Business Archives

Stalemate: UPS, Teamsters contract talks break down with each side blaming the other

The Associated Press - July 5, 2023

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Contract negotiations between UPS and the union representing 340,000 of the company’s workers broke down early Wednesday, July 5, with each side blaming the other for walking away from talks. The Teamsters have imposed several deadlines for United Parcel Service negotiators to make their “last, best and final” offer to its unionized workers in recent days. Union officials said Wednesday that UPS “walked away from the bargaining table after presenting an unacceptable offer” to Teamsters members. UPS told a different story. The package delivery company said it was the Teamsters who abandoned negotiations, “despite UPS’s historic offer that builds on our industry-leading pay.” “We have not walked away, and the union has a responsibility to remain at the table,” the Atlanta company said in a prepared statement. Whichever the case, talks are at a stalemate with the end of the contract — midnight on July 31 — rapidly approaching. Teamster-represented UPS workers voted for a strike authorization last month and union chief Sean O’Brien, said last week that a strike was imminent. Shares of United Parcel Service Inc. slid more than 2% in early trading, while shares in rival FedEx rose slightly. The Teamsters represent more than half of the company’s workforce in the largest private-sector contract in North America. If a strike occurs, it would be the first since a 15-day walkout by 185,000 workers crippled the company a quarter century ago. UPS has grown vastly since then and become even more integral piece of the U.S. economy, with consumers relying on swift delivery of most essential home items. Small businesses who rely on UPS could also be left looking for alternative shipping options if the company’s remaining workforce wasn’t able to meet demand during a strike. The company says it delivers the equivalent of about 6% of nation’s gross domestic product. That means a strike would carry with it potentially far-reaching implications for the economy, particularly the supply chain, which has just begun to recover from pandemic-related entanglements. Negotiations had appeared to be progressing in recent weeks, with tentative agreements on a number of issues since national contract talks began in April. The sides agreed to scrap the two-tier wage system for drivers who work weekends and earn less money, which was a major sticking point. The union also said it also reached a tentative agreement to establish Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a full holiday for the first time and end unwanted overtime on drivers’ days off. Last month, the union and the company reached another tentative agreement to equip more trucks with air conditioning equipment. Under that agreement, UPS said it would add air conditioning to U.S. small delivery vehicles purchased after January 1, 2024. Existing vehicles wouldn’t get that upgrade, but the union said they will have other additions like two fans and air vents.

Michigan, Daimler Trucks North America partner to build ‘truck stop of the future’

The Trucker News Staff - July 4, 2023

LANSING, Mich. — A prototype “truck stop of the future” is being planned for Michigan. According to a news release, the Mobility Charging Hub “will help to enable companies to transition their fleets to electric commercial vehicles (EVs) and future-proof their businesses by testing new technologies, digital services and business models designed to accelerate deployment of commercial EVs at scale and modernize the truck stop experience.” The program will also serve the dual purpose of supporting passenger vehicle charging, officials said. Located at Daimler Trucks North America’s (DTNA) multi-acre Redford, Michigan, facility near Interstate 96, the site is already equipped with the necessary power, according to the news release. “This location sees more than 10,000 medium-and heavy-duty commercial trucks travel daily across the state, or across the state’s borders into Canada,” the news release noted. “Furthermore, Michigan accounts for 30% of all truck and rail freight between the United States and Canada, making Redford an ideal first location to concentrate on for this activation. In addition, DTNA’s existing workforce training programs for EVs can be expanded in the future to provide training programs related to agnostic EV charging infrastructure with the establishment of the Mobility Charging Hub.” Michigan’s Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II said that freight trucks “play a pivotal role in driving commerce, delivering goods, and connecting businesses throughout the nation, which is why we’re taking a future-forward approach to prepare this industry for the future and encourage other innovators and companies to consider how they, too, can make it in Michigan.” “Over the past five years, our administration has made progress on rebuilding Michigan highways, freeways and bridges, and now we’re taking that one step further with this ‘truck stop of the future’ to rebuild our transportation infrastructure to support the nation’s economy of tomorrow,” Gilchrist added. The news release notes that “Michigan will have access to $13 million in funding to support the Mobility Charging Hub development and secure partnerships with companies aiming to test and implement solutions related to EV innovation, fleet management and overall ease of travel.” Initial project partners are DTNA and DTE Energy. With $8.5 million in federal funding support from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant award to Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification will also establish a grant program through the Mobility Charging Hub that will help fund future activations onsite, the news release notes. Through the Mobility Charging Hub, Michigan officials say they “hope to develop the partnerships, integrations and business models necessary for accelerating the transition to EVs at scale, while informing a playbook replicable across truck stop locations nationwide.” “Michigan’s ability to retain its global position as the automotive capital of the world depends in part on our ability to attract and retain industry, as well as move goods domestically and across our nearby active international borders,” said Kathryn Snorrason, interim chief mobility officer of the State of Michigan. “This new innovation hub will help preserve Michigan’s position in the automotive sector while allowing us to address emerging fleet management technologies.” Rakesh Aneja, head of eMobility at DTNA, said that her company is “driven by our vision of leading sustainable transformation at the speed of right. After introducing Electric Island, a first-of-its-kind heavy-duty electric truck charging site in Portland, Oregon, and investing in Greenlane this year, a joint venture for public charging infrastructure, we are excited to partner with the State of Michigan and DTE in this innovative Mobility Charging Hub. Our 130-acre Detroit manufacturing plant, home to our diesel and electric Detroit Powertrains and powered by more than 3,000 employees, is the ideal location for this project.”

