Truck Driving Job News Archives

Put your best foot forward: Know what’s on your record before applying

Cliff Abbott - February 2, 2023

Chances are, just about everyone who works in the offices of a trucking company (or any office, for that matter) followed a similar process to get the job. The usual process is to fill out an application, submit a resume and then be brought in for at least one face-to-face interview. During that interview, the prospective employer asks questions about the applicant’s work history, education and other subjects related to how he or she might perform the job if hired. Usually the applicant is allowed to ask questions, too. For most professional truck drivers, however, the hiring process works quite differently. Resumes are rarely submitted by drivers or considered by recruiters. The initial “interview” is often a brief phone conversation, or an exchange of emails or text messages, with a recruiter representing the carrier. The driver is asked to complete an application, provide relevant information and consent to background checks. If everything looks good, the driver is extended an invitation to orientation, where more information is exchanged. For office positions, employers are most often seeking the best candidate for the job. For driving positions, employers often want to hire as many qualified drivers as they can. It’s not a matter of who’s “best” when “good enough” will do. Despite the differences in the process, potential employees want to look their best to prospective employers. When it comes to drivers, it’s all about the record. First of all, sooner or later, every driver completes and signs an employment application. Some carriers tout “mini-apps” or claim they take “oral-apps”; these are simply ways to speed up the process. Once in orientation, every driver completes a written application. These days, it may be in digital format and partially completed using information previously submitted, but it’s an application just the same. The reason is that Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations require the application to be in the drivers file, along with the driver’s consent for background checks, drug and alcohol screenings, and more. Applicants can speed up the process — and make a better impression — by having the information needed to complete the application, including a complete work history. Regulations require a carrier to have a list of all DOT-regulated jobs a driver has held in the past 10 years. For drivers who change jobs often, that could be a long list. Many applicants either don’t list all their employers or don’t provide complete information about previous jobs. This practice results in a delay in the hiring process while carrier representatives try to find the needed information. (Note: If you omit former employers, it can look like you’re trying to hide something. Busy recruiting departments may choose to move on to other candidates.) The best practice is to keep a list of former employers, complete with addresses and phone numbers. This list can be stored on your phone as a spreadsheet or PDF file. A less tech-savvy but effective method is to take a quick photo of the work history page(s) of your application, and keep that on your phone. The important thing is to keep the info where you can find it when needed. The government requires background checks to be completed for drivers, and carriers use several sources to conduct these. You should know what each report says about your record before the carrier sees it. Many sources for this information are consumer reporting agencies and fall under fair reporting rules, meaning you legally have access to your information. One of the first checks that will be made is with your state’s department of motor vehicles (DMV). It looks bad to claim you have no traffic violations on your application if your DMV reports that you do. State agencies do make errors, but problems can arise when you assume an old ticket is no longer on your record, or that a violation in another state wasn’t reported to your home state. Know what’s in your report. Order one from your DMV before you apply for the next job. Next is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. You’ll need to register at the Clearinghouse website and give consent for the carrier to check; you won’t be hired if you don’t consent. Go to clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov and click on the “register” button. At this time, you’ll also be able to see what’s in your record. Your record contains any positive drug or alcohol test results in the past three years, as well as whether you’ve completed any return-to-work programs after a positive test. Another report carriers use is the FMCSA Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report, which shows your experiences at roadside inspections and other events as reported by law enforcement. Drivers are often surprised at the negative information these reports contain. For example, if the officer records that you were stopped for speeding, that shows up on the PSP — even if you didn’t get a ticket, got a warning or beat the charge in court. Other violations, such as improper lane use or following too closely, can quickly derail your application. Carriers can and do use this information to deny hire. Check your PSP annually at psp.fmcsa.dot.gov/psp/public. If there are discrepancies, there’s a process to request your record be corrected. Carriers can check your employment history by contacting former employers and by requesting an employment history report from one of the agencies that provide them. The most popular of these is the DAC Employment History Report from HireRight, commonly known as the “DAC Report.” Carriers will check to make sure the employment dates on your application match the report, whether the carrier reported your performance as “satisfactory,” and for any comments the carrier placed in your file. Comments often specify driver actions such as truck abandonment, misuse of company funds, excessive safety violations and more. You can get a free copy of your report at hireright.com or by calling 866-521-6995. If you disagree with anything listed in the report, you have the right to request that it be corrected. If the carrier refuses, you have the right to have your rebuttal statement included on the report. In short, you’ll avoid unwelcome surprises and get hired more quickly if your background reports, application and your comments all match up.

Setting attainable goals for diet, exercise makes it easier to lighten your load

Bob Perry - February 1, 2023

Is it time to lighten your load? I don’t mean the freight you are hauling. Are you personally overloaded? When you go through the truck scales with too much weight, there’s a price to pay. You have to lighten the load. That’s much like your personal health: If you don’t manage your weight, there’s a price to pay. If you’re over a healthy body weight, it can lead you down the wrong road to many health issues. Excess weight increases your risk of hypertension, diabetes and sleep deprivation — three medical issues that could cost your CDL … and your livelihood. When you carry around extra pounds, you can have trouble staying active and have low energy. You know it’s just not drivers who struggle with being overweight. In general, obesity is a national concern in the US. Did you know that almost three out of four adults are considered overweight? Personal issues can affect weight gain by making you want to eat more and feel less motivated to exercise. Time away from your family, work situations, economic problems, the loss of loved ones and a host of other factors that cause stress can contribute to weight gain. Sometimes you need to take the time to reflect. Try to identify the stress points going on in your life that may derail your good intention talking on a healthier lifestyle and focus on how to address them. Weight gain is sometimes a result of these stress “buttons.” How can you lighten your load — and keep the weight off? Here are some key points you may find helpful. Find a health program that matches your lifestyle, your likes, your interests and your goals. Find the exercise you WILL do — not the exercise you SHOULD do. Look for something you will stick with. Don’t over-commit yourself. Set realistic goals. Finally, stay positive, and understand there are going to be setbacks. Staying positive and learning from any setbacks will produce lasting results. Known as The Trucker Trainer, Bob Perry has played a critical role in the paradigm shift of regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers to understand the driver health challenge. Perry can be reached at [email protected].

Driver’s actions, attitude during traffic stop have significant impact: Part 1 of 2

Brad Klepper - February 1, 2023

As a lawyer who defends professional drivers on traffic citations, one of the most frequently asked questions I receive is, “What should I do during a traffic stop?” With that in mind, I’ll do my best to answer that question today. In my traditional style, my response may ramble a bit — but it’s the truth! The most common involvement with law enforcement is a basic traffic stop. You see the flashing lights and pull to the side of the road. Now what? How do you best handle this situation to protect yourself? Well, let’s start with the basics. First, it is extremely important that you remain calm and professional, and that you treat the officer with respect. This is critically important. I cannot stress this enough! You will never win any arguments roadside with an officer who is wearing a badge and carrying a gun. Choosing to argue will only ensure you a citation — and a possible stay in the local jail. To use a sports analogy: Have you ever seen an umpire or referee reverse their decision based on protests by a player or manager? If you have, please let me know when and where. Instead, what happens is the decision remains, and the player or manager runs the risk of being ejected. In the trucking world, that means you’re now running the risk of spending the night as a guest of the city or county. Not to mention, the officer will note on that citation not only your words, but also your attitude. This can have a detrimental impact on the outcome of your citation. Also, remember that a traffic ticket is nothing until it becomes a conviction. It becomes a conviction when you automatically pay the fine, fail to show up for court on the appointed day, or the judge or jury hears all the evidence and decides you’re guilty. All have the same effect as a conviction, and all will show up on your MVR (motor vehicle record). Never just pay a ticket and admit guilt if you believe you’ve done nothing wrong. Your court hearing is an opportunity to explain your side of the story and present evidence showing the citation is in error. Making these arguments roadside will only fall on deaf ears. In addition, when talking to the officer who approaches your truck, keep your hands visible. If it’s nighttime, turn on the light in your cab. Do what you can to put enforcement officers at ease, because they’ll be uneasy and unsure about what they might encounter. The more agreeable you are, the better the roadside interaction will go. Above all else when in a traffic stop situation, don’t convict yourself. Be careful of the words you choose and the information you provide. It’s best to answer any questions directly — but never volunteer information lest you incriminate yourself. The officer will note everything you say if you admit guilt. An example I hear all the time is this: A driver gets pulled over. When asked if they know why they were stopped, the response is something like, ‘I was probably going about 70 mph.’ Or, they’ll say they were doing “just a little” over the limit, say 60 mph in a 55 mph zone. Both are an admission of speeding. The cop asks a simple question, and drivers convicts themselves with the answer. Instead, simply say no — or ask the officer how fast they thought you were going, or admit you are unsure of your speed at the time in question. Refrain from agreeing with whatever they say — but do so respectively. In the event the officer asks if you will consent to a search, my general advice is to say no. Of course, if you’re absolutely positive there’s nothing to find, you can do as you wish. Remember, of course, that if an officer really wants to search your vehicle, they’ll find a way to get it done. They may say they detect the smell of marijuana, or bring out a K9 unit that might “hit” on your truck. But, at the end of the day, if you don’t consent to a search and one is conducted, and something discovered, you can argue the legality of the search at your hearing. If you consent, any arguments you may have will go out the window. Another thing you can do is make a video recording of the stop (as long as you’re in a place it’s legally allowed to record the stop). The officer may be doing the same through a dash or collar cam. Keep in mind that recording the stop may not endear you to the officer. After the stop is over, one of the best things you can do is record, either as a voice message on your phone or as written note, everything that happened before, during and after the stop. You can use this information later to refresh your memory if you’re a witness on the stand. The judicial system understands that data recorded at the time of the incident is more accurate than your memory some three to 12 months later. This makes your written or recorded information more accurate in the court’s mind than that of an officer who makes 25 traffic stops a day and has to recall your specific incident specifically at a later date. In the March edition of The Trucker, I’ll discuss what to do in case of an accident and provide additional tips to make any roadside interactions with law enforcement go more smoothly. Brad Klepper is president of Interstate Trucker Ltd. and is also president of Driver’s Legal Plan, which allows member drivers access to services at discounted rates. For more information, contact him at 800-333-DRIVE (3748) or interstatetrucker.com and driverslegalplan.com.

