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CVSA honors Werner driver Allen Parker with 2021 IDEA award

GREENBELT, Md. — Allen Parker, a driver for Werner Enterprises, has been named the 2021 International Driver Excellence Award (IDEA) recipient by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). Parker has been with Werner Enterprises for more than 34 years and has safely driven more than 4 million accident-free miles. “Whether it’s his professional activities, like the Werner Road Team and the Truck Convoy for Special Olympics, or his community involvement through his church and singing the national anthem at public events, Allen represents Werner Enterprises and the trucking industry as a caring professional,” said Jaime Maus, vice president of safety and compliance for Werner Enterprises. CVSA recognizes the exceptional careers of professional commercial motor vehicle drivers and their commitment to public safety through the IDEA award. “My reaction upon hearing the fantastic news that I’d received the International Driver Excellence Award was to be humbled,” Parker sad. “To be acknowledged by CVSA is truly an honor.” In addition to his stellar safe-driving history, Parker also does his part for the community. He sings the national anthem before the stock car races at the Jefferson County (Nebraska) Speedway and at the start of minor league baseball games. In addition, Parker participates in the World’s Largest Truck Convoy for Special Olympics. The convoy is a one-day celebration of the trucking industry, its allied partners and law enforcement, all working together to raise funds for Special Olympics. “This year, especially, the Alliance is honored to award a commercial motor vehicle driver for his safe-driving record and contributions to the community and the trucking industry,” said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “We, in the commercial motor vehicle enforcement community, know how important commercial drivers are to the fabric of our society. But when the pandemic hit, the public quickly realized that almost everything we need is transported by truck, driven by a truck driver, at some point within the supply chain. Nominating Mr. Parker was Werner’s way of saying thank you. And selecting and naming him as this year’s IDEA recipient is CVSA’s way of saying thank you.” To apply for the award, nominees must have at least 25 cumulative years of crash-free driving in a commercial motor vehicle, must have a clean driving record for the past three years, must have no felony convictions, must have no safety-related driving suspensions in the past three years and must have no driver violations in the past three years, excluding form and manner violations. With decades of driving experience and millions of accident-free miles driven safely on the road, Parker knows what to do to ensure he is operating safely. “To achieve the miles I have driven is great, but they come one mile at a time,” Parker said. “Focusing too far ahead or behind removes my focus from where I am now.” CVSA’s IDEA isn’t the only award Parker has received during his driving career. He has received multiple President’s Safe Driving Awards from the Nebraska Trucking Association, Werner’s Safe Driver Awards, and one, two, three and four million accident-free miles awards from his company. “My job offers opportunities to meet new people every day and see new parts of the country,” Parker said. “I enjoy being outdoors and not confined to an office with walls. The sunrise ahead of me and the sunset behind me are my only boundaries.” When he has time away from driving, Parker travels with his wife, singing Southern gospel music at churches and gospel music events. In fact, he and his wife have recorded four albums in Nashville. “We also enjoy putting miles on our motorcycle and spending time with our grandkids and great-grandkids,” added Parker. Parker will receive his award at the 2021 CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Wilmington, Delaware, this fall. He will be presented with a crystal trophy and $2,500. The nomination period for CVSA’s 2022 International Driver Excellence Award will open in September.

A love of the road dating back to the ’70s earns Scott Smith Minnesota Driver of the Year award

