The CMV was struck in the rear. FMCSA is defining “struck in the rear” to mean only crashes when the rear of the CMV was struck. Crashes where the CMV was struck on the side near the rear of the vehicle are not considered eligible.

4. The CMV was struck while it was legally stopped or parked, including when the vehicle is unattended.

5. The CMV struck an individual committing or attempting to commit suicide by stepping or driving in front of the CMV. 6. The CMV sustained disabling damage after striking an animal in the roadway.

7. The crash was the result of an infrastructure failure, or falling trees, rocks or other debris.

8. The CMV was struck by cargo or equipment falling from another vehicle.

Request for Data Review Motor carriers or drivers may participate in the demonstration program by submitting an RDR and compelling evidence (e.g., police accident reports, videos, photos, insurance documents, etc.) that a crash was not preventable. FMCSA is considering all relevant evidence submitted. For crashes with a preliminary determination of not preventable, a notification of the pre-liminary determination is posted on DataQs for 30 days. During this period, any member of the public with documentation or data to refute the preliminary not preventable determination can submit information/documentation through the DataQs system.

Preventability Determinations Displayed on SMS FMCSA will continue to list all crashes on SMS, but reviewed crashes display notes reflecting the results of the review. The public display of the reviewed crashes includes notations that read: • Not Preventable: “FMCSA reviewed this crash and determined that it was not preventable.”

• Preventable: “FMCSA reviewed this crash and determined that it was preventable.”

• Undecided: “FMCSA reviewed this crash and could not make a preventability determination based on the evidence provided.”

The Crash Indicator BASIC percentiles will remain displayed in the motor carrier and enforcement views of SMS reflecting two calculations: one with and one without the not preventable crashes.

Though FMCSA is displaying SMS results for motor carriers and the enforcement community, the crash preventability determinations made under the demonstration program will not affect a carrier’s safety rating or ability to operate. The determinations will not change how FMCSA makes enforcement decisions. FMCSA division offices and the state partners should review all crashes as they normally would during an investigation.

Moving Forward Throughout the demonstration program, FMCSA will maintain data so that at the conclusion, the agency can conduct certain analyses. It is expected that FMCSA analyses would include, but not be limited to, the cost of operating the test and its extrapolation to a larger program; future crash rates of carriers that submitted RDRs; future crash rates of motor carriers with not preventable crashes; impacts to the SMS crash rates; and improvements to prioritization.

The analysis will be used to examine the industry’s assertions that crashes of these types are not preventable and that removing these crashes from the motor carriers’ records would result in a better correlation to future crash risk, as well as to inform future policy decisions on this issue.

For questions regarding the Crash Preventability Demonstration Program, contact FMCSA at Crash.Preventability@dot.gov.

Early Observations Monthly number of RDRs submitted to the program: 500 Most common crash type: The CMV was struck in the rear RDRs have been received from nearly 300 different companies.

Reprinted with permission from Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and from Guardian magazine, Fourth Quarter, 2017.

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

SPRING 2018 | 29

FTA Driver Appreciation Day: Saying Thank You

30 | SPRING 2018

FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

By Ben Schultz Being a professional truck driver is not easy; they must maintain a high level of safety and professionalism while facing challenges on the road, and work long hours. The Florida Trucking Association knows more than most that truck drivers work hard year-round. Their work ensures that all the supplies we want and need will be on store shelves when we go shopping, we will have gas at the pump when we go to fill up, and much more. To show thanks, on December 6, FTA held a Driver Appreciation Day event at the 595 Truck Stop in Davie, Florida. The Association and its members served lunch to drivers to show our appreciation of the job they do and spread a little holiday cheer.

Christmas dĂŠcor and banners flew around the 595 Truck Stop, welcoming drivers to the Appreciation Day event. FTA members provided lunch to drivers, to thank them for playing a key part of the supply chain upon which we all depend. There was huge grill from Walpole, Inc., serving up hot dogs and hamburgers donated by

Cheney Brothers. Between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm the team of volunteers from the FTA Safety Management Counsel served a combination of over 300 hotdogs and hamburgers to approximately 200 hungry drivers and members of the trucking industry. Practically every person who received lunch said thank you, to which the person serving would remind them why we were there and thank them for their hard work all year.

