Truck Driving Job News

When driving down the highway, there is no chance of missing truck driver Myrna Chartrand — and she wouldn’t have it any other way. With her signature bright pink hair and black and pink truck to match, Chartrand, 40, is known for bringing light and joy to everyone she meets along the way. “The hair has to go with the truck,” Chartrand said with a cheerful laugh. “That’s just how I am. It makes it easy for people to pick me out as the driver of the truck.” Chartrand, who grew up in Oak Point, Manitoba, Canada, with her parents, Dave and Carol, and brother, Corey, now makes her home in Winnipeg. Her family is familiar with the trucking industry: Her father drove construction trucks when she was young, and her brother later became the first on-road trucker in the family. Chartrand soon had her eyes set on making trucking her career as well. “I would have liked to become a truck driver right when I graduated,” Chartrand said. “Corey was already a truck driver, and he would tell stories of the road. They maybe were not the best stories; (they were) about people who would do harm or damage. My mom said that her little girl was not going to be a truck driver.” So, Chartrand looked for another career. “My mom gave me a college catalog and told me to pick something else that was not trucking,” Chartrand said. “I went to college at and got my diploma in chemical and land science technology.” After graduating from Red River College Polytechnic in Winnipeg, Chartrand joined Apotex, a pharmaceutical company. She first began working there while still in school as part of a work experience program. After graduating, the company asked her to stay on — and she did, for seven years. Although she enjoyed her work in pharmaceuticals, she said, trucking was still calling her name. “I was just like, ‘I think it’s time for me to try trucking now,’” Chartrand said. “In my mind, I had some street smarts by that point, and I was adult, and I thought I could handle it. I called my family and said, ‘I think I want to be a trucker.’” Shortly after following her call to the road, Apotex was sold, resulting in a number of layoffs. In Chartrand’s mind, this cemented the thought that she should follow her passion into trucking. “It’s one of those things where I thought, ‘I won’t know if I like it unless I try,’” she said, adding that once she started trucking school, she started having second thoughts. “I wasn’t sure if it was right for me. I wasn’t picking it up right away; I was not a natural. I’m one of those people where if I don’t get it right away, then I think maybe I shouldn’t be doing it,” she said. “My brother encouraged me, and kept telling me that I would get it. He said to just keep plugging away and encouraged me to keep going.” And that’s exactly what she did. “I am very glad that I did, because I absolutely love it now. I was lucky enough to have a good support group behind me,” she said. After finishing trucking school, Chartrand got her first job with Lee River Transport in 2008. “I literally went from the testing station, getting my Class 1 license, to Lee River, where they hired me on the spot,” she said. “I always joke that the paint wasn’t even dry on my license when I got my first job. I was very lucky. My brother worked there also, and we drove together for a while, with him teaching me the ropes.” Chartrand was only with Lee River for a short time before leaving to help take care of her mother, who was fighting cancer. She took an administrative job at a local trucking company so that she could be with her mother in her final days. Her brother also left the carrier, signing on with Portage Trucking. After the death of their mother, Chartrand says, her brother encouraged her to get back on the road. She jumped at the opportunity and joined Portage in 2009, where she remains today. “My brother has been very good to me,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve only had two trucking jobs, and my brother helped me get both of them.” That’s not to imply Chartrand doesn’t know what she’s doing — quite the opposite, in fact. In 2018, Chartrand was honored with the Manitoba Driver of the Year Award. Chartrand loves her work and the variety it provides. “Lots of people like structure — and structure is good at times — but I like seeing new things every day and meeting new people,” she said. “The friendships I’ve made along the way are really high on my list of good things about this job. A lot of my best friends are people I’ve met through trucking.” Since joining Portage 13 years ago, Chartrand has had three trucks. Her second and third trucks have featured her signature pink, including a pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness. Although her mother did not have breast cancer, Chartrand said the trucks honor her mother’s life — and they open doors for conversations during her travels. “I’ve had so many people come and tell me their stories of their experiences with breast cancer, and that is really important to me,” Chartrand said. “I don’t know them from Adam, but they share something very personal. I can relate to them when they tell me their stories, having lost a parent myself. I know what that feels like.” Her current truck, black teamed with her iconic pink, is a show stopper wherever she goes. Chartrand says she loves her career, especially the family atmosphere that trucking provides. “The biggest surprise in this career has been the camaraderie and family in trucking,” she said. “I thought it was going to kind of be this secluded job, but we actually are a family. Nobody leaves you hanging.”