In what can charitably be called a most challenging year, veteran driver Scott Smith rose to the top of his profession, earning recognition as 2020 Driver of the Year by the Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA). “I was totally shocked. I never expected to win anything,” Smith said. “When they announced the annual winner, I’m like, ‘Really? Seriously? Is this for real?’” Smith, a Minnesota native and driver for BarOle Trucking of Roseville, Minnesota, received the honor during a virtual award ceremony held Feb 25. The 67 year old may not have suspected anything was up, but his wife Karol who serves as safety director for BarOle, cannot say the same. “The only person that knew was our vice president/CFO guy. And the night before, our safety director found out also,” Scott Smith said. “They were the only two that knew basically ahead of time and (Karol) was dying trying to not give it away. She was avoiding talking to me. She had to go to bed early to avoid being around me.” It’s been a long road since Smith first fell in love with big rigs when, as a child, he watched a road construction project take shape out in front of his house. “Watching the guys do construction, they dug up the whole street. They were putting in sewer and blacktopping afterwards,” he said. “All the big equipment, all the trucks. I thought, ‘Boy, that looks pretty neat,’ you know?” Despite this early fascination, Smith’s first job wasn’t behind the wheel, but rather under the hood. After high school, he took a job with 3M’s service garage and spent years working on brakes, tune-ups, exhaust and other tasks. He might be there still, had a buddy not inadvertently piqued his interest in a career change. “A friend of mine was looking for a career change and wanted to get into driving. He didn’t want to go by himself, so he talked me into going with him,” Smith said. “We went and learned driving on the weekends while we still worked our regular jobs Monday through Friday. After we completed our training, we jumped ship from our regular jobs and got into driving.” Smith completed driving school July 4, 1977, and began a love affair with the road that’s still going strong. Over the next 20 years, he would drive for a fuel oil company and Coca-Cola before buying his own truck in 1990. He eventually started driving as an owner-operator with BarOle, and by 1997 was in a company driving position. At each stop in his professional journey, he says he learned something new. “You learn a lot in the beginning,” he said. “I had never been hardly anywhere all my life, maybe northern Wisconsin on vacation. All of a sudden, you’re driving to these places out east, upstate New York all the way up Northeast Coast and places like that. “You kind of just learn as you go,” he continued. “You keep your mouth shut and your ears open. Listen to the guys that have experience, and you learn in a hurry to weed out the guys that are telling the tall tales compared to the guys that actually are giving you some useful information.” Smith must have chosen his mentors well — officials with MTA noted during his award presentation that he’d racked up 4.6 million safe miles and counting. “Driving safe is no easy task, especially when you take into consideration his daily driving conditions like congestion, driver distractions, Minnesota winters and the added challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said John Hausladen, MTA president, in a prepared statement. “Having over 4.6 million safe driving miles is an outstanding accomplishment.” As for his secret to staying out of scrapes, Smith said it all boils down to common sense and a cool head. “Just stay calm. Don’t get excited about traffic,” he said. “I mean, there’s nothing you can do about it. Some jerk cuts you off, you’re not going to be able to chase them down, and what good is it going to do if you do? I mean, you’re never going to see him again. You gotta let it go.” Still, if anyone could be forgiven for losing one’s cool, it would be truck drivers trying to get from point to point during pandemic-ravaged 2020. Smith said COVID-19 gave him some of the biggest challenges of his career. “A lot of it was the rest areas closing down for a while,” he said. “Truck stops, a lot of them, even though they’re open, you were not allowed to bring in your own mug to refill with coffee. You have to use one of theirs. Some, you weren’t allowed to go in, except some would just come to the door and you hand them the paperwork, you wait in the truck. You weren’t even allowed to go inside to use their restroom. A lot of them now, at least, have put Porta Potties at their facilities for drivers to use. “The biggest thing that I noticed with the shutdown, of course, was we kept going full bore,” Smith continued. “We didn’t really slow down. Things still were getting shipped around the country, overseas. Biggest thing was the change in traffic, the lack of it, which I’m not going to lie, was kind of nice.” Smith is equally well regarded for what he does when he’s not on the road. He’s a longtime volunteer with Boy Scouts and volunteers with MTA’s Trucks & Toys campaign, which provides toys to children in need throughout the state during the holiday season. He also enjoys judging at the Minnesota Truck Driving Championships. All in all, it’s a good life, with more good things to come, he said. “The way the trucks are now, they really are user-friendly, comfortable, and I think it’s going to continue on like that,” he said. “Sometimes I think these young guys today just don’t have a clue what we did 40, 50 years ago. But then, when I started the (older drivers) back then were probably thinking ‘Boy, you guys got some nice trucks these days.’ “The trucks are getting better, and we’ve still got good guys out there,” he said. “There’s lots of good drivers on the road.”

