Business

TACOMA, Wash. — Following the opening of Dobbs Peterbilt-Sumner, the flagship dealership location serving customers in the Puget Sound area of Washington, Dobbs Peterbilt-Tacoma has been rebranded and opened as a new Dobbs TRP location known as Dobbs TRP-Tacoma. Operated by Dobbs Truck Group, Dobbs TRP-Tacoma is the second TRP store location for the dealer group, according to a news release. Dobbs TRP-Tacoma features a wide range of quality parts for trucks, trailers and buses of all makes and models. TRP parts, distributed exclusively by PACCAR Parts, a division of Paccar Inc., offers aftermarket products that are designed and tested to meet customers’ expectations for quality and value. “We are extremely pleased to expand our after sales support network with our new TRP-Tacoma location,” Olen Hunter, executive vice president of Dobbs Truck Group-West, said. “This location will provide customers with excellent access to quality parts for all makes and models of trucks, trailers and buses in the South Puget Sound area. Our partnership with PACCAR Parts has allowed us to expand our customer service footprint throughout our dealer network. This new location is conveniently located off I-5, with easy access to and from the freeway, and in close proximity to the Port of Tacoma where there is a large vehicle population.”

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Truck drivers and other employees of Averitt Express recently set a new standard for their largest donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, raising $1,200,001 in 2022. The contribution was recently presented to St. Jude, marking the fourth consecutive year Averitt has given at least $1 million to the hospital, according to a news release. It’s also the eighth consecutive year Averitt employees have either matched or broken their fundraising record. As has become the tradition for the last several years, the extra $1 represents what Averitt calls “The Power of One,” showing the difference every person can make. The news release noted that this milestone was made possible by contributions from Averitt employees and retirees participating in Averitt Cares for Kids, the company’s charitable employee-giving program. More than 94% of Averitt associates are members of Averitt Cares for Kids, giving $1 per week to help St. Jude and other important causes. T The donation was also bolstered by a company contribution of $750,000 in honor of associates’ accomplishments, life events and participation in community service projects. “I’m humbled by the way our associates come together to support the good works of St. Jude,” Gary Sasser, Averitt’s chairman and chief executive officer, said. “For more than 50 years, we’ve been committed to helping others, and I’m even more excited about how we can help the children of St. Jude in the future through Averitt Cares for Kids.” Averitt Cares for Kids began in 1987 and has contributed more than $14 million to numerous charities, including over $11 million to St. Jude, according to the news release. Since 1990, Averitt Cares for Kids contributions have been designated to St. Jude as part of their special partnership. And in 1997, Averitt Cares for Kids completed a $1.5 million endowment to help fund the initial construction of the St. Jude Leukemia and Lymphoma Clinic — 80% of all St. Jude patients visit the clinic at some point during their treatment. For more information about Averitt Cares for Kids, click here.

CLEVELAND —  In response to increased demand in Philadelphia, ContainerPort Group (CPG), a nationwide trucking carrier specializing in drayage solutions, has announced an expanded footprint in the market with additional freight capacity and increased driver support. “As the cargo continues to flow through the east coast, our customers are turning to us for additional trucking capacity throughout the Northeast, and particularly in Philadelphia,” CPG President Joey Palmer said. “We already have a presence across other ports including New York/New Jersey, Norfolk, Baltimore and more, so broadening our footprint to include Philadelphia was a next logical step for our business and for our customers. We will continue to grow and deepen our presence in the region based on the needs of our customers and the market.” To help support operations, the company has already added several veteran owner operators carrying a variety of endorsements, as well as a fleet of private chassis, according to a news release. “Customers can take advantage of Philadelphia’s centralized location to reach nearly 41 million people within a 150-mile radius of the port,” the news release stated. “CPG’s growth in Philadelphia demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing nationwide coverage at every port and every rail.” Earlier this month, CPG announced it had opened a new terminal in Jacksonville to accommodate growing demand in the Southeast region. Additionally, the company recently began offering dedicated services across several locations, providing guaranteed capacity to customers needing white-glove service. “Much of our strategy for growth is driven by customer demand,” Palmer said. “This is not only reflected in our decision to expand our footprint in Philly and Jacksonville, but it can also be seen in our evolving portfolio of services and solutions. Our goal is to be everywhere our customers need us to be and to provide the solutions both our drivers and our customers need.”