The 595 Truck Stop brought in a mobile barbershop bus, so that any driver could get a complimentary new hair cut while there that day. On display this year were a classic car and custom motorcycle, and information tables set up by several businesses and the Florida Highway Patrol. All in attendance helped to show thanks and support for drivers working in one of our statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most important industries. Drivers are a key part of the trucking industry, making life as we know it possible. This event was a chance for the Association to remind them that they are important and that their work is valued by everyone.

Thanks to the 595 Truck Stop and its staff for the use of its facility and help in every way. Thank you to the Florida Highway Patrol for their continued support of the Florida Trucking Association and our shared goals of safety. Special thank you to the FTA companies that donated items for this event that made it possible, McTyre Trucking, Cheney Brothers, Miami Transfer Company, Landstar, Walpole, and Commercial Vehicle Safety Associates of Florida. This event would not be possible without the support of the FTA Safety Management Council, along with volunteers, and members of the Florida Road Team who came out to help.

This event is a great reminder that we should all thank a truck driver for his or her work, keeping our state and its economy moving. Truck drivers are trained, highly skilled professionals who make it their mission to deliver your goods in a safe, efficient manner; they deserve our thanks year-round.

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ON THE MOVE

Moves +News Update on people and places in the FTA membership

said NTTC Chairman Lee Miller of Miller Transporters. “These eight professionals represent several unique, challenging service segments in our industry including fuel, chemicals, food, and agricultural products.

Their collective commitment to safety is incredibly impressive and deserves the respect and congratulations of the entire tank truck community.”

Rollins is also FTA’s 2017 Driver of the Year.

Eric Blandford and Jorge Acosta

Dennis Rollins of Florida Rock & Tank Lines in Jacksonville was selected by the National Tank Truck Carriers as a Champion Finalist in its selection process for the association’s Professional Tank Truck Driver of the Year program. One of the eight finalists will ultimately emerge as the Grand Champion and receive the coveted Usher Trophy. The Grand Champion will be revealed at the NTTC’s upcoming Annual Conference in Toronto, Ontario on April 16th. This contest year marks the fifth anniversary of this firstclass driver recognition program exclusively sponsored by NTTC member Protective Insurance of Carmel, Indiana.

“Once again our distinguished judges have identified eight of the best in our business,’

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Florida Road Team members Eric Blandford and Jorge Acosta have been honored by their respective companies recently. Blandford has been named to the 2017-18 UPS Freight All-Star Road Team for “invariably living the UPS culture of safety at work and at home,” and Jorge Acosta has become a member of the inaugural 2018-19 FedEx Freight Road Team Captains.

Werner Enterprises is honored to be named the 2018 Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) Innovator of the Year for the company’s efforts to develop its Professional Driver and Diesel Mechanic Apprenticeship Programs, which allow eligible military veterans to receive tax-free education benefits in addition to on-the-job training.

Werner’s apprenticeship programs are approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Eligible veterans enrolled in the Professional

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Driver Apprenticeship Program can receive as much as $23,714.40 in tax-free payments over 24 months on top of their Werner pay. Werner is proud to say that military veterans and veteran spouses comprise approximately 20 percent of its workforce.

CCJ editors selected Werner at the fourteenth annual CCJ Innovators Summit in Key Largo, Florida. Werner was one of the first large truckload carriers in the industry to actively recruit returning servicemen and servicewomen for employment. Since 2006, Werner has hired more than 26,000 military veterans and more than 740 veteran spouses since 2013.

Peterbilt Motors, in conjunction with Palm Peterbilt and Rush Truck Centers, generously donated three PACCAR MX-13

Werner’s Associate Vice President of Student and Government Recruiting Jim Morbach is pictured (middle) accepting the award on the company’s behalf.

EPA 17 Emissions engines to three Florida Technical colleges. UTI - Orlando, Orange Technical College - Orlando Campus, and Palm State College-West Palm Beach were each gifted a complete engine. With the donations of these PACCAR engines and diagnostic software, they anticipate the students enrolled in the Diesel Technical programs at these educational institutions will gain valuable experience on current engine and EPA emissions technologies.

These skills will benefit both the students and the industry upon graduation. PACCAR engines are installed in roughly 50 percent of all class 8 Peterbilt trucks currently being sold.

Lockton would like to recognize Senior Vice President and Senior Account Executive Donna Cook for being awarded the John T. Biezup Memorial Service Award. This award,

presented by the Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA), recognizes professionals who provide outstanding service to clients and the trucking industry.