Advocacy and adventure: Desiree Wood has never backed down from a challenge

LAS VEGAS — When Desiree Wood presented nine action points to address sexual misconduct in trucking during a 2019 listening session with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in Dallas, she wasn’t sure how the other truckers would respond. Wood had started nonprofit, REAL Women in Trucking (RWIT), nearly a decade earlier to speak out against misconduct in trucking in an effort to help other women heal from their past experiences, to give advice and to become a resource for women in the trucking industry. Instead, she received death threats, Wood said, adding that she discovered many people, both men and women, who were determined to silence her views by digging up personal information in an effort to harm or discredit her. “I’m the person in the room that nobody wants to hear about my priorities,” Wood said with a laugh. “I have the ones that are very controversial.” But as she left that room in Dallas, she heard affirmation from an elderly truck driver, a man, who was in a wheelchair. “I’m so glad you went up there and said that to them,” the driver said to her. “Nobody ever talks about that, and you are so right. It is so past time to have a change in this industry.” It was then that Wood finally felt all her work was worth it. “I can’t tell you how much it meant to me for him to say that,” she said. “It’s a big deal.” As she did then, and every time someone calls her to thank her, Wood said she feels pride in the work she is doing. “(RWIT) has taken a chunk out of my life, and there are so many days that I just want to say, ‘Why am I doing this? It’s not my problem,’” she said. “Then somebody will call me and say, ‘I just watched your videos. This just happened to me, and I’m so glad I found you and I have somebody to call. Could you help me with this?’ That’s what keeps me going.” Wood’s advocacy has certainly made an impact. She collected 10,000 signatures on the nine action points she presented to the FMCSA, and after the listening session, the agency added a link on its website for truck drivers to report sexual misconduct in the workplace. She has also been called on as an expert witness in court cases involving sexual assault. Recently, Wood said, she’s seen pregnancy discrimination, wage theft and training issues become issues in the trucking community. Accessible and safe truck parking has been a primary issue for her as well since the death of Jason Rivenburg in 2009. Rivenburg was murdered during a robbery while parked in his truck. His death inspired Jason’s Law, which addresses research and programs to improve safe truck parking, in 2012. In 2015, Wood started attending the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) truck parking coalition group meetings to educate herself and to speak out. Often, she was the only truck driver present at the meetings, which took place in locations across the U.S. This proved to be a challenge for Wood, as she took time off work and traveled at her own expense to attend the meetings. “I took off work and I went,” she said. “I went, whether I had to take a train or a cab. It was tough. But it was important to have the drivers’ voice there about this issue. Otherwise, you have a bunch of engineers and lobbyists that have never been inside of a truck. I go to these meetings, and most of the people talking about trucking have never even been near a semi.” The road hasn’t been easy for the trucker of 15 years. Wood found a rocky start in trucking, dealing with sexual harassment and insufficient training — and she soon noticed that accusations of rape, assault and sexual harassment were not uncommon in some truck driving training fleets. “When you reported it, you were (often) retaliated against,” she said. You had a target on your back. And in my first year of trying to be an advocate, I had death threats against me. I had people trying to dig up my past.” Despite being harassed herself, Wood was determined to persevere. After hearing other truckers’ concerns, she created RWIT to speak out about her experiences and help other women through similar situations. The group has 1,000 paying members, but Wood said she’d rather help others than focus on the membership. Instead, she finds her group partnering with similar ones to promote their mission. The organization has held self-defense classes and raises funds for Truckers Emergency Assistance Responders. In addition, RWIT created its own annual “Queen of the Road” awards for female truck drivers in 2017. Wood is currently a slip seat driver for BratCat Express, where she shares trucks with other drivers. In the past, she’s spent time as a mentor for training fleets, done less-than-truckload work and spent time as an owner-operator. “I just did not want to work in an office,” Wood said of her profession. “I came into trucking like a lot of truck drivers did. It was a second chance at restarting your life and reinventing yourself.” And that’s exactly what she found, both through trucking and through advocacy for women in the industry. Wood said becoming an advocate wasn’t a choice for her; she felt like she had to be outspoken. The role hasn’t come without challenges. “There’s been a lot of times I just want to quit,” Wood said. “It’s taxed my body, it’s taxed my health, it’s taxed my relationship with my kids.” Wood said it’s challenging to run a small organization by herself, up against federal corporations and the government. Sometimes she takes breaks to clear her mind; then she returns to RWIT to continue fighting the problems. “It’s OK to walk away from it and take a break and go do something else to decompress,” she said. “Then go back, get re-energized and try to fight again. We have a new generation of truckers since (I started). A lot of young women of color have entered the trucking industry. Unlike when I entered — I already had grown children and grandchildren — we’re seeing a lot of women who have never had a baby and are encountering new things.” If no one else cares, Wood said, she does. When she’s not focused on RWIT or on the road, she’s still transporting herself through other means. “I love to ride my bicycle,” she said. “I have a really cool beach cruiser with pink and silver flames on it. I absolutely love riding my bike and going to the beach.” Wood enjoys her “adventure junkie” lifestyle, with a national parks pass in her hand and big views on her mind. She’s a hiker and loves to go to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, Lake Mead near Las Vegas, or Red Rock Canyon in Colorado. “I love to take pictures,” she said. “Even if it’s just a short walk, a lot of the time I get so wrapped up in taking pictures. I especially love taking photos of the sunrise and sunset, and I’ve got some beautiful pictures in Jupiter and Lake Worth, Florida, California and even out on the mountains. Even on the road, I love getting up to see the sunrise come up, and I love seeing it go down. I just get this whole thrill every day over that.” Those sunrises and sunsets will always be a source of peace for Wood, even on the days that are consumed by her driving job, RWIT or other advocacy issues. On those days, she remembers the encouragement she’s been given, and she can fight on.