ABF Freight’s National Master Freight Agreement is ratified

The Trucker News Staff - July 3, 2023

FORT SMITH, Ark. — ABF Freight System Inc., a subsidiary of ArcBest Corporation has announced that a new, five-year ABF National Master Freight Agreement has been ratified by ABF Teamster-represented employees, providing for increased wages and benefits, two additional sick days, a paid Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and other provisions, according to a statement from ABF. ABF also negotiates 27 regional supplemental agreements as part of the bargaining process with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). Voting results show that 25 of the 27 supplements also passed. Negotiating teams from ABF and the IBT met on Friday and reached new tentative agreements on the two outstanding supplements. Voting by Teamster employees for those two supplements will take place next week. “It remains business as usual at ABF as the negotiating teams work through the final two remaining supplements,” a news release stated. “ABF employees will continue to work under terms of the current contract during this process.”

Thinking of becoming an independent driver? Don’t forget operating authority

Kris Rutherford - July 3, 2023

Operating Authority is really a simple concept. As defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), it is a carrier’s right to operate a commercial motor vehicle for transport of goods or passengers for hire. If you’re a company driver, you may think Operating Authority requirements are something your employer has to worry about. For the most part, you’re right. But as the driver of a big rig, you are responsible for knowing what you are hauling and how it fits into your company’s Operating Authority. For independent drivers, however, the story is quite different — the responsibility for complying with Operating Authority requirements falls squarely on the driver’s shoulders. If you’re thinking of investing in a truck and driving independently as an owner-operator, you need to be fully aware of filing fees, the type(s) of authority your business will require and minimum insurance requirements. As the owner-operator of a Class 8 rig, you must be assigned a Motor Carrier (MC) number by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This is required for any entity that transports federally regulated cargo across state lines. Most freight shipped in the U.S. is federally regulated; a few exceptions unprocessed or unmanufactured goods, fruits and vegetables, or small items of little to no value. Before getting into the requirements under Operating Authority regulations, let’s first eliminate the situations in which it is unnecessary. If your carrier is private and hauling the company’s own cargo, no Operating Authority is needed. Likewise, if you work for a “for-hire” carrier transporting specific exempt commodities, you need no authority. And finally, if you operate within a federally designated “commercial zone” that is not regulated, operating authority does not apply to you. But in most cases, if you are hauling cargo that crosses state lines and that cargo is owned by someone else, you’ll need to get your Operating Authority. Depending on what you haul, you may need to obtain more than one designation. So, why does Operating Authority matter? As noted earlier, it specifies the type of cargo you can haul. Secondly, the cargo directly impacts the amount of insurance you are required to carry. When it comes to Operating Authority, in most cases, an owner-operator will fall into one of two categories — 1) motor carrier of property (except household goods); or 2) motor carrier of household goods (i.e., a moving company). In either case, a carrier must file proof of liability insurance (bodily injury and property damage) with the FMCSA. While a carrier transporting household goods is required to have cargo insurance, if household goods are not hauled, no such insurance is needed. When it comes to insurance, levels of liability vary greatly and apply to different levels of freight. For instance, insurance must be carried in an amount of $750,000 to $5 million, depending on the freight being hauled. However, if you are hauling non-hazardous freight in a truck weighing less than 10,001 pounds, you’ll only have to carry $300,000 in insurance. If you are carrying household goods, you must carry $5,000 in insurance per vehicle. Before setting out on the road to becoming an independent driver or starting a small trucking company, make sure you understand the Operating Authority requirements. In addition, insurance can be expensive, especially in the case of carriers needing high liability limits. Then again, running a trucking business without Operating Authority is illegal — and the expense of violating FMCSA regulations may cost you even more. For more information about Operating Authority from the FMCSA, click here.

UPS Teamsters to practice picket

The Trucker News Staff - July 3, 2023

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Members of Teamsters 104 who work at UPS will hold a practice picket on Wednesday, July 5, ahead of the July 31 expiration of their contract, according to a statement. The Teamsters agreement with UPS is the largest private-sector union contract in North America. According to a news release, “UPS Teamsters are demanding the strongest possible contract and are prepared to strike if UPS fails to deliver.” “Over 340,000 UPS Teamster delivery and warehouse logistics workers nationwide are fighting to win a strong agreement that guarantees better pay for all workers, eliminates a two-tier wage system, increases the number of full-time jobs, addresses safety and health concerns around heat illness, and provides stronger protections against managerial harassment,” the news release noted.

