MILE MARKER MONTHLY
Winter is upon us and the New Year has begun!
WELCOME MESSAGE
To all of our team members, friends and family across all Sodrel Holding Co. subsidiaries, as we begin 2025, let’s remain mindful of and grateful for all we have accomplished this last year!
LETTER FROM LEADERSHIP
shareholder of STL, along with his brothers, Ernie and Jack.
I quite literally grew up in this business. If you’re the child of an entrepreneur, you understand what I mean especially if your parent(s) have run a business in the way my parents did. Their approach was always very ‘hands on’ in the day-to-day operations and they always offered generous accessibility to team members Some things stay the same. We’re all still very ‘hands on’ and have a ‘personal-touch’ leadership style. We're still committed to keeping the Sodrel transportation legacy alive and relevant in today’s modern marketplace With your time, talent and hard work, we continue to do so. With my sincere gratitude, thank you.
KeeshaMcCue
Shareholder & Chief Marketing Officer Sodrel Holding Co. and subsidiaries
In this newsletter you can expect:
Seasonal Safety
Dates To Remember Health & Wellbeing Community Building Company Creatures
ROBERT ‘BOB’ SODREL AND MIKE SODREL
SODREL HOLDING COMPANY
FAMILY OF BUSINESSES
Sodrel Holding Company roots run deep. ‘Pap’ Sodrel began moving mail for the USPS as a ‘Star Route’ Mail Contractor in 1915. Since then, Sodrels have moved mail by foot, boat, horse and carriage, car and semi tractor trailer. In 1976, business diversification began when Mike and Keta Sodrel founded our motorcoach charter business, Free Enterprise. Years later, another venture emerged as yet another spoke in our wheel Student Transit.
My paternal grandfather, Bob Sodrel was one of ‘Pap’ Sodrel’s sons, and Father to our current Chairman and CEO, Mike Sodrel Bob was a man who many knew and loved He started off in the transportation business by becoming a USPS mail contractor and hauling US mail along with his Father, Noah, and his two brothers, Ernest and Jack As the years passed, other Sodrels joined in on the business of moving US mail as well.
Transportation has been and remains an integral part of our family history. Our family has been in transportation for the last 4 generations. 5 generations if you count Martin Sodrel (‘Pap’ Noah Sodrel’s Father) moving goods up and down the river on a john boat as a ‘side hustle’ to his other occupation of farming.
The transportation legacy continues
B a ‘larger than life’ ch ure was big and his p big. He certainly p ‘main character e d hard and played h ’t working in the b d find him in a duck blind, in a boat fishing or traveling the world on an Indiana Jones style adventure. I learned a lot from him :
Be memorable. Pursue adventure. Have a humble confidence. Be strong. Get the job done. Keep your word. Go big or go home.
—Keesha ( Sodrel ) McCue
E W S W O R T H Y
IMG’S NEW CHAIRMAN
The International Motorcoach Group (IMG) has announced a new Chairman and Board of Directors for 2025 Mr Greg Gallup, CEO of Royal Coach Tours, has been invited to serve as Chairman In IMG’s announcement, Gallup thanked the previous chairman, Mike Dickson, for his work and dedication to IMG, as well as the outgoing president, Ms. Bronwyn Wilson, for her contributions over her 13-year tenure. Mr. Phelps Hope has replaced Ms. Wilson as president, as stated in Issue 1 of Mile Marker Monthly.
Source: IMG Motorcoach News
FMCSA GRANT FUNDING
or Carrier Safety CSA) hosted a series ences from Oct. 11 –at highlighting how lion in FMCSA grant sed nationwide to safety. Funding will ates’ technological ove the national r’s license (CDL) port CDL training sroom
IMG Board Chairman, Grep Gallup
FMCSA’s Baltimore, MD Press Stop
SEASONAL SAFETY
Before you go, carry items in your vehicle to handle common winter driving-related tasks, and supplies you might need in an emergency, including a snow shovel and ice scraper, some abrasive material (sand or kitty litter), in case your vehicle gets hindered to continue due to inclement weather Some other helpful items for winter Jumper cables, flashlight, and warning devices (flares and/or emergency markers); first aid kit; blankets for protection from the cold; and a cell phone and charger, water, food, and any necessary medicine
If you are stopped or stalled in wintry weather, stay focused on yourself, your passengers, your vehicle, and your surroundings. Let your vehicle be seen Turn your hazard lights on and turn the interior dome light on Be mindful of carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure your exhaust pipe is clear of any snow and run your car only sporadically just long enough to stay warm. Don’t run your car for long periods of time with the windows up or in an enclosed space.
As the outside temperature drops, so does tire inflation pressure. Ensure each tire is filled to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure, which is in your owner’s manual and on a label on the driver's side door frame. Do not inflate your tires to the pressure listed on the tire itself That number is the maximum pressure the tire can hold, not the recommended pressure for your vehicle
DISCLAIMER : Winter vehicle safety recommendations and guidelines may be different for commercial vehicles. These recommendations are for personal vehicles only. When driving school bus, motorcoach or semi tractor trailers, please adhere to safety guidelines outlined by the the Department of Transportation, or our Sodrel Holding Company’s safety staff.