Steering Your Way to Better Health: Drivers Nicole Patterson, Jason Hawes take top spots in squat competition

“Steering Your Way to Better Health” challenged truck drivers to squat their way to a healthy lifestyle. The latest Fit to Pass fitness challenge was a six-week-long virtual competition during which drivers could train — and share videos throughout that training — but determining the winners came down to the final week. A winner was named in both the men’s and women’s divisions based on the number of squats completed in the final week of the six-week challenge. Bob Perry, known by many drivers as The Trucker Trainer, is the driving force behind the Fit to Pass program, which aims to help drivers pass the Department of Transportation (DOT) medical certification exam. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Perry wanted to do something to keep drivers engaged in exercise. “I had to get creative,” he said. “We couldn’t have live events, so how could we keep engaged with our drivers and keep them motivated?” The first contest had a similar setup to this one, with drivers being challenged to complete push-ups for prizes. The second contest looked to bring awareness to the rising suicide rate among veterans. Participants were asked to do 22 pushups for 22 days in memory of those fallen soldiers. “This is not something to be intimidated by; this is something for anybody at any level to help them get started on some type of fitness program,” Perry said. In the first push-up challenge, Perry said he discovered participants would view the final uploads of others to try and then rush to beat the previous top-ranking participant with more pushups. “A lot of times drivers are lonely and isolated,” Perry added. “This is a good way to interact with social media folks.” In the squats contest, Perry said the competition grew fierce, with many participants waiting until the final day of the contest to share their videos to avoid others attempting to beat their high score. Based on the numbers submitted in the final week of the contest, Nicole Patterson was the winner in the women’s division with 750 squats, while Jason Hawes took the men’s division with 1,845 squats. Nicole Patterson, Women’s Division Winner Patterson chose to participate in the squats challenge after being beaten by only one pushup in the first Fit to Pass challenge. “I felt I needed to redeem myself,” Patterson said. “I’m a competitor and love a challenge, so when they put out the sign-ups, I was happy to sign up.” Patterson made the transition from hauling livestock and flatbeds to over-the-road trucking two years ago. She’s currently a driver for KKW Trucking in California, and she’s no stranger to fitness. Previously a fitness instructor, personal trainer and pageant competitor, Patterson said she struggled with anorexia but knew how important it was to stay fit. “Too many truck drivers are obese, and Fit to Pass is a great tool truckers can use to get healthy again with these fun challenges and coaches to help them lose weight and pass their DOT physical exams,” Patterson said. “I know I recommend this organization to many truckers who think it can’t be done and they’ll have to give up their job. I know I have a different mindset, which makes it hard for people to grasp, but thankfully, Fit to Pass is a place to send them to help them get on the right track.” Patterson trained with five sets of weighted squats, push-ups and planks every other day to prepare for the competition. “My goal was 500 but I felt really good,” Patterson said. “You never know who will win. I was just trying to do my best to put in a good set. I’m super happy, and