Those Who Deliver with Gray Ridge Egg Farms

Dwain Hebda - July 1, 2023

Here are some “gee-whiz” facts to go with your morning coffee: A semi trailer, fully loaded, can haul 22,600 dozen eggs. That breaks down to 271,200 eggs per trailer, or the equivalent of more than 90,000 three-egg truck stop omelets. Gray Ridge Eggs, Inc., one of the largest egg graders in North America, delivers hundreds of these payloads each week, keeping some of the largest grocery and food service suppliers in Canada and the U.S. well stocked. Gray Ridge hauls so many eggs that even industry long-timers like Director of Transportation Peter Robinson, who’s worked for the company 15 years, are in awe. In addition to Gray Ridge, Robinson is responsible for Golden Valley Foods, Sparks Eggs, and Egg Solutions “Gray Ridge in Ontario does all of Ontario except for the northern part,” Robinson said. “We do, in a week, 1,650 farm pick-ups, store deliveries, wholesaler deliveries — and we go seven days a week. We have two days off a year, Christmas and New Year’s.” Despite what you might have seen about egg prices in the grocery store lately, there’s nothing in Gray Ridge Eggs’ performance that suggests there’s any shortage in demand for its product. During Robinson’s career at Gray Ridge, the number of company drivers has more than doubled — they now employ 62 drivers — and the number of truckloads delivered has grown by 350 trailers per month. In fact, the only thing that seems to be a drag on operations around here is the driver shortage, which in Gray Ridge Eggs’ case is made worse by the fear many have of hauling such a delicate product. “I think we don’t get drivers because a lot of them are concerned about the fragility of the product, so it kind of scares them off a little bit,” Robinson said. “Eggs are transported top to bottom, and they carry a tremendous amount of weight. You’d be very surprised how much weight you can put on an egg — and they can still take a trip across Canada.” Even so, the product is still extremely fragile, and shipping requires extra care. “The difficulty is when you side-impact them; that’s when they crack,” Robinson explained. “So, we ship two ways: One goes in fiber boxes and a lot of stores go in wired cages although that seems to be working its way out of the system because it’s really an old way of doing it,” he said. “We have three different sections of load security, placed exactly where the layers go, so we can secure it in the best way without damaging it. If you put your strapping in the wrong spot, it will push against the eggs and cause damage. But the product is actually very strong — as long as you don’t impact it from the side.” Another misnomer is that eggs, all being the same shape and sorted to be the same size, are easy to manage as far as logistics go. While that may have once been true, the variety of eggs demanded by modern consumers makes things considerably more complicated. Gray Ridge Eggs is just one of three egg brands the company offers. The other two, Conestoga and GoldEgg/JuaneDore, are gourmet brands that deal in free-range, vitamin-fortified, and other specialty eggs that run contrary to the standard white and brown varieties. Each of these two brands requires slightly different handling that lends complexity to the process, from picking them up from farms to delivery to grading and production facilities, and finally, shipping to clients. “The major change when you bring in all the different brands is for the production group,” Robinson said. “For trucking, we do have to be cognizant of what’s being graded. For example, with organic eggs — those are cleaned differently and done by only our organic-certified plant, so we have to bring them all in on certain days.” To borrow a catchphrase from TV infomercials: But wait, there’s more! “The other specialty is Vitamin D (eggs), because they run those all at one time,” he said. “Obviously, the idea with a big grading machine is that you want to be able to run as much of the same product as you can, so you aren’t making all sorts of changes to different cartons on the machine. So, we do work very closely with production to ensure that the eggs that they need to run are run.” Beyond these vagaries, hauling eggs isn’t any more or less complicated or troublesome than hauling any other perishable load, according to Robinson. The Gray Ridge Eggs fleet has to deal with the same challenges as other trucking companies — which during the COVID-19 pandemic were substantial. Looking back, however, Robinson says the company weathered such difficulties very well. “We definitely struggled through COVID with drivers, but one of the good things about our driving position is that it’s consistent,” he said. “We haven’t laid off any drivers, I don’t think, ever. We continue to grow, year in and year out, with the population. We did have some difficult times during COVID —but I’ve got to be honest, we have a fantastic drivers pool.” What does it take to be a Gray Ridge driver? “I look to hire guys that are customer-minded along with being good drivers,” Robinson said. “So, those times we were ‘lean,’ the drivers stepped up and took extra work for us, and now we’re back to being able to hire guys fairly consistently. I give them a lot of credit for how they performed through some pretty challenging times.” Photos courtesy of Gray Ridge Egg Farms This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.