Army vet Ashley Leiva claims Transition Trucking’s rookie driver honors

Dwain Hebda - February 1, 2023

Ashley Leiva knew early on that she would one day serve her country. While growing up, the Texas native saw examples of military service all around her. At 18, fresh out of high school, she enlisted in the U.S. Army. “My uncle was also an Army veteran, (and) a retired merchant Marine,” Leiva said. “My mom, she also advocated for it. I was from a small town, and she said, ‘Go. Get out of here and do something. If you like it, stay. If you don’t, at least you got to see something other than our small town.’ And I did.” Coincidentally, both Leiva’s mother and uncle would inspire her to later enter the trucking business. Her uncle was a driver for 30 years, and her mother launched and ran her own trucking company, providing Leiva with a natural landing spot when she left the service in 2021 after nearly 16 years. She’s made the most of her short time in trucking, and was recently named winner of the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award during a ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. Leiva topped a field of 11 finalists from across the country to earn the honor. “When they said my name, I’m just like, wow,” she said. “I honestly didn’t even think that was possible that I could win.” Each year, Kenworth teams with FASTPORT and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes to find America’s top rookie military veteran who made the successful transition from active duty to driving for a commercial fleet. To qualify for Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence, the veterans had to meet certain requirements, including having been hired into a trucking position between Jan. 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022. Driver nominations come from for-hire carrier and private fleet employers, training organizations, the general public, and other interested parties. Leiva was the first driver to be nominated by an educational facility within the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools organization. But before earning her CDL, becoming a truck driver and all that … there was the Army. Throughout her military career, which included major deployments to Germany and Iraq, as well as several duty stations in the continental U.S. and Hawaii, Leiva held roles that served her fellow soldiers, such as working in food service and as a drill sergeant. During one of her deployments to Iraq, she was also on the female engagement team, which provided her powerful encounters with local women who were trying to survive with their families in the midst of conflict. “I would actually go out on patrols with the infantrymen. I would talk to the women of the village or the women of the house, because the men weren’t allowed to talk to them,” she said. “I would try to get intel or just have conversations with them, let them know that we’re not there to hurt them. “That was an experience for me,” she continued. “I wore a turban on my head; I respected their culture. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, women tend to see in each other the pain that we all go through. I was a lot younger at the time, probably 25 or 26, but you could just see the struggle in their eyes. It was pretty intense.” If Leiva’s original plan had played out, she wouldn’t have begun her trucking career for a few more years, as she originally intended to serve a few more years and retire from the military with 20 years in. However, when her mother, Noemi, got sick in late 2020, Leiva left the service to tend to her and take over the family trucking company. “She just worked so hard,” Leiva said of her mother. “She worked up until Dec. 24, 2020. When she got home, everybody saw how small and skinny she looked, and we made her go to the doctor right after Christmas. We found out she had stage IV stomach cancer. “I got out to take care of her and I told her I’d get my CDL,” she continued. “My brother and I would take everything on, and she wouldn’t have to work anymore. She was making great money. There was no reason for us to try to change it up. We had her truck, (and it) was paid off.” When Noemi died, Leiva and her brother, Johnny, a fellow veteran, took stock of the situation and decided to carry on their mother’s legacy. They changed the company name from Leiva Trucking to Noemi Trucking in her honor, and picked up where their matriarch had left off. “We’re like, ‘You know what? We have everything here right in front of us. There’s no reason for us to change it up right now,’” Leiva said. “Not to mention, once I started doing it, I could see why my mom liked it so much. She loved her job. She had such a passion for it. She had a passion for her truck, and she took care of it so well.” The brother and sister team had motivation and a good clientele, hauling crude oil for Draco Energy in south Texas. But Leiva admits to learning the finer points of running a business was a “baptism by fire.” “It was everything, honestly,” she said. “I knew how to drive. That wasn’t an issue. It was learning the insurance, how high that would be because I’m a brand-new driver. Getting my own authority. Having an LLC. The heavy highway tax. There are so many things that go with it. “I got kind of frustrated because I never had the mentorship when it comes to having my own truck, being in that type of business,” she continued. “I knew my mom did, and it would have been so easy for me to call her and be like, ‘Hey, Mom, what’s this? Hey, Mom, what’s that?’ But I couldn’t do that, obviously.” Slowly, Leiva gained the experience and knowledge she needed on the business side of trucking — enough to start thinking about the future of the company. Those dreams took a big step forward with her rookie veteran driver award, which carries with it a brand-new Kenworth T680 Next Generation tractor. Now, she says, she’s looking to build the kind of company that provides opportunity to others. “I want to grow. I want to have more trucks. I’ll continue to run these two trucks — my brother in one and me in the other. My sister-in-law just got her CDL, too,” she said. “I want to have a fleet eventually. I want to be able to give other people opportunities like what I was given — not only with the truck I just won, but the truck that my mother gave me. “That was something life-changing and through that, I was blessed to build myself a career and my brother a career. If I continue to do that for other people, I’ll know I have done something to help change people’s lives,” she concluded.

Follow these tips to help avoid tummy troubles while on the road

Hope Zvara - February 1, 2023

If you travel for a living, nobody knows the woes of a grumpy gut like you do. You got that right: We are talking specifically about truck drivers’ health issues today. So, what should you do when you’re bothered by an upset stomach while you’re en route to a new destination? Better yet, how can you avoid tummy troubles while travelling? Here are six tips that can help you enjoy the journey and travel tummy-trouble free. Don’t overeat. It can be hard to resist all any new restaurants and cuisines you could be trying out, but that’s a fatal mistake. Overeating can cause painful cramps, gas and bloating, making it difficult to drive. Next time, try drinking water 30 minutes before you eat. You’ll hydrate yourself and feel less full. Second, set your fork or food down between bites, and try to chew it completely. Don’t swallow your food whole. Eat a high-fiber diet. Fiber regulates your bowel movements, so enrich your diet with fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Wheat products are a good example of high-fiber foods. Also, make sure to wash your food and eat safe meals to avoid getting sick easily. Fiber will save you from uncomfortable constipation, so don’t underestimate the importance of a fiber-enriched diet in truck driver health. Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate! Dehydration causes constipation, muscle spasms and unnecessary tummy troubles. Try to limit your intake of beverages with alcohol, caffeine and high sugar content Some of these can actually dehydrate you, and others can cause blood-sugar spikes that make you want to grab for unhealthy food choices. In addition, these beverages can easily upset your stomach, even though they taste great on the drive. Use the bathroom when you have to. All of us know the discomfort of using a public restroom or a bathroom in a shared hotel room. But research showed that not using the restroom when you need to can cause bowel discomfort and possibly constipation amongst many other truck driver health issues. Not only that, but it can also lead to diarrhea. You should go whenever you have to. Take a daily probiotic. In today’s fast-paced world, filled with fast foods and processed meals, gut disorders are common — and sadly almost becoming the norm. But not all probiotics are created equal. The next time you stop to shop for a probiotic, look for spore-based probiotics, why? Spores are a great choice because of their colonizing habits, resilience to stomach acid and resistance to heat and light. Most over-the-counter probiotics never make it past the gut (or even TO the gut) before they break down and lose their potency. Spore-based probiotics, on the other hand, stay in the gut 21 to 28 days and then exit through your feces, helping you at every stop when it comes to gut health. Plus, with spore-based probiotics, you get the support you need for your stomach lining. This helps you reduce inflammation that can cause “leaky gut.” Stay clean. Stomach bugs can be easily transmitted through unclean surfaces. The only way to truly solve this issue is to ensure you keep your hands and utensils free from as much contamination as possible. Wash your hands as per the recommended method, keep your utensils in a safe place, and wash your fruits and vegetables. Ditch the chemical cleaners; consider making your own using water, vinegar and lemon essential oil. Try this: Fill a spray bottle with water and then add a few tablespoons vinegar and one to four drops of lemon essential oil. Keep it packed in your truck for easy cleaning. Traveling is not fun if your tummy has other plans. But with a little preparation and willingness to try something new, you can be on your way being tummy trouble free the next time you hit the road. Hope Zvara is the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga, a company devoted to improving truck drivers’ fitness and wellness standards. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again. Find out more at www.mothertruckeryoga.com.