The life story of Rodney Crouch, owner and operator of Indiana-based Dangerfield Trucking, is a biography you don’t realize you need in your life until you hear it. His is a life full of highs and lows, happiness and sadness — but ultimately, one of triumph and peace. Rather than being on the “Highway to Hell,” you could say he’s on the highway to heaven. One of 11 children, Crouch was born in Munson, Indiana. While he currently lives in Indianapolis, he counts his truck as true home, which houses both him and his faithful travel partner, a lively pup named Sammi. “I’m basically married to my truck,” Crouch said with a laugh that immediately makes you feel like you’re talking with an old friend. Crouch didn’t start out in the trucking industry. It was a ride-along with his cousin Angela, a trucker, that sparked his interest in setting his sights on a career as a driver. “After that trip I went back home, where I was working two restaurant jobs and working 80 hours a week and still not being able to make ends meet,” he said. “I knew I had to make a change. I applied to trucking school and that was it.” Crouch said he most enjoys the people he gets to meet along the way, as well as the places he gets to see while driving. He started out driving for other companies, but says he wasn’t making the money he needed to support himself and his children. Eventually, he made the dive into his own business. The story of Dangerfield Trucking itself and how it got its name is the stuff of legend. Named after legendary comedian Rodney “I get no respect” Dangerfield, Crouch says the moniker was inspired by a very dear friend, Herman, who has since passed away. “He was a man who went to our church, and I remember watching him throughout the years. He was an inspiration. I saw him go from only having a pick-up truck to owning his own business,” Crouch said. “He was really close to our family and every time he saw me, he would shout out, ‘Dangerfield!’” he continued. “It became my nickname, and when he passed away … well, I had always wanted to start my own business, and when I was thinking of names, it just came to me. It was just meant to be.” The name isn’t the only part of Crouch’s business that has deep personal meaning. His truck, a 2016 Western Star, is a moving work of art that pays homage to some of his favorite musicians. He had saved money make a down payment on a different truck, but when his son had an accident falling off a cliff, those plans were quickly scrapped. Crouch said the seller understood his circumstances and even refunded the money he had paid. Then, just 30 days later, he received a call from the same seller, telling him they had found the perfect truck that required a smaller down payment — the Western Star he drives today. “When I went to pick up the truck, there were vinyl graphics already on the side from the previous owner,” Crouch said, adding that the truck had belonged to a Vietnam veteran. “It was mostly POW stuff, which I thought was so cool. Now it includes all my favorites bands. I probably have 40 bands on each side.” The graphics feature a veritable “who’s who” of musical icons, including Eddie Van Halen, Johnny Cash, Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Page and Pantera. A particular hero of Crouch’s is the late former guitarist of Pantera, Darrell Abbott, better known as Dimebag Darrell. In 2004, Abbott was killed onstage in Ohio while performing with the band Damageplan. During Crouch’s travels, he says he was fortunate enough to meet Abbott’s brother, Vinnie Paul, at a truck stop. He had a picture made with Paul and Chad Grey, another musician Paul played with at the time. That picture also adorns Crouch’s truck. Paul isn’t the only musical hero Crouch has gotten to know. “I went to visit Dimebag’s gravesite in Arlington, Texas” Crouch said. “I took some flowers and said hello to him.” Crouch had always wanted a tattoo of Pantera’s first album, “Cowboys From Hell,” and he says he “just got a feeling” while in Arlington that he should go to a certain tattoo parlor. The business accepted walk-ins, so Crouch showed up and told the staff what he wanted and why. “The whole place got silent, just dead silent. Everyone just turned around and looked at me. I thought I had said something wrong,” Crouch said, adding that they agreed to do the design for him. After he got his tattoo, the artist asked Crouch to step outside for a chat. He asked Crouch if he recognized another artist who was working in the Parlor. Crouch said he thought the guy looked familiar but couldn’t place him. It turns out that the artist in question was Bob Zilla, the bass player for Damageplan — who had been playing onstage with Abbott the night he was murdered. Crouch