my company is proud of me too. I’m just glad to do something positive and show people what we can do if we put our minds to it.” Of course, she’ll participate in the next Fit to Pass competition, she said. “I’m also super proud of all the ladies who did their best too, and for putting in the work.” Patterson said. “It’s hard being on the road, but everyone did amazing and pushed hard to do their best. I’m honored to be able to compete with awesome people.” Jason Hawes, Men’s Division Winner Hawes, the winner in the male division, said he came across the contest just as he began working out after a hiatus. He found the contest through his employer, UPS, and started training. Hawes ordered a weighted vest to start using during his runs. “I would do squats with the weighted vest on, and I’d try to increase the number of squats I would do,” Hawes said. “I started off with 25; then I’d try to double it every time.” Hawes’ routine was similar to Patterson’s: He would take a day or two between his squat workouts to prepare for the contest. The highest he had increased his squats before the contest was 500 — yet he more than tripled that number in the final week of the competition. “After I hit 1,000, I couldn’t even feel my feet,” he said. “I was going to try and do 2,000, or more than that, but the numbness kept going up my legs, so I just eventually had to stop.” Now that he’s proved to himself that he can do 1,845 squats without stopping, he is encouraged to keep going. Hawes is now working out Monday through Friday, preparing himself to win the next fitness competition. He’s even set a goal for himself — to get up to 2,000 pounds on a squat machine to break the record in the “Guinness Book of World Records.” “I’ve just always had strong legs,” he said. “I was a search and rescue swimmer in the Navy.” Hawes was in the Navy for six years before he started trucking with UPS. He’s always liked operating heavy machinery, and when the opportunity came up to obtain his commercial driver’s license (CDL), he said, he took it — and hasn’t looked back. The prizes The first-place winners of the competition received a set of Michelin X Line Energy Z Steering Axle Tires, a set of Alcoa Lightweight Champion Wheels and a FitBit Charge 3 Advanced Fitness Tracker. “Michelin has been a huge leader in helping really drive this program to national status,” Perry said. “Then Alcoa Wheels got involved in contributing their wheels. They all understand the value of the proposition of this — if we don’t have drivers, (no one needs) to buy tires or buy wheels. Fahrenheit batteries has been another great contributor. They understand it’s important for drivers to keep their own personal batteries charged and in good shape.” Transflo, Big Rig Mattress, Team Run Smart Freightliner, Zip Check and The Trucker were also sponsors of the contest. Second place winners were Kellylynn McLaughlin with 349 squats and Serge Gresko with 409 squats. Second place winners were honored with a $250 Visa gift card, a FitBit Charge 3 Advanced Fitness Tracker, a Michelin water bottle and a Fit to Pass hat. Third place, won by Amanda Christy with 105 squats and Igor Pavlyukh with 406 squats, received a FitBit Versa 3 Health and Fitness Smartwatch, a Team Run smart hat and a Team Run keychain. “I have to increase the competition level,” Perry said. “This next one, they’re going to win a set of drive axle tires, which is eight tires with four wheels. So, that’s like $5,000. It’s a big deal.” Drivers will have to earn it, though, by completing as many mountain-climbers as possible. The newest competition is already underway. Click here to learn more and to get started.