Engines: size matters

Cliff Abbott - January 31, 2023

Truck buyers have a lot of factors to consider before making a final decision. In addition to features like the cab, bunk size and other things on the checklist, it’s important to check out what’s under the hood. “There’s no replacement for displacement.” This is a term that’s been around since the early days of the internal combustion engine. Big engines mean faster times at the drag strip. They put the muscle in “muscle car.” In trucking, bigger engines mean less driving time for each trip, faster acceleration to highway speed on entrance ramps, and the ability to tackle inclines without slowing to walking speed with an overheating engine. Drivers wanted more horsepower, and carriers learned that driver recruiting was a little easier when company trucks weren’t the slowest on the road. However, that power came at a cost. Fuel consumption increased with displacement. Increased fuel usage meant increased pollutants from the exhaust stack. Since larger engines required more steel, there was an increased a cost in weight, too. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and others pushed for lowered emissions, manufacturers were pressed to find ways to comply. Lowering fuel consumption is one way to lower emissions and changes in vehicle design to improve aerodynamics occurred rapidly. So, changes were made to engines. Electronics tweaked injection timing and other engine functions to maximize fuel efficiency. Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) was introduced. Mufflers became particulate filters. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) was introduced. Drivers became accustomed to diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), a term that in past years would have been a joke on the level of blinker fluid or muffler bearings. Fuel economy rose. Emissions fell to a point where, in some large metro areas, the air from a truck’s exhaust was actually cleaner than the air being pulled into the engine. A breaking point was reached. Industry experts realized they would soon reach a point where they were getting all they could from the 15-liter engine that was most popular with buyers. The dilemma was in how engine size — displacement — could be reduced without sacrificing power. Advances in technology made it possible to produce adequate power in the 13-liter diesel engine and truck manufacturers made them standard. The demands for better fuel efficiency and lower emissions continued. Today, many trucks leave the assembly line with 11-liter engines. Buyers of used trucks face a difficult decision about engine size. Fifteen-liter engines have more power and, according to some, last longer because they aren’t taxed to the limit during regular use. The concern is that smaller engines must work harder to produce the same power, shortening their life span. The newest 11-liter engines are built with historically small tolerances between moving parts, and thinner engine oils are needed to form protective layers on these parts. However, thinner oils can’t absorb pollutants and engine heat to the same degree as thicker ones. In addition, they may be more expensive than thicker, more commonly used oils. In general, many drivers consider 15-liter diesel engines more reliable — an important factor in keeping maintenance costs down. On the other hand, the increased fuel economy of smaller-displacement engines helps hold fuel costs down. The answer to the question of which engine is best may be in the type of work the truck is expected to perform. A truck pulling general freight in the Midwest, for example, won’t need as much hill-pulling power as one pulling oversize loads across the Rockies. A flatbed driver, a type of hauler that often doesn’t benefit from the aerodynamic products available for van trailers, may feel the need for more power, especially if cargo requires pickup or delivery at construction sites or other unpaved places off the road. Freight with lower rates may demand maximum fuel efficiency, while rates for other freight may be high enough to cover extra fuel cost. Personal preference is also a factor. Some drivers demand the proven reliability of larger engines, while others want the advanced technology found in the newer, smaller ones. Some operators want to minimize the carbon footprint of their businesses, while others are more concerned with driving time and the power to pull the highest-paying loads. It won’t be long before there are more engine choices, including hydrogen, fuel cell electric and battery electric vehicles. For now, however, diesel rules. As for reliability, most new trucks are now equipped 11- and 13-liter engines. They’re getting the job done, but carriers often trade trucks that end up on the used truck market at a half-million miles or more. Will the engines in those used trucks hold up until they reach a million miles or more, as 15-liter engines commonly do? That’s another question for used truck buyers to ponder. Another consideration is resale value. The dollars saved with the increased fuel economy of a smaller engine may rapidly shrink if the owner has to accept less money when selling the truck. Finally, the technological advances used for smaller engines are now being applied to 15-liter powerplants as well. With the right tweaks, 15-liter diesels can achieve fuel mileage comparable to smaller engines — or at least at an acceptable increase, in light of the benefits provided. Automated transmissions are standard on most truck models, helping maximize fuel efficiency.

‘Safety cushion’ can mean life or death

Cliff Abbott - January 26, 2023

While driving, the space between your vehicle and the one in front of you is your only protection from a rear-end collision. Every professional driver understands this truth. Most are taught early in their careers that a fully loaded tractor trailer that’s going 60 mph needs more than the length of a football field to stop — and that’s when conditions are good. Yet, on any highway with moderate to heavy traffic, it won’t take long to spot someone driving an 18-wheeler and following the vehicle ahead too closely. The results can be deadly. A four-wheeler is no match for a large truck, and for a rig to tailgate the smaller vehicle is tantamount to a death sentence for the occupants if anything goes wrong. It’s a deadly practice, but some drivers either don’t understand or don’t care, or a combination of both. Not only is the practice a foolish one, but it can also cost a driver’s job or a career, even if there isn’t an accident. Following too closely is listed as a “serious violation” by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Two serious violations within a three-year period are an automatic 60-day disqualification for the driver. Other violations listed as “serious” are excessive speeding (15 mph or more over the limit), reckless driving, and improper or erratic lane changes. The FMCSA doesn’t disqualify for a first offense, but many carriers consider serious offenses to be grounds for termination. You may not be fired until you’ve had your day in court — but you can be suspended without pay until your court date. Finding another driving job will be very difficult with a conviction for a serious violation on your record. Actually, you don’t even need to be convicted. A warning for a serious violation — or even a ticket for which you were found “not guilty” in court — can still appear on the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report ordered by the carrier you apply to. There’s a process for having a non-conviction removed, but it takes months … and your request may be denied. Part of the reason for this strictness is insurance, which is a big expense for carriers. That expense gets bigger when there are drivers with records of serious violations on the payroll. If litigation happens due to an accident, the plaintiff’s attorney will demand safety records from the carrier. If a carrier hires or retains drivers with serious violations on their records, lawyers can use that information to make a case that the carrier itself isn’t safe. Space is the key to helping a driver maintain a safe driving record. The space in front of your vehicle is most important — but it’s not the only space you should be aware of. It’s good practice not to allow other vehicles to travel alongside you for any length of time. A gust of wind, an object in the roadway or even a sneeze can make your rig swerve to the left or right, putting vehicles alongside yours in danger. Some defensive driving courses teach drivers to have an “escape route” they can take if traffic ahead stops suddenly. Your best escape route is the space ahead. Speed is another important piece in the safe-driving equation, and speeding is worse today than ever. Because of electronic logs, just-in-time shipping practices and a shortage of available parking in some areas, drivers attempt to make the most of their available driving time each day. Some drivers choose to exceed the speed limit in an effort to cover as many miles as possible before time runs out. Speeding is a practice that runs counter to safety principles, but many drivers feel that it’s a necessary part of earning a paycheck on the road. Aside from the risk of earning a serious-level violation because of excessive speeding, the faster you go, the more your stopping distance increases. Plus, traveling faster often has other results, such as the need to change lanes frequently to avoid slower traffic. When drivers can’t avoid traffic, they often wind up following other vehicles too closely. Keep in mind that it’s possible to “speed” even when driving at or below the speed limit. When road conditions are bad or visibility is impaired, you can be moving well under the speed limit but still driving too fast for conditions. If roads are wet or icy, the results can be catastrophic. Parking lots and shipper or receiver yards are also areas where speeding occurs. Drivers must be prepared and able to stop if a truck pulls out from a dock or a pedestrian walks in front of the vehicle. Speed is also related to the space around your vehicle — in fact, speed is usually how you adjust that space. If there isn’t enough space in ahead, slow down. Sure, someone might occupy that space, including cars that were behind you and passed. The reality is that they had to be traveling faster to pass your truck; if they don’t change speed, they will quickly pull away, giving you more following distance. If they don’t, however, it becomes your responsibility to reduce your speed until there is sufficient space in front again. Some truckers solve the problem by driving one or two mph slower than surrounding traffic, allowing faster vehicles to pass them. Other drivers, however, try to go a little faster, hoping to eventually get around the heavy traffic. The stress of driving a tractor-trailer is high enough. Trying to get ahead through a ton of traffic is a sure way to drive stress levels higher. Conversely, slowing down and letting the traffic do its thing is far more relaxing. Finally, remember this: No driver has ever emerged from an accident scene wishing they had been driving faster or following more closely.

Trouble on the horizon: recession could make profits harder to come by in 2023, but still attainable