TCA Next Gen Executives with Peter Jenkins of TransPro Freight Systems

Dwain Hebda - July 1, 2023

On paper, Peter Jenkins is a relatively new employee with TransPro Freight Systems, which is part of the Kriska Transportation Group. While Jenkins signed on with TransPro in January 2022, he has a far longer history with one of Kriska’s other holdings, Champion Express. Champion Express was initially owned and operated by Jenkins’ parents — and like any child of an entrepreneur, he spent a lot of time learning the business from his family. At Champion, he was schooled in the finer points of the trucking business and developed operational values that he still puts to work today as TransPro’s general manager. For Jenkins, customer service is, first and foremost, his No. 1 priority. “My father was a salesperson, and that got him into managing trucking and brokerage. That’s how I was raised, sales first,” he shared. “And closely aligned with sales is customer service because it’s much easier to keep the customer than it is to onboard a new one. Prospecting is time-consuming and expensive.” “Our mantra has always been, ‘Take care of what you’ve got, value your customers,’” he continued. “I have customers, that still ship with us today and that I have good relationships with, that my dad (worked with) in 1991 or earlier when he started Champion Express. I’ve got customers from probably 12 years ago, when I was doing sales, that are still running and flourishing. It’s nice being able to see that freight on our TransPro trucks now. It’s kind of like coming full circle.” Jenkins’ brand of customer service casts a wide net and extends not only to external clients, but also to the internal stakeholders that keep the company going. “Champion was primarily brokerage, where TransPro is about 50/50 asset logistics, so we’ve got to take care of our drivers,” he said. “We want to be a driver-centric company,” he said. “Our objective is to have our drivers haul freight that they want to haul because they’re going to be happier, they’re going to do a better job and, in the end, we’re going to deliver a better service to our customers.” That often means drawing on good client relationships to benefit TransPro’s drivers, Jenkins said. “When our drivers run into a roadblock that prevents them from executing their five to 10 drops, such as excessive waiting time, we can pull on our excellent relationships with our customers to try to smooth that out and solve that problem,” he said. TransPro runs about 80 trucks, teamed with 165 dry van trailers and 65 refrigerated trailers, carrying less-than-truckload (LTL) freight from southern Ontario in Canada to anywhere in the U.S. The bulk of freight is northbound produce, Jenkins says, but it also includes a fair amount of temperature-controlled loads southbound as necessary. “The company has always done a good job of building our outbound loads. We achieved a very profitable RPM (results through performance management) on the outbound,” Jenkins said, describing the company’s strengths. “Of course, there’s always opportunity to maximize accumulation in an LTL environment. Tracking KPI (key performance indicators) is related to maximizing the footage that we get on our trailers outbound, trying to utilize more stop-off locations where we can stack our freight southbound so it’s all safe and secure,” he said. “We can stop at specified locations on our route where we have partnerships, get that onto the trailer for delivery because a lot of deliveries won’t take decked freight,” he continued. “It’s a matter of managing those customer requirements by a consigning basis and that really allows us to maximize our outbound RPM.” One area of opportunity lies with managing inbound freight, Jenkins says. That’s something he’s helping to maximize at TransPro through targeted, skilled salesmanship. It’s a strategy that plays to one of the 38-year-old’s particular passions. “(On) the inbound RPM, we’ve often been exposed to the spot market as everybody’s felt over a period of time in the industry. The spot market’s been suppressed,” he said. “We’ve got an excellent sales team, and we’re utilizing various sales strategies. We utilize our technology wherever we can in our sales process to automate any portion of our sales process. That allows us to bring in more opportunities and close more opportunities and do less with the greater spot market. “I always think of myself as a salesperson at heart,” he added. “That was one of my favorite periods in my career — when I was doing full-time sales for my parents’ company, before I stepped into more of a management role.” In addition to leveraging the tried-and-true methods of his mentors, Jenkins has asserted his own skills and personality into his leadership style. He believes this has helped him borrow the best of all possible worlds to move the organization forward, maintaining the high standards of a company that has been repeatedly recognized as a best place to work within the trucking industry. “To get people is still a challenge,” he said “We run a hybrid work environment, where work-from-home is an option. We offer flexibility to our people, which is very important in this current employment economy. “To get and retain the best people and be flexible while still holding people accounting to their KPI and their productivity is certainly different than three years ago, when everybody was in the office every day and you’re able to speak to everybody,” he continued. “It’s a different style of management now. It’s a different way of relating to people. People always change, and culture and society evolve, and management styles have to adapt with that.” This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.

Communication is key: Recruiting drivers may be easy but keeping them can be a challenge