and Zilla quickly developed a friendship, one that continues to this day. In addition to several tattoos by Zilla, Crouch has some of his artwork on his truck. Of course, Crouch counts his dog, Sammi, as one of his best friends in life. She was found running around a truck stop in Indianapolis by a friend of Crouch’s. She wasn’t microchipped, and when no one claimed her, Crouch jumped at the chance to claim Sammi as his trucking buddy. “She’s been with me ever since,” he said. “I don’t know her breed, but she’s a “Nosy Nellie” and a “Dora the Explorer” to me. She has longer legs, but kind of a dachshund face. She’s crazy, and under two years old.” In addition to providing companionship, Sammi has proven to be a lifeline of sorts for Crouch. Following a near-death experience — before Sammi came into his life — Crouch realized he needed to make some big changes in his life. While grieving the loss of his beloved grandmother, Crouch had made several decisions that were not healthy either physically or mentally. When he made the choice to fight literally for his life, his world began to change for the better. Those changes are still going on to this day, he says, adding that Sammi helps him remain grounded while on the road. “She helps me learn how to play again,” Crouch said. “She helps me get out and explore. Sometimes I am so focused on work, work, work, and Sammi reminds me to be a kid. Work is something we have to do, but she teaches me to be a kid again, to have fun and be free.” In addition, Crouch says his faith in Christ and his spirituality are a core part of who he is today. After nearly losing his life, Crouch rededicated himself and was baptized. “God has definitely changed me,” Crouch said. “I’ve had wonderful God experiences where he has done things for me that I couldn’t do for myself. [That near-death experience] is what it took to wake me up.” Crouch is also considering the possibility of one day creating a church that caters to the trucking community. With most church parking lots banning truck parking, he says, there are not a lot of places those in the industry can go to worship if they wish to do so. “God is good, and he is taking care of me. I hope that I can help somebody else when I’m on the road who is struggling,” Crouch said. “That’s what I look for with connections with people on the road. How can I be of service, and how can I be a help to other drivers?” he explained. “Some days it’s all about me, and I’ve got to get out of myself, so every day I try to do something for another driver.”

Years ago, Shelle Lichti ran for her safety — and found support in the trucking industry. Dubbed the “Rainbow Rider,” Lichti, who now drives for Hirschbach Motor Lines, has been trucking since the early 1990s. She says the freedom she found on the road proved to be her saving grace from both a turbulent past and the stigma of hiding her own sexuality. Lichti grew up in an orphanage, where she says she faced many challenges, living through assault, harassment, bullying and homophobia. She escaped by finding refuge in the trucking industry. “I thrived, and found that this was something that came relatively easy for me,” Lichti said. “I found that I had an affinity for it, and loved the power, the freedom. I loved that I was in control, especially when I was younger, because so much was beyond my control and having some semblance of that was so important,” she said. “It’s helped create who I am today, and I am very grateful to the industry as a whole. I believe that without it, I would have died, either by my own hand or someone else’s.” Looking back, Lichti says, the paths she took in the past didn’t hold time for encouragement or comfort. Behind the wheel, however, she realized she had a choice: She could use her past as a crutch, or she could move forward. She chose to move forward. As a mentor to other truck drivers, Lichti seeks to help women as much as possible, advocating for their rights as drivers and human beings through her 501c3 nonprofit, LGBT Truckers. When a friend belonging to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community “unalived themselves,” as Lichti describes it, she decided to take action by creating a safe, supportive community for truck drivers. The group now has amassed more than 6,000 followers on Facebook. The group’s followers include both those who belonging to the LGBT community and allies who are employed as drivers, mechanics, office staff and many others. Lichti herself says she delayed coming out as a lesbian for fear of the possible aftermath of bullying and depression. “I wanted people to accept me on my work and not who I slept with, because we are more than our sexuality. It’s such a small part of