Cliff Abbott - January 25, 2023

Closing out 2022, the December Cass Freight Index for Shipments, published monthly by Cass Information Systems, indicated a decline of 3.9% in total shipments over December 2021. In the same report, shipping expenditures declined by 4.3% from December 2021, and by 4.2% from the previous month of November. The report noted that holiday shipping volumes were “flattish” compared to 2021. The Cass Indexes use data from Cass customers to report shipments from trucking, ship, rail, pipeline and other modes of transport. While trucking makes up a substantial share of the shipping data, other modes can impact the results. The issue for most truckers is what will happen with freight availability and rates. For the most part, it depends on what the economy does. Inflation had impacted budgets everywhere, from trucking business operations to the purchase of groceries back at home. In its December Commercial Vehicle Dealer Digest, ACT reported, “the longer inflation remains elevated, the more aggressively the Fed will respond with higher interest rates. This increases the chances of a sharper decline in economic activity, and 1) results in fewer commercial vehicles required to facilitate this subdued activity and 2) will likely exacerbate downward pressure on spot and contract rates, adversely impacting carrier profitability.” Alan Greenspan, who served as Federal Reserve Chairman under four U.S. presidents and who headed the U.S. Central Bank for almost 20 years, believes there is a recession coming. In an investment commentary released by his current employer, Advisors Capital Management, Greenspan said, “a recession does appear to be the most likely outcome at this time.” Anyone paying attention to the news knows post-pandemic inflation has raised consumer prices accordingly. In December, the annualized rate of inflation actually dropped to 6.5% after reaching a high of nearly 9% earlier in the year. To counteract the effects of inflation and slow the economy, the Federal Reserve raised its target interest rate from near 0% at the start of the year to the current 4.25% to 4.5%. Further increases are expected. The Cass report containing the indexes said, “After a long downtrend in 2022, the recent bounce in spot rates and tightening in the spot/contract spread suggest a bottoming truckload rate cycle.” The Cass Truckload Linehaul Index, based on the $37 billion in freight bills the firm handles annually, measures fluctuations in per-mile truckload linehaul rates. It does not factor fuel and accessorial costs. The report uses January 2005 as a baseline score of 100. The Cass Truck Linehaul Index for December was 150.5, indicating that freight rates were 50.5% higher than they were in January 2005. While that number seems positive, note that the index reached 168.6 back in May but has steadily fallen in the seven consecutive months since that high point. The good news for trucking businesses that depend on the spot market is that spot rates are holding steady — it’s contract rates that are expected to continue falling for the first half of 2023. As carrier-shipper contracts reach expiration dates, new contracts are being negotiated, many at rates closer to current spot rates. The storm cloud on the horizon is the looming recession. When the economy contracts, there is less freight to haul — and, thanks to a record-setting December for new Class 8 truck sales — more trucks to haul it. The law of supply and demand dictates that rates must fall. How far they’ll fall is a matter for debate. Spot rates, according to data received from DAT Freight and Analysis, have rebounded slightly. Average dry van rates that sank to $1.69 the second week of November ended the year at $1.94. Refrigerated rates followed a similar path, from a low of $2.02 in October to $2.34 at year-end. Flatbed rates hit $1.99 as December started but rose to $2.11 as the new year dawned. One factor in the spot rate increase was undoubtedly the holidays, when many truckers took time off, leaving fewer trucks for available shipments. During Christmas week, DAT reported the number of loads posted on their load board for every truck posted was 5.57 for van, 12.9 for reefer and 14.21 for flatbed. Another DAT report that sheds light on the subject is the DAT Aggregate Truckload Spot/Contract Rate Spread. The graph highlights a simple premise: The gap between average spot rates and contract rates often indicates the direction of the market as a whole. For example, when spot rates began falling in June, average contract rates were still climbing. Prior to the fall, spot rates had actually exceeded contract rates since the first quarter of 2000. As 2022 came to a close, that situation reversed, with contract rates jumping to more than 60 cents per mile higher. That gap shrank to about 45 cents at the end of the year. The DAT report calls this “a key signpost of this new stage of the cycle, even green shoots of a new rate cycle.” That could be welcome news for owners of small trucking businesses. As contract freight rates continue to fall and sales of new Class 8 trucks hit the expected decline, spot rates should begin strengthening. When asked about recession, Eric Crawford, vice president and senior analyst for ACT Research, says his firm is predicting a mild one. “For 2023 the key theme is going to be rebalancing, and rebalancing is going to come thanks to a recession,” he said. “We’re in the mild camp, given some of the good news that we’re seeing on inflation.” Those who may be wondering about trucking profits in 2023 might be cheered by another Crawford comment. “We’re still forecasting profitability to go down, year over year, by a wide by a wide margin,” he said, “but to contextualize where we’re going to be is still maybe the fourth best year on record, from a profitability perspective.”

J.B. Hunt awards full-time company drivers, other employees, almost $9M in appreciation bonuses

The Trucker News Staff - January 19, 2023

LOWELL, Ark. – J.B. Hunt Transport announced Thursday, Jan. 19, that it will award appreciation bonuses to full-time company drivers and full-time hourly maintenance and office employees. The total amount awarded will exceed $8.8 million. “Our people are our difference makers, and the employees receiving these appreciation bonuses have been essential in helping deliver value for our customers over the past year,” Shelley Simpson, president of J.B. Hunt, said. “We want to recognize their continued drive and commitment to excellence and say thank you for contributing to the company’s success.” Only full-time employees hired on or before Jan. 1, 2022, were eligible for the bonuses.

Estes opens new terminal in DFW Metroplex

The Trucker News Staff - January 18, 2023

RICHMOND, Va. — Estes has opened its newest terminal in Arlington, Texas. The Arlington terminal features 203 doors, a five-bay shop, nearly 204,000 square feet of dock space and almost 15,000 square feet for offices, according to a news release. The company now has 17 terminals in Texas and more than 200 nationwide. “We are excited to open this new facility as we continue to grow our services and fleet in the Southwest region,” Larry Sanderson, district operations manager at Estes, said. “Opening this terminal serves as a major milestone in Estes’ growth, and we are excited to welcome new employees, serve more customers and expand operations at this state-of-the-art facility.” The Arlington terminal is in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The terminal features eDock technology, which provides shipment location visibility in real time, the news release stated. Hiring for the Arlington terminal is ongoing and those interested in a career at Estes can learn more by visiting Work4Estes.com.

WIT’s January member of the month has a passion for the trucking industry

The Trucker News Staff - January 12, 2023

PLOVER, Wisc. — Alicia Wilson has been named the January Member of the Month by the Women In Trucking Association (WIT). When she was growing up, Wilson fondly recalls her father taking the family on long road trips, usually an eight-hour trip to the Rockies or drives from Colorado to California. On one of those trips between Colorado and California, Wilson learned to drive, piloting the family car across Donner Pass. She quickly discovered a love for the road and for exploration. “There’s nothing quite like randomly finding new mom-and-pop restaurants and watching the scenery change,” she said. These cherished experiences served as her driving force to pursue a career in the transportation industry. In 2018, Wilson started her professional driving career in the tanker division at a large logistics company. From there, a truck breakdown in Houston, Texas, led to some unexpected friendships and a big career change. In 2020, Wilson became a professional tanker driver for Knoxville, Tennessee-based Highway Transport, a company that provides bulk transportation of specialty chemicals. In 2022 she transferred to her current role, an equipment-cleaning technician for Highway Transport, because she needed to be closer to home to care for her family. As an equipment cleaning technician, she is responsible for performing all aspects of tank trailer and International Standard Organization (ISO) cleaning, including inspecting trailers for residual product and conducting post-cleaning inspections. She is one of the few women to have held this position at Highway Transport. Wilson says the work-life balance she enjoys in her new position gives her the time needed to care for an aging parent while remaining active in the industry she loves. Wilson is not afraid of going after any job and highly encourages other women to continue or pursue careers in the transportation industry. If there’s any doubt or intimidation, she advises others: “Take what the guys say with a grain of salt. With the understanding of what you yourself can do, plan your day with that in mind and ignore the words of people who don’t think you can do it. You do you!” Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance as well as a master’s degree in library science, and she also maintains her CDL. She enjoys the freedom of driving a tanker and hopes to return to a driving position in the future.