Cliff Abbott - July 1, 2023

While a great deal of attention has been given to freight rates and availability, another issue is also at the forefront for carrier management: Hiring and retaining enough drivers to keep the fleet running is an activity that never stops. Like freight, however, the availability of drivers can vary based on economic and other factors. Doug Drier knows the cycle well. “This industry, it’s just crazy,” he said. “A year ago, carriers were calling almost daily, looking for drivers. Fast forward 12 months to today — nobody wants drivers, and the pendulum swings.” Drier is the founder and CEO of Right Turn Recruiting, a driver procurement firm that has supported carrier recruiting efforts for 15 years. “Last September, I’d say we started kind of really noticing, OK, this is finally going in a negative direction,” he explained. “So, it’s been about nine months of not-so-good recruiting weather for us.” The upside? When things are “not so good” for Drier, they’re good for carriers. When driver applications are plentiful, many carriers are more able to handle their recruiting needs through in-house efforts. Recruiting success is often a consolation for slow freight and lower rates. In the spot freight market, owner-operators who are no longer seeing the profits they did when rates were high are surrendering their authority and either parking or selling their trucks while they look for jobs as company drivers. At the same time, company drivers who experience a decline in miles or the loss of a favorite run start thinking things might be better at another carrier. Whatever the market for drivers, most business analysts would agree that it makes sense for carriers to hold on to the drivers they have. Unfortunately, recruiting advertising, sign-on bonuses, and other factors have created an environment where drivers are bombarded with incentives to leave their current carrier and move to another company. “This industry has made it incredibly easy to hire drivers from one company to the next,” Drier said. “You can be running for Company A today and Company B by Friday in almost any market. It’s just the littlest thing that can get a driver to leave.” In such an environment, getting drivers to stay with a carrier can be difficult. Although drivers changing jobs is the basis of his business, clients often ask Drier for advice about retaining drivers. This is a task for which he’s uniquely qualified: Drier’s recruiting team visits with drivers every day, and those drivers usually share their reasons for wanting to move away from a company. “The big thing is just to communicate with your drivers (about) the current state of the market,” Drier said. “I don’t think carriers do a good enough job of speaking about the current environment we’re in, and how it’s so different from six months ago or 12 months ago. “Drivers need to know, ‘(The problem is) not just us. Our competitors and everybody else are seeing a huge drop in rates, which are 70 to 75 cents lower today than they were last year at this time. That’s not just us. That’s everybody,’” he continued. While some drivers read industry publications and stay up to date on current conditions, most are more concerned with their day-to-day jobs. The first indication something is amiss might be a spouse complaining about smaller paychecks. That’s where a bit of carrier communication with drivers can make a big difference. In weekly staff meetings Drier holds with his team of recruiters, they discuss what drivers are saying. “There are plenty of drivers out there that are completely blind to the market and environment we’re in,” he said. “They just think, ‘Wow, my paychecks aren’t as big anymore. I gotta get out of here!’” While drivers may be looking for new jobs right now, there aren’t as many to be found. Many carriers use times when there’s an abundance of drivers applying as a chance to improve the quality of their driver group, and there may be several drivers competing for a single spot. “Almost everybody we work with has taken that approach,” Drier said. “Without question, carriers are tightening up their hiring guidelines. The companies that were taking six months (experience) drivers now want one year; the companies that were taking (drivers with) three tickets now will only take two; the companies that would take (drivers who have had) 10 jobs in three years now will only look at five.” Such improvements can help bolster a carrier’s safety record and could impact insurance rates. “It’s a common theme,” Drier said. “(Retaining the best drivers is) the one easy adjustment to make to strengthen the overall quality of your fleet.” Sign-on bonuses are still being advertised, but some carriers have either suspended those programs or reduced the amounts offered. Doing this reduces the cost of recruiting as well as the total cost of driver employment without reducing per-mile or other pay. “A lot of companies have eliminated those,” Drier remarked. “You still see them advertised, but I haven’t seen a huge sign on bonus offered this month.” Reductions in pay are, obviously, a reluctant effort on the part of a carrier to hold its losses to a minimum. Obviously, though, reducing pay can be detrimental to both recruiting and retention. After the recession of 2008-2009, some carriers found it difficult to replace drivers lost to pay reductions. “I know of only been one carrier that’s decreased pay,” Drier said.” I think everybody else is hanging on as tight as possible to not have to do that. But I think some are getting close.” Perhaps the best way to retain drivers is to simply work to preserve those personal relationships. “Drivers don’t leave a company,” Drier explained. “My feeling is, they leave a dispatcher. They leave a maintenance person or a manager. It’s often not the name on the side of the truck; it is ultimately the people they work with. And in any market, (a good driver) is going to have a pretty easy time getting a new job somewhere else.” When drivers are hard to come by, Drier gets more business from carriers as they work to keep trucks rolling. But as he and his team remain ready to help carriers find more drivers, he knows the most efficient policy is to keep the drivers they already have. This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.

Pilot Company, Bridgestone surpass goals with tire safety partnership

The Trucker News Staff - June 30, 2023

DETROIT — Officials with Pilot Company and Bridgestone say that their partnership, which is less than a year old, has already surpassed a goal of expanding their advanced tire monitoring and service network for commercial fleets to 200 locations, according to a news release. They now have more than 300 Pilot and Flying J locations. Since the program launched in July 2022, network customers have reported savings in resources, and it’s increased efficiency, the news release stated. Watsontown Trucking Company, which owns and operates a fleet of 1,900 vehicles and is one company that uses the technology, has experienced positive benefits from the program, according to the news release. That has included saving 867 annual labor hours on pre-trip and safety lane inspections, operational and maintenance savings of an estimated $126,000 and having a 10% reduction of emergency roadside incident rate, which equates to 1,300 breakdown hours. Fleets using this have access to track critical data like tire inflation pressure and temperature enabling continuous monitoring of tire health throughout its lifecycle.

DAT says its new ‘Profit Estimator’ helps truckers find profitable loads

The Trucker News Staff - June 30, 2023

BEAVERTON, Ore. — The guessing game for truckers to find the answer to the “how much money can I make on this load” is no more. Thanks to DAT Freight & Analytics, a tool called the Profit Estimator is here to help. “This new tool helps truckers who are on the DAT One marketplace determines how profitable a load can be based on the trucker’s operating costs and goals,” a news release stated. “This new feature is an example of how DAT’s mobile product team continually works to improve the DAT One app’s efficiency and user experience.” The Profit Estimator considers each carrier’s unique and essential operating costs such as insurance, fuel, truck payments — mileage and revenue targets — and the broker’s offer rate. With this information, it will then calculate a baseline profit and loss for each load. CEO of Destiny Way Logistics, Destiny Rykard Davenport, gives her opinion of the newest DAT tool, the Profit Estimator. “DAT’s Profit Estimator is the best tool I could have for my business,” said Destiny Rykard Davenport of Destiny Way Logistics. “It allows my team and I to book loads more efficiently and save money on fuel by allowing us to enter our variable and fixed costs into the Estimator. This lets us know how much we need to negotiate on a load, which gives us a better profit margin and bargaining power before calling a broker.” DAT points to three steps that make its Profit Estimator simple to use: Step 1: What the individual should do is tap one of the results and scroll down to the Profit Estimator section. Step 2: From there, enter the fixed and variable costs, the number of miles planned to drive per week, the amount of estimated revenue planned to earn per week, and the type of equipment available. Step 3: Once the information is entered, tap the “calculate” button to see an estimated profit for hauling the load. DAT One users only have to set up the calculation once on the tool. From then on, the tool will automatically provide a baseline profit or loss for every load detail shown. DAT’s Head of Product for Freight Match, Sarita Benjamin, said: “We understand that quoting freight rates can be confusing and we designed our DAT Profit Estimator to simplify this process. It helps carriers work out their daily operating costs in a matter of minutes, which in turn will enable them to make more informed decisions and ultimately become more profitable.” To learn more about how DAT One can help you grow your business for the long haul, visit www.dat.com.