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Bo Johnson has been promoted to general manager of Dobbs Truck Group’s Peterbilt division in Little Rock. According to a news release, Johnson previously served as the regional used truck manager-south at the company. His responsibilities included managing used truck sales representatives at multiple locations, as well as approving the purchase, trade and sale of all used trucks, according to a news release. A graduate of The University of Mississippi, Johnson has 12 years of industry experience, with five years at Paccar running used truck sales operations from their Kenworth division. “We look forward to the impact Bo will make in his new role,” the news release stated.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A week after posting their strongest gains of the year, broker-posted dry van and refrigerated spot rates in the Truckstop system fell by about the same amount during the week ended March 10 (week 10) that they had increased the week before, according to the newest report from Truckstop and FTR Transport Intelligence. Meanwhile, the flatbed segment recorded its largest single-week drop in rates since August. Spot load activity declined following the prior week’s jump that had been driven mostly by flatbed. Most of the volume weakness occurred in the van segments.   Spot load activity fell more than 5% after surging nearly 17% during the prior week, the FTR report noted.Volume was almost 57% below the same week last year and about 30% below the five-year average. Loads were up in the Southeast and South Central regions but down fairly sharply elsewhere. Truck postings ticked up 1%, and the Market Demand Index — the ratio of loads to trucks — fell. The total broker-posted spot market rate declined just over 5 cents. Total rates were about 20% below the same 2022 week but more than 2% above the five-year average. FTR estimates that rates excluding a calculated fuel surcharge were about 21% below the same 2022 week. Dry van spot rates decreased about 5 cents, slightly exceeding the gain of just over 4 cents in the prior week. Rates were almost 27% below the same 2022 week and nearly 8% below the five-year average for the week. Excluding a fuel surcharge, rates were about 30% lower than in the same week last year. Dry van loads decreased nearly 11%. Volume was almost 56% below the same week last year and about 34% below the five-year average for the week. Loads were down in all regions, although the declines were milder in the Southeast and South Central regions than elsewhere. Refrigerated spot rates declined about 4 cents, which was the same scope as the increase in the previous week. Rates were about 25% below the same 2022 week and nearly 6% below the five-year average for the week. Excluding fuel surcharges, rates were about 28% below the same week last year. Refrigerated loads fell 11%. Volume was about 59% below the same week last year and nearly 36% below the five-year average for the week. Load activity was up in the Southeast but down in all other regions, although the decrease in the South Central region was much smaller than other regions. Flatbed spot rates fell nearly 8 cents for the largest weekly decline since week 33 of last year. Rates were about 19% below the same 2022 week but 5% above the five-year average for the week. Excluding an imputed surcharge, flatbed rates were about 20% below the same week last year. Flatbed loads dipped more than 1% after surging more than 27% in the previous week. Volume was nearly 60% below the same week last year and more than 31% below the five-year average for the week. Load activity was up in the Southeast and South Central regions but down elsewhere.

SAN ANTONIO — Ken Kelley has joined Pressure Systems International (P.S.I.), whose tire management systems for commercial trucks are sold worldwide, as senior director of product strategy and innovation. In this new role, reporting to Steve Miller, vice president of engineering, Kelley will focus on commercializing new products and bringing them to market for all P.S.I. product lines, ensuring alignment with market demand, according to a news release. He will be based in San Antonio. Kelley has an extensive background in the commercial vehicle industry, having worked for ConMet, Webb Wheel Products, Walther Engineering & Manufacturing Company, Fontaine Fifth Wheel, Marmon Highway Technologies and Dana. Over his 35-year career, he has been responsible for growing businesses, driving technology advancements and building cultures within his organizations that breed success, the news release noted. “Ken’s wide-ranging experience in the industry, especially as it relates to wheel-end technology, makes him an ideal fit for P.S.I.,” P.S.I. president Jim Sharkey said. “He knows how the industry works, knows the fleet customers well, and brings indispensable knowledge with him. We welcome him to P.S.I.” An active member of ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council, Kelley received the 2010 Peggy Fisher Study Group Secretary Leadership Award and in 2011 was recognized with a Silver Spark Plug Award from the organization. He also served as a member of HDMA’s Board of Directors from 2019 to 2021. Kelley received a bachelor’s of science degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has selected Dave Williams, Knight-Swift Transportation’s senior vice president of equipment and government relations, as its 2023-24 chairman. Williams gave his acceptance speech on Tuesday, March 7, during the closing banquet at TCA’s Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida, and received a standing ovation. Williams, who resides in Glendale, Arizona with his wife, Suzi, has been with Knight-Swift for 28 years, according to a TCA news release. During his time there, he has held many positions with both national and state trucking groups. He has served as chairman and a member of the board of directors and executive committee for the Arizona Trucking Association and has chaired multiple policy committees for the TCA and the American Trucking Associations (ATA), including ATA’s Emissions Task Force and both TCA and ATA’s respective highway policy committees. “During his acceptance speech, Dave highlighted the importance of continued focus on advocating for our members in Washington, D.C.; doing more to advocate for our professional drivers; increasing the rewards for investing in trucking; focusing on the environment while pushing back on unrealistic timelines; and becoming more self-governing when it comes to Safety in our industry,” the news release stated. Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Arizona State University. He and Suzi have been married for 27 years and have four children; Mallory, Ely, Gracie and Ryan. Knight-Swift Transportation, a 33-year TCA member, is the industry’s largest full truckload company, operating an extensive fleet of roughly 19,000 tractors, 58,000 trailers and employing 24,000 people. Headquartered in Phoenix, Knight-Swift provides a full complement of truckload and logistics services throughout the US, Mexico and Canada. The following individuals will assist Williams as TCA’s officers: First vice chairman Karen Smerchek — Veriha Trucking. Inc. Second vice chairman Jon Coca — Diamond Transportation System Inc. Secretary Mark Seymour — Kriska Transportation Group Treasurer John Culp — Maverick USA Inc. Vice president to ATA Ed Nagle III — Nagle Companies Immediate past chairman John Elliott — Load One LLC Officers at-large Adam Blanchard — Double Diamond Transport Amber Edmonson — Trailiner Corporation Pete Hill — Hill Brothers Transportation Inc. Joey Hogan — Covenant Transport Trevor Kurtz — Brian Kurtz Trucking LTD