Truck transportation industry’s final ’22 job numbers show modest gains

The Trucker News Staff - January 9, 2023

WASHINGTON — The trucking industry gained around 2,100 workers in December 2022 from November, seasonally adjusted data from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) shows. According to the DOL’s final 2022 employment report for the truck transportation sector, there were 1,601,500 workers in the industry, up from 1,599,400 in November and 1,598,800 in October. Average hourly salaries shrunk by a cent in November 2022 to $29.67, while the average weekly hours worked rose to 40.8 in November from 41.3 in October, the statistics showed. December salary and work-hour statistics are not yet available. In 2022, average job growth in transportation and warehousing — plus 17,000 jobs — was about half the average job growth in 2021 at plus 36,000 jobs, according to the DOL. Overall, America’s employers added a solid 223,000 jobs in December, evidence that the economy remains healthy even as the Federal Reserve is rapidly raising interest rates to try to slow economic growth and the pace of hiring. With companies continuing to add jobs across the economy, the unemployment rate fell from 3.6% to 3.5%, matching a 53-year low, according to the DOL. All told, the December jobs report suggested that the labor market may be cooling in a way that could aid the Fed’s fight against high inflation. Last month’s gain was the smallest in two years, and it extended a hiring slowdown that began last year. And average hourly pay growth eased to its slowest pace in 16 months. That slowdown could reduce pressure on employers to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs. Average wage growth was up 4.6% in December from 12 months earlier, compared with a recent peak of 5.6% in March. And in the past three months, job gains have averaged 247,000 — a decent pace but well below 2022′s monthly average of 375,000. “If these trends continue, we can feel more and more confident that the strength of this labor market is sustainable,” said Nick Bunker, head of economic research at the online job site Indeed’s Hiring Lab. “The outlook for next year is uncertain, but many signs point toward a soft landing,” rather than a feared recession. At the same time, December’s hiring figures don’t necessarily make the Fed’s path forward any clearer. The pace of job gains is still strong enough to keep lowering the unemployment rate, which, in turn, could keep pay growth high. Lisa Cook, a member of the Fed’s Board of Governors, said in a speech Friday that “inflation is far too high” and “of great concern,” though she also noted that wage growth “has indeed started to decelerate.” Other recent data also point to a cooling economy: A measure of business activity in services, including finance, restaurants and transportation, contracted in December for the first time since 2020. A similar measure for manufacturing also shrank last month. And a near-doubling of mortgage rates this year has sent home sales tumbling for 10 straight months. Last month’s job gains capped a second straight year of robust hiring during which the nation regained all 22 million jobs it lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the rapid hiring and the hefty pay raises that accompanied it likely contributed to a spike in prices that catapulted inflation to its highest level in 40 years. The picture for 2023 is much cloudier. Many economists foresee a recession in the second half of the year, a consequence of the Fed’s succession of sharp rate hikes. The central bank’s officials have projected that those increases will cause the unemployment rate to reach 4.6% by year’s end. Though the Fed’s higher rates have begun to cool inflation from its summertime peak, they’ve also made mortgages, auto loans and other consumer and business borrowing more expensive. For now at least, the pace of hiring is showing surprising resilience in the face of higher interest rates across the economy. One recent beneficiary is Ethan Edwards of Oklahoma City, who accepted a job offer last month after having looked around for nearly a year. Edwards, 41, had taken his time because he was picky: He already had a job in local broadcasting, where he worked in marketing. But he wanted to find a position in a new industry in which he could work from home while avoiding a pay cut. The strong job market eventually delivered. A recruiting firm, Aquent, connected Edwards to a digital marketing company, where he now leads strategic planning. “So far,” he said, “every step of the way has been awesome.” Among industries, the largest job gains last month were in health care, which added 74,000. Leisure and hospitality, a category that includes restaurants, hotels, and entertainment, gained nearly as much: 67,000. Retailers added 9,000, transportation, and warehousing companies nearly 5,000. Construction companies added 28,000 — a surprisingly large gain considering that higher borrowing rates are dragging down residential and commercial real estate. Many of those jobs were part-time positions. That trend suggests that as inflation began to accelerate, some people took on second jobs to help keep up with rising costs. Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank, noted the December jobs report showed that roughly 80% of people who found jobs the last month of 2022 took part-time work, which typically pays less than full-time jobs. That is likely one reason why wage growth has been slowing. President Joe Biden suggested Jan. 6 that the continuing job gains were, in part, a reflection of his policies, in which the government supplied vast aid during the pandemic to boost hiring and then added spending on infrastructure, computer chips, manufacturing and other areas to support business investment. “It’s a good time to be a worker in America,” Biden said in a statement. “We still have work to do to bring down inflation.” Jared Bernstein, a top economic adviser to Biden, said the administration is still hoping for growth in inflation-adjusted wages. “What’s important to us is that families have the buying power through their paychecks to get ahead,” Bernstein said Some companies, notably restaurants and hotels, are still scrambling to regain jobs lost to the pandemic. Among them is HMSHost, which operates 990 airport restaurants in North America under 350 different brands. The company is looking to hire 100 workers to help staff new restaurants that will open in the coming weeks. Laura E. FitzRandolph, the chief human resources officer, said the company expects demand for travel to remain strong in 2023. “We’re not slowing down in our hiring efforts or our business at all,” she said. HMSHost hired roughly 23,000 people last year as the company desperately tried to staff up after laying off 90% of their workers during COVID-19 shutdowns. FitzRandolph said many job applicants had failed to show up for interviews. But in recent months, the company is seeing more people apply for openings, and those applicants are more likely to appear for interviews. “It’s becoming somewhat easier to find people to work in the restaurant industry,” she said. In June, year-over-year inflation had reached 9.1%, the highest level in 40 years, before slowing to 7.1% in November. Last year, in an aggressive drive to reduce inflation back toward its 2% goal, the Fed raised its benchmark rate seven times. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has emphasized in recent remarks that consistently strong job growth, which can force employers to raise pay to find and keep workers, can perpetuate inflation: Companies often raise prices to pass on their higher labor costs to their customers. And higher pay typically fuels more consumer spending, which can keep inflation elevated. For that reason, Powell and other Fed officials have signaled their belief that to tame inflation, unemployment will have to rise from its current low level. Technology companies have been laying off workers for months, with some, including Amazon, saying that they had hired too many people during the pandemic. Amazon has boosted its layoffs to 18,000 from an earlier announcement of 10,000. Cloud software provider Salesforce says it will cut 10% of its workers. And Facebook’s parent company Meta says it will shed 11,000. Yet outside of high tech, smaller companies, in particular, are still hiring. According to the payroll processor ADP, companies with more than 500 employees cut jobs in December, while businesses below that threshold added many more workers. And an analysis by investment bank Jefferies showed that small companies were posting a historically high proportion of job openings. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Women In Trucking launches 2023 WIT Index Survey

The Trucker News Staff - January 6, 2023

PLOVER, Wis. — The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association is asking transportation companies to complete a survey that collects data on gender diversity in the industry. The data will be used to develop this year’s version of the WIT Index, which is the official industry barometer to regularly benchmark and measure the percentage of women who are professional drivers, in corporate positions and serve in leadership roles, according to a WIT news release. WIT is requesting for-hire trucking companies, private fleets, transportation intermediaries, railroads, ocean carriers, equipment manufacturers and technology companies to report the percentage of women in various roles of their workforce include. “Monitoring gender diversity in a male-populated industry like transportation is critical so that statistically valid data can be used to evaluate progress made in this area,” the news release noted. Data reported will be kept confidential and data will be reported only as aggregate totals of respondents. Individuals completing the survey must be an authorized respondent from the company. Interested participants can report their data via the live survey through April 21 at womenintrucking.org/index. Participating companies in the survey will receive an executive summary of the 2023 WIT Index at no cost. “Since 2007, when the Women In Trucking Association was formed, the percentages of women in the industry have been rising significantly,” said Ellen Voie, president and CEO of WIT. “In order to track these advancements, we created the WIT index to annually monitor the increase in female drivers, technicians, safety directors, managers, and even directors. Your participation in this important survey will help us accurately track these efforts and provide benchmarking opportunities for everyone working toward a more gender diverse workforce.” Last year, the 2022 WIT Index found that the percentage of professional drivers who are female increased to 13.7%, an uptick of more than 3% since 2019. Additionally, the report found that women make up 33.8% of C-suite executives in transportation companies, 40.5% of safety professionals, and 74.9% of human resources and talent management roles.

Ride along with the Hardy Brothers’ Ed and Deb Kingdon as they deliver the 2022 Capitol Christmas Tree

Dwain Hebda - January 1, 2023

Most days, as Deb and Ed Kingdon Jr. go about their business as drivers for North Carolina-based Hardy Brothers Trucking, they do so without so much as a passing glance from fellow motorists. But on a 1,000-mile run back in November, the husband-and-wife team enjoyed the star treatment as they hauled the 2022 Capitol Christmas Tree from The Tar Heel State to Washington, D.C. Whether at scheduled stops or just cruising down the highway, they were in the spotlight wherever they went. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. After all, it’s not every day you see a colorful Kenworth towing an 80-foot flatbed trailer, loaded with a gigantic evergreen — cradled in a special frame and protected from the elements — and decked out in banners and other adornments. “When people saw it, it was pretty exciting to watch their reactions,” Ed said. “Sometimes, as we were going by, you actually could see their jaw drop.” It’s not every day that a state, let alone a trucking company or individual drivers, is charged with such precious cargo. Each year, a different national forest is chosen to contribute the Capitol Christmas Tree, which is popularly known as “The People’s Christmas Tree.” In 2022 that honor fell to North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest for only the third time in history — and for the first time, Hardy Brothers Trucking was picked as the designated hauler. Ed and Deb, who normally haul dry goods out to the West Coast and return with a load of produce, were chosen for the honor from among the company’s 100 drivers. Their selection was part of a months-long process to bring the tree from the mid-Atlantic to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. “We’ve been involved in the process from the selection in July. We’ve been in it from the very beginning,” Ed said. Once the tree was harvested in early November and loaded onto a trailer, transporting the 78-foot red spruce — nicknamed Ruby — was hardly a covert affair. Under the theme, “From the Mountains to the Sea,” the couple’s route included nearly 20 events in various communities in North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Accompanied by a crew of U.S. Forest Service personnel, Ed and Deb drew a crowd wherever they went. “It was a circuitous route that we took, because we had particular communities that invited us to stop and exhibit the tree,” Ed said. “There was a huge banner on the side (of the trailer), and at each stop people could sign the banner. On the back of the trailer, the banner told where we were going. Kenworth did a beautiful job with the wrap on the cab of the truck. It was very identifiable.” The colorful Kenworth tractor and trailer generated almost as much interest from passersby on the highway transit as it did during scheduled stops, tricked out as it was with banners announcing the celebrity cargo. “It was very identifiable,” Deb said. “At night, the top of Ruby, which was at the very end of the trailer, was decorated with Christmas lights and ornaments. People were so excited when they saw that and realized what it was. “A lot of people we’d see went around us and parked on the side of the road and quickly got out with their cameras as we went by,” he continued. “We loved to honk the horn as they did that. Gotta hit the air horn.” The driving duo said the Kenworth T680 Next Gen rig, which features a 76-inch mid-roof sleeper, a PACCAR Powertrain and advanced driver assistance systems, performed without problems in pulling the 80-foot trailer. Nevertheless, handling the truck in close quarters to get to the in-town events made for some interesting moments. “The truck handled beautifully; the only difference is that it’s very long. You constantly needed to keep looking at the mirrors to make sure your back tandems were between the yellow and white lines,” Deb said. “It took some negotiating in some of the local towns, definitely,” Ed said. “It’s certainly honed my backing-up skills.” Dale Norman, director of sales and marketing for Hardy Brothers Trucking, a hauler of freight and refrigerated goods, said the process of selecting the drivers to transport the precious cargo was a challenge, but that he believes the Kingdons were precisely the right people. “Selection of the driving team was difficult,” Norman said. “First off, we had to find a team that was willing to go out and be on the road for nearly a month. That was somewhat of an eliminator, because even though this is a great honor, many drivers have families at home, and they have to keep up with everything there.” In addition to Ed and Deb’s driving records, Norman said Ed’s military service, which included a duty assignment at Joint Base Andrews, was also a big factor in the decision. Both drivers have been active in the annual Wreaths Across America program, in which motor carriers and drivers from around the nation band together to deliver thousands of evergreen wreaths to veterans’ cemeteries across the U.S. For their part, the Kingdons, who have been driving together for four-and-a-half years, said the Christmas tree run was every bit as meaningful as any experience they’ve had behind the wheel. “To see the joy and gratitude … we’ve had so many people who came up and said, ‘Thank you for coming to our community,’” Ed said. “But more than that, this was an opportunity to take advantage of educating the public about the red spruce and what is going to happen from here. Ruby’s seeds are going to be harvested, and they’re going to germinate the seeds and grow hundreds — maybe thousands — more red spruce because they need more in the forests. “The trunk of the tree is going back to North Carolina to a musical instrument company, because the red spruce makes beautiful mandolins, guitars, banjos and violins,” he continued. “So, this was more than a pretty tree, and it’s not just harvesting the tree and taking it away. It’s a restoration project; it’s an instrument project.” As the journey ended Nov. 18 with the delivery and setting up of Ruby at the Capitol, Deb was philosophical about the once-in-a-lifetime experience. “It was pretty personal for me, because I thought of Ruby in her cradle back there as my own personal tree that I got safely get to the Capitol,” she said. “So, when they hoisted her on that crane and put her down that hole, I had goose bumps. I might have had a few tears as well when I said good-bye to her. But knowing she’s coming back in a much greater way to North Carolina, with the musical instruments and the trees that will be generated, that’s very touching for me.” The 2022 Capitol Christmas Tree marks the 57th year of the haul. This year’s primary sponsor was Truckstop.