Women In Trucking Association’s ’23 Index data shows 12.1% of all professional truckers are female

The Trucker News Staff - June 29, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has released findings of its 2023 WIT Index. The index is the industry’s barometer to benchmark and measure each year the percentage of women who make up critical roles in transportation, according to a WIT news release. The 2023 WIT Index survey found a substantial number of women in leadership roles. Approximately 31.6% of women are in C-Suite/executive positions, 36.9% are in supervisory leadership roles and 28.4% serve on boards of directors. In addition, the WIT Index found that among the participants, 12.1% of all professional drivers are women. A significant number of respondents represent major companies involved in transportation with more than 10,000 employees (14.2% of respondents) or large companies with 1,000 to 4,999 employees (13.4% of respondents). However, small and medium-sized companies also are well-represented in the 2023 WIT Index. In fact, 23.1% have less than 50 employees and another 33.8% have 50 to 499 employees. From January through April 2023, WIT conducted the survey of organizations of all sizes in transportation to gather percentages of women in their workforce. The respondents were asked to report data that included demographics, status of the company’s diversity and inclusion policy, and percentages of females in various roles within the company. There were 350 organizations that reported their gender diversity statistics in the 2023 WIT Index survey. A majority of them (51.8%) have for-hire fleets or private fleets as part of the organization’s operations. Of those respondents representing organizations with fleet assets, 41% were reporting on behalf of motor carriers of various types (full truckload, less-than-truckload, refrigerated, flatbed, expedited and liquid) and 10.8% were reporting on behalf of manufacturers, retailers, distributors and other company types with private fleets. Another 14.2% of respondents were reporting on behalf of intermediary companies, including third-party logistics companies, truck brokers and intermodal marketing companies (IMCs).

New Love’s location adds 50 truck parking spots in Parachute, Colorado

The Trucker News Staff - June 29, 2023

OKLAHOMA CITY — Love’s Travel Stops is now serving customers in Parachute, Colorado, with a new location that opened Thursday, June 29. The travel stop, located on East Cardinal Way off Interstate 70 at exit 75, adds 45 jobs and 50 truck parking spaces in Garfield County. “Love’s is excited to expand its Highway Hospitality to a 16th location in Colorado,” said Shane Wharton, president of Love’s. “In Parachute, we’re adding another safe, clean space where travelers can experience great customer service in a friendly environment with a staff that will get them back on the road quickly.” The location is open 24/7 and offers many amenities, including: More than 14,000 square feet. Chester’s Chicken and McDonald’s. 50 truck parking spaces. 65 car parking spaces. Eight RV parking spaces. Seven diesel bays. Five showers. Laundry facilities. CAT scale. RV dump. Bean-to-cup gourmet coffee. Brand-name snacks. Fresh Kitchen concept. Mobile to Go Zone with the latest GPS, headsets and smartphone accessories. In honor of the grand opening, Love’s is donating $2,000 to the Parachute Branch Library.

Conversion Interactive Agency named top Middle Tennessee workplace for 6th consecutive year

The Trucker News Staff - June 28, 2023

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — For the sixth year in a row, Conversion Interactive Agency has been named the Top Workplace in Middle Tennessee by the Tennessean newspaper. Conversion Interactive Agency works with carriers of all sizes to support their driver recruiting and retention efforts. “To achieve this honor requires a full organizational effort and it is a testament to Conversion’s commitment to a culture blueprint that inspires and impacts the client experience,” a news release stated. “In Nashville, all of the top workplace nominees came together to celebrate their achievements and receive individual awards in various categories. It was a great opportunity for businesses to showcase their contributions within their industries to the Greater Nashville Area.” The president and CEO of Conversion Interactive Agency, Kelley Walkup, expressed her excitement about receiving the award once again. “I am thrilled that Conversion Interactive Agency has been named a Top Workplace for a sixth consecutive year.” Walkup said. “Our company culture is truly unique to the Middle Tennessee area, and I am proud to lead such an amazing and hardworking team. This prestigious distinction is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering the mind-blowing client experience and providing a culture blueprint that makes a difference in the work life of our employees.”