ELMSFORD, N.Y. — Freight management software company Carrier Logistics Inc. (CLI) has partnered with SMC³ to provide CLI customers with a new managed electronic data interchange (EDI) infrastructure. “Despite what some stakeholders believe, EDI is not going away because it is still the preferred communication standard for many shippers,” CLI President Ben Wiesen said. “By partnering with SMC³ we are improving our native abilities in EDI by leveraging their expertise providing managed EDI services. Our customers can now utilize this best-in-class solution to connect with shippers and interline partners.” Wiesen continued: “Incorporating SMC³ managed EDI services under CLI’s umbrella of end-to-end solutions strengthens the value of this widely used industry standard. Now, our customers can enjoy better performing EDI connections along with the advanced capabilities we have provided them for decades.” SMC³’s EDI managed services provide instant connections for users of CLI’s FACTS freight management software. The EDI infrastructure delivers: Secure communication protocols. Faster set-up with shippers, increasing responsiveness to market needs. 24/7 monitoring. Support and responsiveness. “Driven by the need for a secure, reliable EDI solution, we’re proud to have CLI leverage our decades of expertise to offer their customers an integrated, instant option to effectively communicate across the shipment lifecycle,” SMC³’s Chief Commercial Officer Brian Thompson said. “With this expanded relationship we continue to maximize our combined industry expertise and act as an extension of our partners by providing high quality support, reliable service and offering CLI’s customers more valuable solutions.”

ARLINGTON, Va. — Ellen Voie, founder of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT), has been awarded the Nettie Fowler Champion of Change Wward by Navistar Inc., the manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks and engines. The award recognizes an individual whose actions consistently show a commitment to helping women progress and grow within the industry, according to a news release. It’s named in honor of Nettie Fowler, who was married to Cyrus McCormick, the founder of the company that eventually became Navistar. “Navistar has been a long-time partner of WIT, which has allowed Navistar to witness first-hand how hard Voie has worked for the continued advancement of women in the trucking industry,” Nicole Wiggins, Navistar’s chief diversity officer and co-creator of the Nettie Fowler Award, said. “Ellen embodies everything the award stands for. During her years as president of WIT, she has demonstrated tireless dedication to the advancement of women in the trucking industry. Ellen has stayed motivated and passionate about her mission. Every milestone she has reached, she has not become complacent, yet continues to advocate for the inclusion and equity of women in the industry.” Voie founded WIT in 2007 and has been president and chief executive officer of the organization. Through her leadership, WIT has since grown to more than 8,000 members through such initiatives as the WIT Index, which is the industry barometer to benchmark and measure the percentage of women who make up critical roles in transportation, and the annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo, the news release noted. Voie also was appointed to serve on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Advisory Committee, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Entry-Level Driver Advisory Committee and was named a “Transportation Innovator Champion of Change” by the White House. Fowler “was a trusted advisor and partner to her husband in financial and legal matters, as well as an advocate for workers and a well-known philanthropist,” according to the news release. “Recipients of this award are true champions of women and of driving equality, who stand out because they mentor, support, and create opportunities for women.” Navistar professionals who have been previous winners of Nettie Fowler awards and also to WIT’s “Top Women to Watch” list are: Nicole Wiggins, chief diversity officer; Justina Morrison, vice president and general manager, IC Bus; and Candace Latnie, senior engineer.