New federal funding bill aims to make CMVs safer, among other transportation improvements

The Associated Press - December 30, 2022

KINGSHILL, U.S. Virgin Islands — President Joe Biden on Thursday, Dec. 29, signed a $1.7 trillion spending bill that will keep the federal government operating through the end of the federal budget year in September 2023. The bill also includes multiple items that affect the nation’s transportation network and the trucking industry. Biden had until late Friday, Dec. 30, to sign the bill to avoid a partial government shutdown. In the bill, Congress has requested that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) begin rulemaking to improve the visibility of commercial trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds by requiring them to sport special reflective tape. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) also received significant funding and directives. The Democratic-controlled House passed the bill 225-201, mostly along party lines, just before Christmas. The House vote came a day after the Senate, also led by Democrats, voted 68-29 to pass the bill with significantly more Republican support. Biden had said passage was proof that Republicans and Democrats can work together. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader who hopes to become speaker when a new session Congress opens on Jan. 3, argued during floor debate that the bill spends too much and does too little to curb illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. from Mexico. “This is a monstrosity that is one of the most shameful acts I’ve ever seen in this body,” McCarthy said of the legislation. McCarthy is appealing for support from staunch conservatives in the GOP caucus, who have largely blasted the bill for its size and scope. Republicans will have a narrow House majority come Jan. 3 and several conservative members have vowed not to vote for McCarthy to become speaker. TRANSPORTATION FUNDS The bill will allocate $106.3 billion to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and its agencies, which is more than $3 billion than the agency received a year ago and $1.9 billion more than the White House requested. The money will fund national infrastructure improvements via grants to states, municipalities, Tribal authorities and metropolitan planning organizations. The bill also includes $800 million for national infrastructure investment grants. Specifically, the bill allocates: A total of $62.9 billion to the FHWA — $3.4 billion of which is earmarked for highway infrastructure programs and projects. More than $873 million to the FMCSA, which includes $5 million for a commercial motor vehicle driver’s license program, along with $15 million for autonomous vehicle research in rural areas. A total of $5 million for commercial motor vehicle enforcement training and support. A total of $1.2 million for a commercial motor vehicle operators grant program. The NHTSA will receive $1.2 billion — $9 million of which Congress has directed the agency to spend on testing automated vehicles. Along with its funding, the FHWA, like the NHTSA, received a set of directives from Congress. They are: Research and develop infrastructure with new and proven technologies. Begin pilot programs for wildlife crossings along highways. Work with departments of transportation across the nation, along with local governments, to begin projects in the inter-mountain West, including interstates 10, 11 and 17. The work is also to include expanding U.S. 95, as well as studying a new, 50-mile route in Arizona between U.S. 60 and I-10. Completing the controlled-access Sonoran corridor in Arizona from interstates 19 and 10. Passage of the bill was achieved hours before financing for federal agencies was set to expire. Lawmakers had approved two short-term spending measures to keep the government operating, and a third, funding the government through Dec. 30, passed on Friday, Dec. 23. Biden signed it to ensure services would continue until Congress sent him the full-year measure, called an omnibus bill. The massive bill, which topped out at more than 4,000 pages, wraps together 12 appropriations bills, aid to Ukraine and disaster relief for communities recovering from natural disasters. It also contains scores of policy changes that lawmakers worked to include in the final major bill considered by that session of Congress. Lawmakers provided roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies, more than even Biden had requested, an acknowledgment that future rounds of funding are not guaranteed when Republicans take control of the House next week following the party’s gains in the midterm elections. Though support for Ukraine aid has largely been bipartisan, some House Republicans have opposed the spending and argued that the money would be better spent on priorities in the United States. McCarthy has warned that Republicans will not write a “blank check” for Ukraine in the future. The bill also includes about $40 billion in emergency spending, mostly to help communities across the U.S. as they recover from drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters. The White House said it received the bill from Congress on the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 28. It was delivered to Biden for his signature by White House staff on a regularly scheduled commercial flight. Biden signed the bill in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he is spending time with his wife, Jill, and other family members on the island of St. Croix. The Bidens are staying at the home of friends Bill and Connie Neville, the White House said. Bill Neville owns US Viking, maker of ENPS, a news production software system that is sold by The Associated Press. Also in the bill are scores of policy changes that are largely unrelated to spending, but lawmakers worked furiously behind the scenes to get the added to the bill, which was the final piece of legislation that came out of that session of Congress. Otherwise, lawmakers sponsoring these changes would have had to start from scratch next year in a politically divided Congress in which Republicans will return to the majority in the House and Democrats will continue to control the Senate. One of the most notable examples was a historic revision to federal election law to prevent a future president or presidential candidate from trying to overturn an election. The bipartisan overhaul of the Electoral Count Act is a direct response to-then President Donald Trump’s efforts to persuade Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to the certification of Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021, the day of the Trump-inspired insurrection at the Capitol. Among the spending increases Democrats emphasized: a $500 increase in the maximum size of Pell grants for low-income college students, a $100 million increase in block grants to states for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, a 22% increase in spending on veterans’ medical care and $3.7 billion in emergency relief to farmers and ranchers hit by natural disasters. The bill also provides roughly $15.3 billion for more than 7,200 projects that lawmakers sought for their home states and districts. Under revamped rules for community project funding, also referred to as earmarks, lawmakers must post their requests online and attest they have no financial interest in the projects. Still, many fiscal conservatives criticize the earmarking as leading to unnecessary spending. The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.