USF Holland to pay, provide scholarship funds to settle suit

The Trucker News Staff - June 28, 2023

OXFORD, Miss. — Freight carrier USF Holland LLC has been ordered to pay $490,000 and establish a scholarship fund to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). According to a news release, the EEOC charged that a significant number of qualified women with extensive truck driving experience were denied employment at Holland despite their being equal or superior to the male applicants. One woman was hired by Holland but was fired before she could even complete her first route on the job, according to the EEOC. Holland’s alleged discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The EEOC sued in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Oxford Division, after first seeking to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.Senior U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers required that Holland establish a $120,000 scholarship fund to be awarded four times annually for $10,000 each. The scholarship will be awarded to women who seek to obtain their truck driver certifications through Holland’s truck driver apprenticeship program. The $10,000 scholarship will cover tuition, a DOT physical, daily wages at $17.50 per hour, commuting and transportation costs for those who reside outside of the city of the academy, lodging, a daily allowance, two class A state exams and an entry-level driver training for placement of qualified females in the academy. It is also required for Holland to revise its anti-discrimination policy and conduct annual training to prevent discrimination at its Olive Branch, Mississippi, facility. “While the trucking industry is traditionally a male-dominated field, qualified female drivers do exist and are paving the way for more women to enter the field,” said EEOC Trial Attorney Roslyn Griffin Pack. “We are pleased Holland agreed to take proactive steps to not only train female drivers through its apprenticeship program, but also to hire those qualified female drivers for positions in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. We hope these small steps will make a big difference in the lives of women who seek to enter the trucking industry.” EEOC Acting District Director Edmond Sims added, “The Memphis District is pleased to have secured targeted relief and monetary damages for qualified women who applied for positions with Holland but were not hired. This resolution reaffirms the EEOC’s commitment to eradicate employment discrimination and promote and foster healthy work environments for all citizens across the Mid-South.”

Loadsmart introduces artificial intelligence to its platform

The Trucker News Staff - June 28, 2023

CHICAGO — Lately, artificial intelligence (AI) has been the popular feature that seems to be talked about or used in many ways in most industries. The trucking industry is no exception. A leading freight technology provider, Loadsmart, recently announced the launch of its freight CoPilot, a generative AI tool embedded in its management platform called ShipperGuide. “The AI feature allows real-time data analysis and valuable industry insights by harnessing the power of large language models,” a Loadsmart news release stated. “Their Shipperguide, with the AI tool embedded, now provides advanced analytics functionalities through a secure and user-friendly interface.” The enhancement allows shippers to quickly generate actionable visualizations and reports based on their shipping data by simply stating a question. In other words, the AI feature acts like an intelligent chatbot who can obtain industry-specific insights simply by asking freight-related questions. The ShipperGuide’s new feature allows shippers to interact with the platform as if they were talking to their actual colleagues. “Loadsmart AI is redefining the freight management landscape by simplifying data access and interpretation within ShipperGuide,” said Felipe Capella, CEO and co-founder of Loadsmart. “Our mission is to empower our customers with the tools they need to navigate the dynamic logistics industry with ease. This is a monumental leap forward in freight management, setting a new industry standard and driving value for our customers.” For more information about ShipperGuide and its new AI feature, please visit ShipperGuide.ai.

Mexico’s Traxion acquires US-based BBA Logistics

The Trucker News Staff - June 27, 2023

MEXICO CITY — Grupo Traxion, S.A.B. de C.V., a transportation, mobility and logistics company in Mexico, has announced the closing of a deal to acquire Las Vegas-based BBA Logistics, a door-to-door and cross-border cargo brokerage company. According to a news release, Traxion bought BBA for $10 million cash. A total of 40% of the price was paid at closing, and the remainder will be paid within the following two years, subject to certain metrics and results, the news release noted. BBA Logistics estimates that it will generate approximately $22 million of revenue, with a 10% earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization margin in 2023. The company is totally free of debt. Traxion officials said they expect to realize commercial synergies with TRAXPORTA, its digital domestic cargo brokerage app. “With this acquisition, Traxion moves forward with its expansion plans into the United States, particularly in domestic and cross-border cargo services, following its inorganic growth path through asset-light companies within its logistics and technology division,” said Aby Lijtszain, executive president and founder of Traxion. “With the integration of BBA Logistics, Traxion strengthens its strategic position to continue to capitalize opportunities brought by the Nearshoring phenomenon.”

ATA Truck Tonnage Index increased 2.4% in May

The Trucker News Staff - June 27, 2023

WASHINGTON — American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 2.4% in May after decreasing 1.7% in April. In May, the index equaled 115.4 (2015=100) compared with 112.7 in April, an ATA news release stated. “Tonnage had a nice gain in May, but remains in recession territory,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The 2.4 percent gain didn’t erase the 4.5 percent total drop the previous two months. Additionally, tonnage continues to contract from year earlier levels as retail sales remain soft, manufacturing production continues to fall from a year ago, and housing starts contract from 2022 levels.” April’s decline was unchanged, the ATA noted. Compared with May 2022, the SA index decreased 1.3%, which was the third straight year-over-year decrease. In April, the index was down 3.4% from a year earlier. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 120 in May, 10.1% above the April level (109). In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015. ATA’s For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index is dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot market freight. Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 72.2% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 10.93 billion tons of freight in 2021. Motor carriers collected $875.5 billion, or 80.8% of total revenue earned by all transport modes. ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure and subject to change in the final report issued around the 5th day of each month. The report includes month-to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons, and key financial indicators.