us, but some people want to make it so big and that’s so sad,” she said. “Why would you be threatened by somebody who is born to be attracted to someone else?” The LGBT Trucker group, which started in 2008 as an 800-conference line that anyone could call, at any time and talk to someone, branched out into other areas as the needs of the group grew. One of those “branches” is the “Highway Hangout,” a series of web-based karaoke sessions during which drivers took turns singing and embracing each other’s voices. In addition, the group offers resources such as help finding LGBT-friendly trucking schools, along with housing and food security. The positive response to the group’s efforts inspired Lichti to ask Hirschbach for support with a colorful Pride-theme truck wrap to show support for her group on the road. The truck was quickly dubbed the “Rainbow Rider.” The most recent wrap, which adorns a Freightliner and features a “Love Is Love” design, was completed and re-debuted in November of 2020. The truck’s interior is something Lichti likes to update regularly. Pink was a staple in her truck’s interior for a while, but she is now updating the decor with different colors, new bedding and an organized kitchenette. She says she has an agreement with Hirschbach to eventually buy the Rainbow Rider; she plans to then donate the truck to the LGBT Truckers organization. “Hirschbach supports every hard-working driver regardless of race, creed, religion, gender identity or sexual orientation,” said Jillaynne Pinchuk, Hirschbach’s chief culture officer. “We support positive messages that foster understanding and acceptance. When Shelle approached us with her idea of the Rainbow Rider to support LGBTQ drivers, we were all for it!” The travel-sized decor inside the truck is what Lichti is used to because she spends most of her days on the road. She says the independence offered by her chosen career in trucking addicted her to the lifestyle of roaming and exploring where she wished with an RV. When she’s not on the road, she resides at campsites all over the U.S. She loves being out in the sun, listening to birds or relaxing with music, books or her crafts, free from worry and moving on with confidence. Acceptance and empathy are strong traits Lichti possesses. Ever since she started driving nearly 30 years ago, she has worked to transform her truck into a home, not only for herself but also for the precious four-legged creatures she’s rescued over the road. During the surge of COVID-19 in March 2020, she recognized an opportunity for fellow truckers to communicate worldwide by sharing photos of their furbabies and posting available dogs or cats. The Facebook group Trucking Furbabies was born out of that desire. “We wanted to create a positive, happy environment where drivers could share photos of their furbabies,” she said. “You can’t stay in a ticked-off mood when you see critters.” Currently, she has two cats and one Chihuahua, Zulu, who had been abandoned at a truck stop in Laredo, Texas. She says she can tell Zulu was previously owned by a truck driver because when the brakes pop, Zulu wags his tail, eager to hop up the steps and into the cab. However, the rabbit-furred Japanese bobtail cats, Neela and Wobbles, were borderline feral when she rescued them. Now they’re properly trained and sweetly nuzzle up to her. The animals she rescues stay with her until they find their “furever” homes — and in some cases like the bobtails, they require more tenderness, love and care. “There are so many animals that are just waiting and wanting their forever home and they get turned away, or put down, for so many stupid reasons, like high (separation) anxiety animals,” she said. “Place them with a trucker. We’re with our animals 24/7.” Neela, nicknamed “Neela-Beela,” has 13 toes on her front paws. Gaining her trust and getting her used to the truck was a challenge, especially because she flinched from sudden movements. Lichti’s sister helped Neela recover — and, in some ways, helped Lichti to recover as well. “Animals are so helpful to drivers, because we need somebody to talk to and something to take care of,” she said. “It’s less lonely. We all know that animals have the health benefits of lowering blood pressure by getting out and exercising and the psychological effects that can help with depression in trucking … I wouldn’t know what to do without one.” For now, Lichti says she isn’t looking to add any new critters to her truck, and she’s working to find “furever” homes for the two cats. She says she’ll likely rescue more animals in need afterward. She estimates she’s rescued 300 animals over the years, and the perfect life she imagines — besides driving — is having an animal by her side.