Courtesy, good customer service can make or break your reputation

Cliff Abbott - December 24, 2022

If drivers often feel ignored while at facilities while they are loading or unloading freight, well … it’s because they are. Most workers at these facilities are focused on meeting deadlines and satisfying their own customers, in addition to tending to incoming or outgoing freight. Other than opening doors, putting the truck in the right spot for unloading and presenting paperwork, drivers are typically ignored. Unfortunately, drivers that DO get noticed by their customers when picking up or dropping off freight are often conspicuous for the wrong reasons. Defective equipment, incorrect or missing paperwork, and inappropriate behavior quickly attract the attention of shippers and receivers — and not in a good way. There are, however, actions every driver can take to maintain and improve their relationships with the customers they serve. Punctuality is paramount. In the “just in time” environment in which many businesses operate these days, missing an appointment can impact schedules far beyond your own. Inventories are often kept low to save the expense of handling and storage. Assembly lines can’t operate without parts, and warehouses can’t fill orders without product to select from. Get there on time. If you can’t, provide as much notice as possible so alternate arrangements can be made. Customers usually understand that legitimate reasons sometimes exist for late pickups and deliveries. However, make sure your reasons don’t sound like excuses. All of the other trucks arriving at the facility experienced bad weather and heavy traffic too, so if they made it on time, your explanation may ring hollow. Regardless of the reason, remain courteous and apologetic, even if it wasn’t your fault. Equipment is another area of focus. While some drivers believe shiny tractors with lots of chrome are the way to convince customers of the quality of their services, it’s rare for a customer to even step outside to view a driver’s motorized utopia. It’s the other end of the truck that gets the most attention. Customers want to know the freight they are shipping or receiving is safe and well cared for. A dirty trailer with obvious damage that can snag boxes of freight being loaded can be cause for concern to some. Holes in the trailer’s sides and roof, especially if the trailer is showing signs of water leakage, can cause shippers to refuse to load and receivers to reject deliveries. Make sure the trailer you’re using is in good repair and is clean. Sweep it out, if necessary. Paperwork is a part of the job, and the way yours is presented can say a lot about your professionalism. If you bring in a manifest and accompanying documents stacked in a haphazard pile, out of order and coffee-stained, the receiver may wonder if you treated their product with the same degree of care. They might also wonder if any of the documents on which they depend are missing or damaged. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to stack paperwork neatly and in the correct order. A clipboard or paperwork organizer can help keep everything in order and just looks better, too. Your personal appearance can also make a difference, and an important one, at that. The hectic schedule of a professional driver can make it difficult to find time for personal hygiene, but if you show up looking like the town bum you won’t get favorable results. There may not be time for a shower and shave, but a clean face, a relatively clean shirt and some deodorant can make all the difference. Keep in mind that what you wear can change attitudes. If your favorite T-shirts are printed with messages or slogans that are in poor taste, that promote illegal activities or advertise alcoholic or other products, it’s probably best to save those shirts for the right environment. Political messages on clothing are nearly guaranteed to alienate 50% of the people you deal with, so save the campaign materials for your off hours. Body decorations — such as piercings and tattoos — are more popular than ever, and are widely accepted in society these days. But, there is always “that one person” who has to push the boundaries by choosing decorations that are guaranteed to offend someone. Tattoos featuring naked women, curse words, swastikas or other designs that might offend are better covered up while at a customer’s location. Attitude is another thing that can attract the customer’s attention, either for better or for worse. Dock employees are totally unaware of the perils and frustrations you faced to get their freight to them. They don’t know about the traffic jams, the DOT inspection, the unreasonable dispatcher, the mechanical problems or the weather. They aren’t aware of the argument you had with your spouse or whatever other problems that may have soured your mood. They’re just doing their job, and they expect the same from you. If you allow your bad mood to impact the way you treat others, don’t be surprised if they don’t bend over backwards trying to please you. Dock workers and office personnel can’t do a thing about your life on the road, but they CAN impact how quickly you get loaded or unloaded — or if it even happens at all. Arguing, especially in a loud voice with plenty of “salty” expressions thrown in, won’t make things go any smoother. In addition, keep in mind that dock workers have knowledge of their business that you don’t have. A delay in unloading, for example, can occur because the forklift driver is waiting for warehouse space to open up. A loading delay could be because they found a damaged pallet of freight and are preparing a replacement. It’s OK to ask questions, but complaining will usually only make the problem worse. If you run your own small trucking business and the customer is YOUR customer, prompt billing and good communication go a long way towards customer satisfaction. If you value the customer’s business, show it. If your customer is a broker or another load source, remember that they need satisfaction, too. The basics of customer service are the same for just about any business. Do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it. Be polite and professional. Show empathy for your customer’s business, whether your customer is your carrier, a broker, or a direct relationship with a shipper or receiver. Business empires have been built on great customer service. It’s a good practice to build yours accordingly.

Like a rock: UPS driver Cleve Francis continues to build legacy of reliability, safety

Dwain Hebda - December 22, 2022

Cleveland (“Cleve”) Francis has been driving for so long — 55 years — it’s difficult to wrap one’s head around it. Before there were laptops, ATMs or solar energy panels, before color TVs, biofuels or disposable lighters, and long before smart watches, digital cameras and video games, Francis was on the road. The very truck he drives for UPS is a repository of things younger than his career behind the wheel – bar codes, GPS, a smartphone, even his CDL – to say nothing of most of the items contained in the packages he delivers. And in this day and age, the fact that he’s driven it all with one company is almost as amazing as the tenure itself. “I grew up in south Kentucky, and I live in Louisville, now,” Francis told The Trucker via Zoom (which was invented 41 years after he first took the wheel). “My two oldest brothers drove dump trucks in their younger days, and I’d drive one. I kind of got it in my blood. “I grew up in a rural area and joined the Army first,” he continued. “Then I drove local for a while when I saw this ad in the paper for a truck driving school and they would place you in a job. I done that, and they placed me at UPS (after finishing). I’ve been here ever since.” In 1967 — the same year the home version of the microwave oven came out — the concept of a commercial driver’s license (CDL) was still 25 years away. Francis initially drove on a chauffeur’s class license, which he earned in two weeks of training. He started on a local delivery route and then sampled some over the road stuff but missed being able to have connections with other people out on the open highway. “After about a year (of local driving), I did take a road job and drove that for about a year — and then went I back to doing delivery,” he said. “I kind of liked delivery to a certain extent. You get to know the people you were delivering to. You’re there every day and kind of know them, know their habits.” As the customers on his delivery route became accustomed to seeing Francis day after day, he became less of a service worker and more a welcomed friend to them, especially in rural areas. The fond regard his customers had for him was always underscored during the holidays as he made his regular stops and dropped off deliveries. “During the holidays it’s kind of an exciting time on delivery,” he said. “People in the city would give you whiskey. That was a gift. Rural people are also pretty compassionate. If you do for them, they want to do for you.” During his twelfth year as a driver, Francis’ regard for and familiarity with his customers paid off in the most important way imaginable. One day in 1979, he pulled up to a regular stop on his route and immediately felt something was amiss on a customer’s property. “He was a tugboat captain, down the Ohio River here, and he had diabetes,” Francis said. “He lived off the road a little bit by himself, as a lot of rural people do. I had medication for him one day and circled the drive up there and seen the door open in his garage.” Francis went in to investigate — and saved a life. “I don’t know how long he’d been lying there — a couple days, maybe. He broke his shoulder when he fell,” Francis said. “He’d lost a leg, you know, with the diabetes. He fell and broke his shoulder and he laid there and got weak. “He gave me his keys up there to his house and I called the ambulance and waited ‘til they got there,” he continued. “They took him to the hospital and told me he would have passed away in another 12 hours. He was pretty weak.” This tale is one of many that comprise Francis’ five-decades-plus of service, a tenure leading him to enshrinement in UPS’ Circle of Honor. This group includes 10,500 active members, each with a minimum of 25 years behind the wheel. “We could not be prouder of Cleve’s accomplishments and commitment to driving safely for himself, his family and our communities,” said Todd Wachter, global fleet safety director for UPS. Among the names on that exclusive roster, Francis is in a category all by himself. Not only is he the group’s elder statesman, but he also has the most years of safe driving among all UPS tractor-trailer and delivery drivers. “Three or four years ago I went to Indianapolis to a convention and tried to figure out my miles,” Francis said. “I’d say it’s about 5 million or something like that. It’s something like 140,000 a year. “At UPS, they have a culture of safety, and they promote that. It’s a little mental also; you’ve got to be kind of mentally into it,” he continued. “They do a lot of training, and it works for the route. They also give you tips in the morning to kind of get your mind on what you’re doing. If you do what they teach you there, you’ll be pretty successful.” Whoever’s in second place isn’t likely to gain a lot of ground on Francis in the near future. Since the 1980s, he’s worked as a feeder driver, and he still runs his well-worn route from Louisville to Union City, Tennessee, round trip of more than 500 miles. “Cleve is a one-of-a-kind driver who loves to drive. You can say driving is his hobby. Not many drivers these days have the drive and dedication to service like him,” said Wall Stanley, Louisville feeder on-road supervisor for UPS. “On days that he has an empty trailer on his way back to Louisville, he will call the Knoxville or Lexington hub just to see if they need help moving loads,” Stanley continued. “This is not part of his schedule, but he will do it to help out.” In whatever driver capacity you could possibly name, it’s safe to say that “they just don’t make ’em” like Cleveland Francis anymore. That may explain why, at age 79, he isn’t entertaining the thought of pulling over for good anytime soon. “I’ve got a few more miles in me,” he said with a gentle smile. “I don’t know how many, but I’ve been pretty fortunate to have good health. I’m pretty proud of my driving career, and as I said, I’m still in good shape. I enjoy driving, so I haven’t quit yet.”

Safety Series: Driving defensively is an ongoing process of learning, reevaluating, adapting