JJ Keller earns ‘Most Loved Workplace’ certification

The Trucker News Staff - June 27, 2023

NEW YORK — J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. — a leading American provider of safety and regulatory compliance solutions — has become certified as a Most Loved Workplace backed by the research and analysis of Best Practice Institute (BPI), company officials have announced. “Being an employer of choice is a priority for J. J. Keller,” said Rustin Keller, president and CEO of J. J. Keller. “We seek the highest level of talent in our associates, because they ultimately provide the best-in-class safety and compliance solutions our customers depend upon. Hearing from associates that they love being a part of J. J. Keller means we’ve created a place where know they are valued and where they know they’re making a difference.” A news release stated that “J.J. Keller has been certified as a Most Loved Workplace because it has demonstrated excellence in the categories of collaboration, vision, respect, support, values, leadership and benefits.” Specific practices most appreciated by the company’s associates, which create a loved workplace, include: Flexibility for time and location of work. Care for associates. Associates receiving a fair share in the company’s profits. A commitment to remaining a family-owned business. J. J. Keller became certified as a Most Loved Workplace based on its scores on the Love of Workplace Index, which surveyed associates on various elements around employment satisfaction and sentiment including the level of respect, collaboration, support and sense of belonging they feel inside the company, according to the news release. “I started Most Loved Workplaces out of inspiration from my community of people who consciously place love for their employees at the center of their business model,” said Louis Carter, the founder and CEO of BPI and a social/organizational psychologist, thought leader, entrepreneur and author.

Love’s announces truck washes at select locations, promises ‘half the time’ of other industry washes

The Trucker News Staff - June 27, 2023

OKLAHOMA CITY — Love’s Travel Stops plans to offer truck wash services at select travel stops and Speedco locations, a company statement announced. “With a combination of speed, high quality and cost effectiveness, Love’s Truck Washes are equipped with automated technology and are expected to provide the same quality as a hand wash but in half the time of other truck washes in the industry,” according to Love’s officials. Locations are now open in Harrisonville, Missouri, and Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, and Love’s anticipates opening additional truck washes soon in Hazen, Arkansas, and Prescott, Arkansas, along with several more in the next two years. “Love’s was founded on innovation and thinking differently, so starting this new service is an exciting initiative that gets customers back on the road quickly,” said Shane Wharton, president of Love’s. “We listened to our customers on this new offer. The convenience of being able to fuel, wash their truck, park and go inside all-in-one location is convenient and ideal for our professional drivers, as well as our RV customers.” The process starts with the driver pulling up to the designated truck wash bay, selecting their service and pulling the vehicle into the bay. The driver parks and remains in the vehicle, and the automatic three-brush rollover system starts the process of high-pressure washing. The system moves over the vehicle using strategically placed sensors, pressure-washing sprayers and rotary brushes to deliver remarkable cleaning power. Love’s attendants oversee each wash to ensure high-quality wash performance. Services and prices vary based on equipment type and include options for a standard tractor/trailer, box truck, tractor, RV/motor home, pickup with travel trailer or 1-ton truck. A complete list of services, prices and add-on packages is available at loves.com/truckwash. Professional drivers can earn and spend My Love Rewards points at all truck wash locations. Even though the process is automated, Love’s expects local job growth as a result of this added service. Each truck wash location will average three employees working across two bays from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. The company says the process is environmentally friendly as it uses reclaimed water for the initial rinse and trailer wash outs to save water, and the chemicals are certified safe for the environment.

Majority of Miami XPO Logistics workers vote to oust Teamsters Union

The Trucker News Staff - June 27, 2023

MIAMI — Martin Garcia and his coworkers at XPO Logistics’ Hialeah, Florida, location have voted to remove Teamsters Local 769 union officials from their workplace. According to a company statement, Garcia and his colleagues received free legal assistance in their effort from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys. Garcia filed a union decertification petition at National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region 12 on May 19, which contained the signatures of enough of his colleagues to prompt the NLRB to hold a union decertification vote. The NLRB held the vote among Garcia and his colleagues on June 21, in which a majority voted to end Teamsters officials’ monopoly bargaining control over the facility. “Teamsters officials didn’t listen to us and didn’t represent our interests in the workplace,” Garcia said. “My coworkers and I decided that the best way forward was to vote them out, and we’re glad we could get legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation in exercising our rights.” Garcia’s effort is just the most recent in a string of successful Foundation-backed union decertification efforts by XPO Logistics employees against Teamsters union officials. Recent victories include Teamsters decertifications in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Albany, New York, and other XPO Logistics locations, an XPO news release stated. Most recently, Albany-based XPO Logistics truck driver William Chard submitted a union decertification petition backed by his coworkers in December 2022, seeking a vote to remove Teamsters Local 294 union officials. Similarly, in October 2021, Teamsters Local 87 union officials avoided facing rejection from Juan Rivera and his coworkers at a Bakersfield, California, XPO Logistics facility by disclaiming interest in the work unit shortly after Rivera filed a decertification petition. “Teamsters officials have a well-earned reputation for seeking power, money, and political clout overlooking out for employee interests, so it’s unsurprising to see so many workers seeking to exercise their rights to vote them out,” said National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “But this trend goes even beyond the Teamsters, as employee attempts to decertify unions are spiking across the country.” “Unfortunately, even as employees increasingly realize that their interests diverge from union boss agendas, Big Labor allies in the Biden Administration are seeking to make it harder than ever for workers to exercise their right to oust an unpopular union,” Mix added. “Foundation attorneys will continue to aid American workers in defending their individual rights, and will oppose attempts by Big Labor to rig the legal landscape against workers.”