Most drivers of tank equipment will tell you it’s different from other forms of trucking. In addition to unique driving characteristics — like top-heavy loads and dealing with surging and sloshing cargo — there various cargos have unique characteristics. Often, loads require special handling and paperwork, as well as trailer washouts between loads. It can be a daunting task just to keep up with it all. That’s one reason winning the National Tank Truck Carriers’ (NTTC) William J. Usher Professional Tank Truck Driver of the Year Grand Champion award for 2021-2022 means so much to Thomas “Tom” Frain, even if the initial announcement was a surprise. “I just stood there, thinking, ‘Why did he call my name?’” Frain recalled. “I had met the eight finalists and I thought there was no way. The fellas that I met, their years of service, how they carried themselves.” Frain drives for Knoxville, Tennessee-based Highway Transport, running out of the Knoxville terminal about 10 miles from the company’s headquarters. He and Carol, his wife of 26 years and partner of 35, moved to Knoxville from their home in Upstate New York. Frain says the couple discovered the area because of his in-laws, who lived in Florida but frequently vacationed near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Frains enjoyed traveling to meet them and spend time together. “I remember sitting on the front porch for Thanksgiving in shorts and a T-shirt, thinking, ‘If we’re gonna move, we need to do it now while the children are young,’” Frain said. He has driven with Highway Transport for seven years, joining the company after a long career of hauling for the food service industry. “Even as a child, I was always fascinated by equipment,” he said. “My mother would joke, ‘All anyone has to do to babysit Tom is sit him in front of a tractor.’” The late ’80s, however, weren’t the best of economic times in Upstate New York as industries shut down or moved away. One of Frain’s friends had an uncle who owned a small trucking company — and that quickly drew his interest. “I tried college; that didn’t work,” said Frain said, adding that he was too young at the time to get his CDL. “I worked full-time during the day, and I’d go up there [the trucking company] and fuel the trucks from around the yard for free.” After a year — and when Frain had turned 21 — the company provided a truck for him to test in and gave him a ride to the CDL testing center. With new CDL in hand, Frain hired on at Maines Paper and Food Service. “They were team runs with two drivers,” he said. “Due to my lack of experience, that’s the only opportunity I had there. They put me with a mentor and I rode with him for two years.” Frain stayed with the food service industry for years, until a friend went to work for Highway Transport and called him. “We spoke over the years about how the job was just breaking my body down, and he said I needed to check this out,” Frain said. “I interviewed and fell in love with the company, the people there. It was just a different environment for me.” Frain spoke about the process of learning to drive with tank trailers. “There was a level of arrogance, because I was looking at (other drivers with) 23, 24 years of experience,” he recalled. “So, one day I got with my trainer, Greg, hooked up a trailer and gave it a tug test. “That thing slapped us!” he continued, describing the first time he felt the effects of a liquid cargo surge. The memory of those early days pulling tanks inspired Frain to help new drivers at Highway Transport. He now trains new drivers at the company, helping them to improve their driving skills and teaching them the details of tank trailers and liquid cargos. He also works with the company’s safety department to film instructional videos for other drivers. He has accumulated more than 2 million safe miles of driving and was selected as a Road Team Captain for the Tennessee Trucking Foundation, an arm of the Tennessee Trucking Association. Frain was nominated for the NTTC award by Highway Transport Director of Safety and Quality, Rick Lusby. “It started with basically a paper application,” Frain said. “They wanted years of experience, safe driving miles, community service and leadership roles that you may have taken. It was, if you will, a driving resume.” Frain has plenty of experience in community service, working with the Boy Scouts, the American Youth Soccer Organization, Little League USA Softball and other organizations. Finalists for the award were flown to Washington, D.C., where they appeared before a panel for questioning and were evaluated in front of a camera to assess their communications skills. The panel consisted of five members, including Road Team Captains from the American Trucking Associations, a representative from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Great West Insurance and the NTTC. The winner of the award was announced April 25 at the NTTC’s Annual Conference and Exhibits in San Diego. As the grand champion, Frain will serve as a spokesperson for the NTTC and Highway Transport at industry events. When he’s not driving, mentoring other drivers or working in the community, Frain enjoys camping, kayaking, fishing and hiking. He and Carol have two children who live nearby. “My daughter just graduated from Maryville College with a degree in elementary education. She’ll be working as a fourth-grade teacher. We’re super excited for her,” he said. “My son Thomas just graduated from high school and he’ll be attending the University of Tennessee School of Architecture. “Carol and I, we started with nothing — and we still have most of it left,” he continued with a chuckle. For Frain, the mission is clear. “I want to represent myself and my industry with pride,” he said with a smile. Frain will be driving a brand new, specially decaled Mack Anthem tractor, presented by Highway Transport, and the company gets to show off the spectacular trophy won by Frain for the next year. Whether he’s in uniform behind the wheel, in a classroom or in a suit and tie at a speaking engagement, Tom Frain represents the best of the trucking industry.