“Donna is an expert in the transportation field and her ability and willingness to always help solve problems makes her the perfect recipient for this award,” said Senior Vice President and Unit Manager Matthew Payne. “This award is a testament to her commitment to the trucking industry, her clients, colleagues and community.”

This was the first time TIDA recognized a broker since the award was created in 1994 to honor late TIDA charter member John T. Biezup. TIDA honored Cook, who has been a part of the professional organization for more than a decade, during the 25th Annual Transportation Industry Defense Association (TIDA) meeting in Las Vegas.

“I was honored to be recognized because there are so many passionate and outstanding people in the transportation arena,” Cook said. “Everyone is very down to earth and always willing to share any information that will make the industry better as a whole.”

Cook services transportation clients with renewals, contract reviews, language clarification, and anything else they may need. She says that no two days at Lockton are alike but her commitment to her clients remains the same.

The law firm of Taylor & Associates is happy to share the celebration of its 7th anniversary on February 14. They are thankful for the continued relationships with valued clients and industry colleagues. They are pleased to announce the addition of two new attorneys, Kristen Johnson (licensed in California and Florida) and Renee Reed (licensed in Florida), who bring extensive business and litigation experience to further support their clients. They are also happy to share that, in addition to the Florida Bar, partner Brian Mathis is now an active member of the Texas Bar. Partner Bridgette Blitch is now an active member of the Wisconsin Bar, in addition to the Florida Bar and Colorado Bar. PeopleNet recently introduced NextGeneration Vehicle Gateway to Streamline Fleet Connectivity; the PeopleNet Connected Gateway (PCG) onboard device allows fleets the flexibility to connect to a wide range of in-cab displays and mobile devices via Wi-Fi to 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks.

Cook being recognized with the John T. Biezup Memorial Service Award.

The PCG can quickly be self-installed, connecting directly into the vehicle diagnostic port and mounted on the truck’s dashboard. With this streamlined

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ON THE MOVE

The PeopleNet Connected Gateway (PCG) onboard device

installation, the PCG allows fleets to more efficiently equip their trucks when compared to previous generations of onboard computers, which are often installed in the headliner or hidden within another compartment of the cab.

“There are many technology options in the marketplace, but fleets want a device that is built with security and longevity in mind,” said Eric Witty, PeopleNet’s Vice President of Product Management. “The Connected Gateway is a compact but powerful device that will not only help fleets realize improved efficiencies, but is built on a platform

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designed to continually meet their business needs—both today and in the long-term.”

Landstar Transportation Logistics held its No. 1 ranking.

Tropical Shipping has begun implementing a unique piece of technology that differs greatly from what other carriers are operating currently on the Florida Turnpike. What makes this technology so unique is that there is no converter dolly that usually connects the two, fortyfoot trailers. This adds the biggest safety feature because without the extra hookup point, the “wiggle” you get with a standard converter dolly is removed. Trucks are now easier to maneuver on the roads and better operated through the simpler hook up and break down of the equipment. Tropical can now save time and money through this innovative technology, while making drivers’ lives easier.

“The variety of capacity in the Landstar network, coupled with some of the industry’s best heavy/specialized owneroperators, allows Landstar to serve as a premier provider year after year,” says Rusty Cody, Landstar Transportation Logistics vice president of heavy/specialized hauling and intermodal services.

Landstar Transportation Logistics is on the top of American Cranes & Specialized Transport’s (ACT) 2017 rankings of North America’s largest specialized transportation companies. The list appeared in the December 2017 issue of the trade publication.

This is the seventh consecutive year

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Each year ACT ranks the North American transportation sector by fleet size, total maximum transport capacity and transport systems in a company’s fleet size.

Landstar was also listed on the International Cranes and Specialized Transport (ICST) 2017 Transport 50. Landstar ranks fifth among the world’s largest specialized transport companies. The Transport 50 rankings are calculated using the total carrying capacity in metric tons of all specialized transport equipment in a company’s fleet.

Optym, a software company that provides decision automation and optimization scheduling solutions for airline, trucking, railroad and mining companies based in

> GOOD NEWS Gainesville, Fla., was featured in Transport Topics in February: “The company considers real life transportation problems, formulates them as mathematical models with large number of variables (often in millions), solves them through sophisticated proprietary algorithms, and then packages the algorithms into commercial-grade software solutions. Its software solutions increase the efficiency and reduce costs of large, medium and small transportation companies.”