Cliff Abbott - December 20, 2022

What do champion weightlifters, concert pianists and safe professional truck drivers have in common? They understand the value of repetition. Whether it’s muscle-building exercises, muscle memory keyboard moves or safely piloting an 18-wheeler, repetition helps everyone ingrain the skills necessary to excel. Drivers are usually inundated with defensive driving training from their first day in CDL school. The carriers they work for, whether as employed drivers or independent contractors, know continuous safety training improves safety results and impacts insurance rates. Unfortunately, for some drivers, training sessions have become an exercise in compliance with company rules rather than valuable training opportunities. Too often, platitudes and generalizations are presented in place of valuable training. The same outdated videos are played again and again, often containing horrific scenes of blood and guts that are intended to shock viewers into being safe. Quality safety training programs, such as the National Safety Council’s Defensive Driving Courses or the Smith System of Defensive Driving, charge for their programs and materials. Some carriers choose to save the costs by presenting outdated versions or poorly constructed programs of their own. Whatever the program, it’s often the repetitive nature of the training that keeps safety top of mind for drivers. Whether the tenets of the program are called keys, principles, techniques or something else, similarities abound. Most defensive driving programs begin with looking far ahead. The reason is simple. When a vehicle is moving, time and distance are related. Both are included in the way we measure speed, in miles per hour or feet per second. The farther ahead a hazard is identified, the more time the driver has to deal with it. The additional time can mean the difference between being able to stop or not, and may even allow for other measures, like a lane change. A visual scan is another way to remain alert. By keeping a “head on a swivel” (moving both head and eyes all around the vehicle), the driver can identify some hazards before they happen. For example, a car that is overtaking a truck from behind might change lanes and brake in front of the truck it just passed. By noticing the aggressive driving behavior, the truck driver can be prepared. Good drivers scan all mirrors and gauges, as well as everything that can be seen through the windshield and side windows. Be careful, however, of any guidance that specifies a time interval. For example, some programs may specify looking in each mirror once every 10-12 seconds. Don’t get bogged down in scanning for the sake of scanning. In heavy traffic, what’s directly in front can change rapidly in the few seconds it takes to complete a scan. Nighttime on a deserted highway is another example. If there are no headlights in the mirrors, there’s no need to check every 10 seconds. It might be better to do a side-to-side scan to detect animals entering from the side. Some defensive driving programs teach drivers to avoid being “boxed in” so they have an escape route if something happens ahead. It’s not bad advice — but every driver’s first escape route must be the brake pedal. By controlling speed and following distance and ensuring that there’s always enough room to stop before colliding with another vehicle, drivers can avoid accidents. Never let the availability of an escape route distract from the task of making sure there’s room to stop ahead. Visibility also a large part of defensive driving. With the exceptions of bright headlights and fog lights reflecting off a wet highway, it’s always a good idea to turn on lights to make your vehicle as visible as possible to other motorists. Every truck driver has seen, (or not seen) a dark colored vehicle with no headlights in their rear-view mirror. However, lights need to be in good working order and must be clean of buildup of snow, ice or dirt. Modern LED powered lights give off very little heat compared to the incandescent bulbs of yesteryear. Whereas sealed beam headlights of the past were warm enough to melt snow buildup, modern lights can quickly be obscured. During inclement weather, they need to be checked and cleaned more often. Visibility also encompasses the driver’s ability to see. Dirty or obstructed windshields and windows impair visibility and can prevent the driver from spotting a hazard. Mirrors can be obstructed by rain or snow; heated mirrors can dry the moisture but leave dirt and ice-clearing chemicals behind. Carry extra windshield washer solvent, and make sure it will protect when temperatures get below zero. Rags or a squeegee can quickly clean mirrors or side windows to help maintain perfect visibility. Visibility includes eye contact, too. Vehicles that could pull into your direction of travel aren’t as likely to do so if their drivers are looking directly at you. There’s no guarantee that they’ll see your vehicle, but it their drivers are looking away they certainly can’t see you. Make sure they’re looking in your direction. Flash your lights and, if necessary, use your horn. Driving defensively should never be something to learn and forget. It is a never-ending process. Drivers are training with road experience, so they have the best chance of predicting the actions of others and avoiding the aftermath.

For the love of trucks: Ride along with Sue Peña as she travels the road to a professional driving career

Linda Garner-Bunch - December 9, 2022

“Hola, mi gentes!” With these words — which translate to “Hello, my people!” — and an engaging grin, Sue Peña greets an audience of TikTok followers in a video series chronicling her journey to become a professional truck driver. A native of Brooklyn, New York, who now lives in central Arkansas, Peña (known as classysassy4u on TikTok) is proud of her family’s Puerto Rican and Taino Indian heritage. “I wasn’t raised in Puerto Rico, but I follow the culture and traditions, both old and new,” she said. “We are a proud culture, and very welcoming in the sense that we will feed you — even if you’re not hungry.” Peña has extensive experience in feeding people; she graduated from culinary school in New York back in 2007. “I was actually chosen to appear on the second season of ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ but my son was too young, and as a single mother, I couldn’t leave him alone,” she said. She describes her son Nicolas, who is now 20 and a member of the National Guard, as her biggest supporter. While in her 30s, Peña decided her ultimate goal was to become a professional driver; however, it was nearly a decade later before she had a chance to follow that dream. When The Trucker Jobs Magazine team first met Peña in July 2022, she was working as a crime lab forensic technician and moonlighting as an emergency medical technician (EMT), in addition to attending night classes at Diesel Driving Academy (DDA) in Little Rock, Arkansas. In October, she completed her training and passed the final gauntlet — the driving portion of the CDL exam. She now has both hazmat and tanker endorsements and is slated to begin orientation with Dallas-based Stevens Transport in early January. “My biggest challenge was believing in myself, believing that I could do this training that I started late in life,” said Peña, who is now 44. “It wasn’t that I didn’t have confidence; if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have signed up,” she said. “Once I delved into it and realized, ‘Wow! So this is what trucking is,’ I thought, ‘Can I do this?’” She began watching other women in the trucking industry, from her instructors at DDA to female trucking groups on social media. “As I started following the trucking lifestyle of different women out there, some who were way older than me, I started to think, ‘OK, if they can do it, I can do it!’” she shared, adding that all of her instructors, male and female, brought real-world experience to the classroom. We were privileged to follow Peña through part of her journey as she learned the basics of trucking at DDA, cheering her on as she gained confidence behind the wheel. When it was her turn to ring the bell at DDA — a rite of passage signifying a student’s successful passage of the CDL test — we were (arguably) just as excited as she was. Like many women, Peña says she had to overcome obstacles related to both her gender and her ethnicity, in the trucking industry as well as other male-dominated career paths. “I’ve have to stay 10 steps ahead (of everyone else) because I’ve got so many strikes against me. One, I’m a female. Two, I’m a Hispanic female. Three, I’m very short. I’m vertically challenged. I have to be on my game,” she said with a laugh. Two of Peña’s instructors at DDA were women, something she says helped her build confidence behind the wheel. “Ms. Kat and Ms. Rachel, those two were the most that really inspired me to continue pursuing what I was doing. There were days I was like, ‘Aw hell, I can’t do this!’” she said. “But after speaking with them, learning what trucking was like when they started, I realized it was actually harder for them. They paved the way. If it wasn’t for (women like) them, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” Peña says the most memorable milestone of training, at least for her, was the first time she drove a truck a short distance across the driving pad. “It was feeling that movement, knowing that I was driving,” she said. “When they start you off, it’s a straight back; you drive forward, you drive backward. That’s it, nothing fancy. But feeling the vibration, feeling the movement, knowing that I was driving a 53-foot truck and trailer — that moment, I was like, ‘Oh my God! I’m really doing this!’” The second-most memorable step, she says, was the first time students in her class took the school rigs out on the road. “I can only imagine what the instructor was thinking and feeling, knowing that this person was driving a truck for the first time,” she said. “Now I’m comfortable with it.” Watching Peña’s skills progress from those first shaky, tentative attempts to smoothly and confidently completing straight and offset backs, then 90-degree backs and other maneuvers was an amazing experience for The Trucker team. While she’s excited about starting her new career behind the wheel, Peña is well aware that she still has much to learn and that actual over-the-road driving will be quite different from training. The challenge is one she looks forward to overcoming. “Male or female, if this is what you want to do, if this is your passion, if all you think about when you get up and go to bed is driving a truck — then go for it,” she said when asked what advice she would give other would-be drivers. “Do it for the right reasons, do it with the best intentions, and just go for it.”

New survey shows uptick in number of truck drivers seeking new jobs in industry

The Trucker News Staff - November 14, 2022

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Results from a new Conversion Interactive Agency (CIA) and People. Data. Analytics. (PDA) show that 40.2% of truck drivers are looking for new jobs in the industry, up 3% from the spring when 37% said they were actively searching. This was the highest percentage of drivers who claimed they were looking for a new job since CIA and PDA began asking this question in the spring of 2021. In addition, drivers shared they highly value online driver reviews when it comes to making the decision to drive for a new carrier. When asked if they read the online reviews of carriers or just look at the star rating, 58.4% said they do both, making online driver reviews a crucial component of a carrier’s online reputation management strategy. “As we move further into the digital age, it’s becoming increasingly clear that carriers need to adopt innovative technologies or risk falling behind in recruiting and retention,” Kelley Walkup, president and CEO of CIA, said. “Truck drivers are creating online communities and basing their next career move on the reviews of other drivers. They are using social and digital media to look for new driving jobs, and the technology is constantly advancing.” While online driver reviews are a determining factor in how professional drivers select a carrier, 54.6% said that they are more likely to accept a position if there is an offer of a sign-on bonus, making this a topic to discuss when navigating your recruiting strategy. The driver survey data download includes information on a variety of topics impacting drivers today, including not only driver communication topics, but also other challenges facing the industry. Given the recent softening of freight volumes within the last few months, 27.2% of drivers said that their miles have fluctuated, while 24.8% said they haven’t noticed a change. “Almost 50% of drivers stated that their miles have either decreased or fluctuated within the last 6-12 months,” Scott Dismuke, vice president of operations for PDA, said. “One thing to keep in mind is that drivers who are new to the industry have not experienced a “typical” freight market, so these numbers are magnified with drivers who have entered the industry within the last two years. The next couple of months will be crucial in keeping an eye on freight volume, and carriers should keep communicating these shifts with their drivers as a top priority in their retention efforts.” In the survey, drivers also weighed in on whether shipper/consignee issues and delays would cause them to leave a job. An overwhelming 72.3% answered no, as it is uncommon for drivers to blame their carrier. However, when asked if they expect their carrier to fix these issues, 75.7% said yes. “While the data tells us that drivers are not blaming their carrier for issues with and delays with shippers/consignees, it is crucial for carriers to work with their shippers/consignees to improve any issues before they affect retention goals,” Dismuke said. “It is of utmost importance for carriers to have a way for drivers to report these issues with the expectation that you will report back with how you are handling the situation. Often, drivers do not understand that there isn’t always a quick fix, so communication is key in these situations.” Dismuke said as the economy continues to evolve, retaining drivers will remain a challenge for trucking companies. It’s not easy to keep drivers,” “There are a lot of individual factors that come into play,” Dismuke said. “Carriers need to have a good handle on their data, what their drivers are saying – and more importantly, who is saying it. The carriers that can quickly identify and address driver concerns will be at an advantage.” To access the full driver survey report, click here.