Januarydates of significance
NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY
Show your law enforcement appreciation for the service they provide in keeping our country safe.
NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS DAY
Help liberate those being exploited and trafficked by reporting suspicious behavior on our nation’s highways and truck stops
Check out TATNONPROFIT.ORG and find out how.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY
MLK Day is a day to remember Dr. King's contributions to the civil rights movement and encourage volunteering.
INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBERANCE DAY
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a time to remember the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution.
WORKOUT OF THE MONTH
BRISK WALKING
NO EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Sometimes cold weather and dark days have us craving a cozy blanket and the couch, and not so much the gym
But movement is important all year long, especially during the winter months. If you’re feeling low in energy or your mood is glum, exercise can be a great antidote for the wintertime blues. Take a brisk walk with a friend or family and take in the free benefits of this simple and easily accessed activity
HEALTH & HEADSPACE
ISSUE 2 — BALANCED DIET & HEALTHY EATING
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. They can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Choose whole grains: Whole grains, like whole grain bread, brown rice, and oatmeal, contain fiber, protein, and B vitamins.
Limit processed foods: Processed foods often have fewer nutrients and more added sugar and trans fats than whole foods.
Reduce your sugar intake: Sugars should make up less than 10% of your total energy intake, and ideally less than 5%.
Reduce your salt intake: Try to keep your salt intake to less than 5 grams per day.
Eat protein: Protein foods, like fish, eggs, and lean meats, help build and maintain muscles, bones, and skin. Drink water: Make water your drink of choice.
Some people are adversely affected by fall/winter month weather. Overcast days and more time spent indoors can lead to symptoms of S.A.D. ( Seasonal Affective Disorder ).
If you think you may be significantly affected by darker months, speak to your healthcare provider about SAD
*Always consult with your healthcare provider about your diet, your activity level, specific health needs and requirements.
PAGE 7
COMMUNITY BUILDING
LET’S TEAM UP!
Strike & Spare in Clarksville, IN, lets you decide the time of day, day of the week, and number of sessions your league wants to bowl. You can bowl weekly, bi-weekly, or once a month everything is customized to suit your group’s needs! You can form a league with as few as eight bowlers and start hitting strike after strike.
We need team members in every region from all Sodrel company locations to embrace this opportunit to build community in the workplace.
Be a ‘Sodrel Social Coordinator’! It’s easy to start! Just send an email to Olivia at omccue@sodreltrucklines.com and she’ll help you get you started!
SodrelSocial
Strike & Spare 511 Little League Blvd
LET’S GET SOCIAL!
Socializing outside of the workplace with team members builds stronger relationships, fosters trust, improves communication, enhances collaboration, boosts morale, and creates a more positive work environment.
Group sports, gatherings, and outings are perfect for connecting with the team! There are many ways you can connect with fellow team members outside the workplace Here are some ideas: form a Bible Study, a Book Club, an indoor Pickleball Team, a Scrapbooking or Crafting Club, to name a few!
Email omccue@sodreltrucklines.com if you’re interested in hosting or organizing an activity and we’ll assist you with forming a group!
This is Sunflower. She loves to supervise Jackie when she works from home. She also attends any meeting that Jackie is on while working. She loves anybody she comes in contact with, whether in person or on video! She loves watching people from every window in Jackie’s home Sunflower is a sweet girl who doesn't know she is a cat Her all-time favorite person is her Dad, but Mom is a very close second Nicknames: Crazy-kitty, Sweetheart, and Sis
SPECIAL
This is Special, our CMO’s new Toy Yorkipoo She has heterochromia, which means that one of her eyes is brown, and the other is blue! She might not be very big (weighing a whopping 3.5 lbs), but she’s got a big personality and loves to play with her Special-sized toys. Her hobbies include watching YouTube videos for puppies, napping with her Mom, and zooming around her pawrent’s room! Nicknames: Little Thing, Speshie, and Tiny Tim.
*We’d love to see pics of your animal family member(s)! Send snapshots to omccue@sodreltrucklines com
SUNFLOWER
Send your prayer request to omccue@sodreltrucklines.com and we’ll be sure to lift it up.
Please specify whether your request is private or can be shared in our monthly newsletter for others to join in praying.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow.
Benjamin Franklin
SSYMPATHY YMPATHY
SSUBMISSIONS UBMISSIONS
If you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one this month and would like to honor their memory, send an email with their name, how they’re related to you, and a 200-character limit description of them to omccue@sodreltrucklines.com, and we’ll include it in our next issue.
You have our heartfelt condolences.
IF YOU WANT TO GO FAST, GO ALONE. IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER — WARREN BUFFET
Dear Sodrel Holding Company Team,
We hope you've enjoyed this issue of Mile Marker Monthly. Take advantage of how you can connect with us through group activity outreach, prayer and sympathy requests, and Company Creatures : Mascot Mutt & Feline Friends submissions! We love learning more about our Sodrel team and hope this newsletter becomes a way for employees from all Sodrel businesses and divisions to connect
Let’s keep going, together!