For NFI driver Benjamin Rodriguez, trucking is in the bloodline. He comes from a long line of heavy equipment operators in his family, and he says driving a truck was the perfect fit him from the very beginning. “I was actually born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and my family members used to drive mostly machinery and trucks,” he said. “I began driving trucks in 1995. I drove for a waste management company; that’s when I started trucking. It was something that I always loved. I had a passion for it.” Rodriguez’s over-the-road driving career began shortly after earning his CDL at Roadmaster Truck Driving School in Florida in 2008. In the 14 years since then, he says, he’s hauled nearly everything there is. “I have driven a reefer, I have done dry van, I have hauled anything moving out there — except hazmat. I’ve never done hazmat,” he said. “Even recycled material, recycled plastic, just about anything that’s moving around out there. There was no one specific thing I hauled.” Rodriguez can boast of touching all of the lower 48 states in his career, in part because in the early days he was on long-haul routes that took him from coast to coast. It was a tough assignment for a family man. “When I first started in the U.S. I had to do all that kind of work,” he said. “When I started in ’08, at the beginning, it was a little tough because you leave your family behind. You have a responsibility to be home every day and have the time with the family, and then you go out here for four or five weeks out. “But even though that was a little hard, you know, at the same time I had the support of my spouse, which is good,” he continued. “That really helped a lot in overcoming all these different things through the years.” An additional challenge was Rodriguez’s natural desire to keep moving and not sit still for long periods. It was something he had to train his body and system to adapt to on long hauls. “The first two hours of driving, it made me sleepy. I wanted to fall asleep, just in the first two hours,” he said. “The first two hours of driving are always the hardest, but after that your body adapts to what you are doing.” After making a move to NFI about a year ago, Rodriguez is now on a dedicated run, delivering freight to Big Lots! stores along the East Coast. He said he welcomes the new role because it keeps him closer to his home in Pennsylvania. “The advantages of doing that is I come to the same place all the time,” he said. “The trailer is always loaded, so that’s a benefit versus when you are an over-the-road driver, where there is a lot of waiting. Here I don’t have to wait. I pick up, I go to the store and make my deliveries. One day there might be some difficulties, but overall, everything runs pretty good. I really like that. “I deliver to a maximum of four stores a day. The farthest I’ve gone is up to Massachusetts and New York, and as far down as Virginia and a little bit of West Virginia,” he added. Throughout his career, Rodriguez has prided himself on being a safe driver even when navigating the heavier urban traffic along his current route. As such, he’s happy to have seen trucks evolve technologically over the years. “The safety features they have are what’s changed the most,” he said. “They are looking for ways to make trucks safer, even with the new system with ELDs. And companies are getting stronger with the safety and making sure that drivers are doing better out there, so that helps out too.” On the downside, Rodriguez said, safety has become much more difficult to maintain these days, and he sees more challenging situations than ever. “The stuff with people on their phone, it’s amazing,” he said. “I always try keep on the lookout all the time. Even with the new technology going on in the truck, you have to look out. When you are going to get on the interstate and you are ahead of them, you still have to go on to the shoulder trying to get on. That happens a lot. “The other thing is, if you are stopped in one place and you make a turn and there’s a turn to the left or the right, as soon as that light changes they just cut in front of you,” he said. “So, all these things make me more and more aware of these crazy things that people are doing because they just show up in the blink of an eye.” In fact, Rodriguez said, even with all its challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic was actually a much less stressful time to be on the road because so many people were either quarantined or working from home. “With COVID, I tell you something, (driving) was awesome,” he said. “Traffic was good; you could run smoothly. You didn’t have to worry about people doing all this craziness during that year that people were enclosed at home. Now, it’s back to going crazy.” Rodriguez says he believes educating the public about sharing the road with big rigs can help improve overall safety on the road. “(Drivers need to) see what happens when you slow down in front of a truck,” he said. “These rigs do not stop on a dime.” In June, The Trucker Media Group’s CEO Bobby Ralston had a chance to experience a day on the road with Rodriguez — complete with rush-hour traffic. “I was reminded anew of the massive responsibilities these drivers are tasked with, and how our economy relies on the trucking,” Ralston said, adding that drivers are truly the backbone of the industry. “I was really impressed with Ben’s skill in safely making his way through heavy traffic, as well as the rapport he’s built when interacting with NFI’s customers,” he said.