East Coast Transport LLC, headquartered in Paulsboro, NJ, is a 3PL serving some of the largest shippers in the United States with transportation of time-and temperature-sensitive products.

The company experienced a busy 2017 and will experience the same in 2018. In 2017, the company formed partnerships with Trucker Tools, making ECT one of the first companies to use the integrated SMART CAPACITY technology. ECT joined forces with Blockchain in Transport Alliance because both believe blockchain is one of the most significant developments in the industry since the creation of the internet.

In the first quarter of 2018, as long-time members, East Coast Transport will attend Transportation & Logistics Council’s 44th Annual Conference in South Carolina on March 19-21, 2018. This year’s theme will cover the “Education for Transportation Professionals.”

On September 18, 12 of the top ASE Master Technicians from TA Truck Service shops across the country packed their bags to represent TA Truck Service at the annual TMC SuperTech and TMC FutureTech competitions.

TA Truck Service has been competing at TMC SuperTech and TMC FutureTech since the competitions’ conceptions in 2005 and 2014 respectively. Throughout the years their technicians have shown their expertise by bringing home an impressive amount of overall top finishes and station wins.

This year, the TA Truck Service team placed second in combined station titles in the competition. In addition, six technicians earned titles in seven hands-on skills challenges, won second place in a two technician team challenge, won third place overall in the Trailer competition and won sixth overall in the SuperTech category.

These wins, plus the 10 top three overall finishes and 35 station wins from state diesel mechanic competitions leading up to TMC SuperTech and TMC FutureTech, top off a successful year of technician challenges.

Service Trucking is a family-run business located in Eustis, FL. They strive to continually improve driver safety through the use of technology and weekly communication that promotes eating right, staying active, and having a positive attitude. In 2017, they focused their efforts on reaching out and supporting the local community. They volunteered with The Moving Wall to show support for our Veterans. During the Christmas season

they raised money for Eustis Elementary School as well as “Adopt a Child” with a local church. Service Trucking rang in the New Year by running a 5K that helped raise money for families who could not afford after-school activities. In 2018, the company looks forward to continued involvement in the community in an effort to continue to improve the image of truck drivers and encourage generations to come to consider a career in the trucking industry.

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Getting to Know You

Q&A with FTA’s new Vice President,

Alix Miller

Preface from the President: In my opinion, one of the highest compliments you can give a person is “fast learner.” That’s more important than “knows a lot” or “a decade of experience.” Alix Miller impressed me from the first time I met her as a fast learner.

The desirable corollary of fast learner is “hard worker.” Alix checks that box too in a big way. When we hired her we also got the interpersonal positive “plays well with others!” She is the complete package, and I gave her the questions below in order for you to have a chance to get to know her a bit better. –Ken

new data that could shape the future of transportation in the state. Everyone I’ve met fiercely loves what they do and imparts that love into the industry to make things better and safer.

Rather read or watch a movie?

If you could spend a month anywhere in the world—where?

What are the best and worst parts about social media?

I’ll be honest—I’m not good at vacations, or rest in general. So I’ll take the easy way out here and say Europe. That way I could keep moving from country to country for 30 days.

The best part of social media is the creativity—I love watching how effectively a brand establishes a voice or a consistent, visual identity. I particularly appreciate the somewhat wacky approaches taken to engage the public.

What has been the most surprising part of your time at FTA?

What part of your background prior to FTA do you find most helpful in your FTA work?

Much of my life was spent in the ballet world, where people live and breathe the art form. I was surprised to find that the people working in the trucking and transportation industry have a similar passion and heart for what they do. That’s from individual members of FTA, leaders at Florida Highway Patrol, and even statisticians at FDOT, when their excitement is visible, unveiling

My time as a professor has really shaped and informed my work. There’s nothing I like better than a lively debate or educating and exciting someone about a topic. And you have to learn very quickly how to engage 50-60 people with different backgrounds on subject matter they may have no prior knowledge of, or think they have no interest in. Particularly when it’s an 8 a.m. class.

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FLORIDA TRUCK NEWS

Read. I have a habit of when I find a book I like, I don’t stop until I’ve read all the author has written.

The worst part is the vitriol.

What’s your favorite “twins” story?

Raising identical twin girls has been fantastic, ridiculous and exhausting, often at the same time. I don’t have a favorite story, but I will tell you that since I started working at FTA, I call them my “pups.”

Carolyn Allen Photography