BONN, Germany — Worldwide logistics company Deutsche Post DHL Group grew profitably in the past financial year with revenue of 94.4 billion euros, according to a news release. The Group exceeded its record from the previous year by 15.5%. “The jump in revenue resulted entirely from the international business of the DHL divisions, despite the fact that global trade and e-commerce normalized in 2022 as expected with slowing momentum in the final quarter,” the news release notes. “Consequently, shipment volumes were slightly below the all-time high of 2021. Thanks to flexible structures, the Group was nevertheless able to continue utilizing its global networks efficiently throughout the year.” The company also benefited from the increasing demand for resilient supply chains in contract logistics and, particularly in the first half of the year, from high freight rates in the forwarding business. Overall, Deutsche Post DHL Group achieved a new record with operating profit (EBIT) of 8.4 billion euros (2021: 8.0 billion euros). The key driver was the positive earnings development in the internationally operating DHL divisions, which generated EBIT of around 7.6 billion euros (2021: 6.6 billion euros). With 1.3 billion euros, EBIT of Post & Parcel Germany declined by around 500 million euros compared with the prior-year result. The Group-wide EBIT margin was 8.9% (2021: 9.8%). “We have demonstrated resilience and innovation capability in a challenging environment,” Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group, said. “Our course and strategy remain well on track. Once again, our thanks go to our employees for their extraordinary commitment in a challenging year.”  

TAMPA, Fla.– Kyle Ingraham has joined iShared Transportation to lead all sales and marketing functions within the organization. A news releases notes that Ingraham has almost a decade of sales and operations leadership in the freight transportation industry. “Ingraham cut his teeth at XPO Logistics where he received a “first class education” in building a scalable and sustainable businesses through leveraging technology and industry-leading service,” the news release states. “Ingraham rose through the ranks at XPO from sales to leadership eventually building and leading one of their largest brokerage operations.” Post XPO, Ingraham was president of AFC Logistics, the sister company of AFC Transport. While at AFC, Ingraham worked closely with ownership to relocate the logistics company to Tampa and create scalable processes across the organization, according to the news release. “In the current macro-economic climate, you must have a niche where you can add value without being commoditized by the competition and that’s what we offer at iShared. Our Shared Truckload product stands alone amongst others in the industry where we’re able to eliminate claims, crossdocking and decrease transit times all while providing a fair cost that often beats out volume LTL shipping quotes,” Ingraham said. Charles Bryan, partner and special advisor at Patriot Capital, said the company is “thrilled that Kyle has joined iShared to bring his expertise in leading and growing sales within the asset light environment. We have significant revenue goals and Kyle will be instrumental in achieving those results.”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) has announced that Antwan D. Banks has joined the organization as director of enterprise security. In his position, Banks will lead the enterprise side of cybersecurity, which, according to a news release, is “a critical role in safeguarding the trucking industry against cyber-attacks as the industry continues to digitize.” Banks will serve as the leader of NMFTA’s extensive team that works with the industry on cybersecurity and will lead all programs, outreach efforts and cyber projects, including industry-wide education initiatives, the establishment of key standards and NMFTA’s Digital Solutions Conference on Cybersecurity that is held each fall. “Antwan has an outstanding track record of success safeguarding enterprises against the threat of cyber-attacks,” NMFTA’s Executive Director Debbie Ruane Sparks said. “After nearly a decade cultivating security programs and training staff to guard against threats in the transit realm, Antwan is an ideal choice to lead this critical imperative for the trucking industry at NMFTA. Even more so, it’s an honor to add a veteran who served in Desert Storm and has proven his understanding of sacrifice and service. It aligns perfectly to our involvement with organizations like Wreaths Across America and maintains our organization’s spirit of supporting our military.” Banks, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, most recently served as director of cybersecurity for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. “In the nine years he served in that position, Banks ensured that the authority would be well-protected by focusing on security tools, training, budgeting, strategic and tactical directions, intelligence programs, incident response and many other crucial priorities,” the news release noted. He also coordinated with state and federal agencies to proactively protect the Authority’s enterprise and train control networks. “Because of the essential leadership role NMFTA is taking to protect the trucking industry’s cybersecurity, I am thrilled to join the organization at this time and take the lead on enterprise security,” Banks said. “The security of the trucking industry is critically important to the entire nation, and working together we will ensure that the industry has the best tools, training, and strategies.” Prior to his tenure with the Transit Authority, Banks served as senior security engineer for Turner Broadcasting System, and was also a computer security consultant for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control.

Mount Airy, N.C. — Two North Carolina trucking companies have joined forces. At their corporate offices in Mount Airy on March 13, officials with Cooke Trucking Company announced their purchase of BCJ Trucking Company, which is also located in Mount Airy. “The acquisition will enhance Cooke’s competitive position in the marketplace,” Cooke Trucking Company President Jay Boaz said. According to a news release, “Cooke has worked well with BCJ throughout the years and most recently has partnered on several lanes and movements. When considering the different lanes and established customer base, the acquisition further diversifies their trucking portfolio.” The news release also noted that “Cooke and BCJ will share best practices, synergies and will grow a broader footprint.” Boaz added: “Our goal is to remain customer and employee focused while continuing to deliver best in class results and service.” In business since 1984, BCJ is known as a family owned and operated trucking company, specializing in both regional transportation and coast to coast movements.