Yellow driver Robert Herber achieves 5 million safe miles

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — After nearly five decades of professionally driving for YRC Freight, Robert Herber has logged his 5 millionth consecutive mile without a single preventable accident. YRC recently reverted to its roots, renaming itself Yellow Corp. Herber has been involved with the freight industry for most of his life. His first taste of the industry was unloading cars at a cattle feed mill in his native Burkes County, Pennsylvania. During Herber’s 45-year career with Yellow, he has worked out of seven different terminals across the country. He currently drives a dedicated route from Jackson, Mississippi, to Jacksonville, Florida. “Throughout his career, Robert has demonstrated great dedication to the highest levels of professionalism and safety,” said Yellow CEO Darren Hawkins. “We thank Robert for continuing to be an outstanding example for Yellow and congratulate him on reaching this extraordinary milestone.” Herber credits his remarkable safety record to consistency and maintaining habitual checklists. His method is rooted in the Smith System, a set of industry-accepted safety practices. Over the years, Herber has developed his own set of requirements to meet while he drives his route. “Everyone has his or her own system that works best. The important thing is to stay consistent and make sure you are following a pattern,” Herber said. “I’m not comfortable until I’ve followed all steps of my own system; if I don’t complete steps fully the first time, I’ll pull over and double check everything. The rest is by the grace of God. I never thought I would be driving for this long.” In addition to being recognized for each million-mile safe driving milestone, Herber has participated in Maryland’s State Truck Driving Championship, even proceeding to the national championships. “Robert’s unwavering record represents Yellow’s safety focus with excellence,” said Tamara Jalving, vice president of safety for Yellow. “Drivers like Robert are what allow us to continue delivering award-winning service to our customers while keeping highways safe. We are proud to recognize his incredible achievement.” When he is not driving, Herber and his wife have enjoyed attending street rod shows everywhere from Atlanta, Georgia, to Fort Worth, Texas. They also spend their time volunteering in their hometown of Meridian, Mississippi. In 2018, Herber was selected Man of the Year by the Center Hill Community Development Club for his service to the community.

Schneider donated more than $2 million, 5,000 hours of volunteer time to support communities in 2020

GREEN BAY, Wis. — During 2020, the Schneider Foundation worked to support nonprofits by donating more than $2 million in grants to more than 400 organizations across North America. The year also saw the launch of Schneider’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Program with grants totaling more than $75,000 going to 11 nonprofit organizations across North America. The grantees were nominated mostly by Schneider associates and will help organizations inspire dialogue and take concrete actions for change. “Guided by our core values, which include respect for all, we strive to be a positive force in the areas we work and live,” said LuEllen Oskey, director of the Schneider Foundation. “Schneider has a history of giving back, and after the struggles of this past year, we recognize that our financial contributions make an impactful difference in our local and regional communities.” The foundation seeks to support communities and organizations through a variety of initiatives, including: In-kind Donations: Schneider transports shipments for nonprofits in need of assistance; 25 in-kind loads totaled approximately $42,000 in 2020. Pay It Forward: The Schneider Foundation randomly selects 100 associates who, in turn, select a charity of their choice to receive a $100 donation. Dollars for Doers: Associates who volunteer 50 hours in their community receive a $250 donation to support the nonprofit organization of their choice, totaling $10,500 in 2020. Giving Orange: Schneider associates donate funds to help fellow associates in a time of need. In 2020, 13 associates received a total of $7,800 in assistance from the fund. United Way: Schneider is a long-time supporter of United Way. The support campaign went virtual in 2020 through activities such as electronic bingo and an online auction. The company exceeded its annual goal, raising $230,641. The COVID-19 pandemic created unique, unprecedented hardships across the nation, and the Schneider Foundation redirected part of its annual budget to support pandemic relief efforts, including: The Brown County United Way received $40,000 for pandemic relief. HSHS St. Vincent/St. Mary’s Foundation received $10,000 for personal protection equipment. Operation Community Cares (organized through Paul’s Pantry) received $10,000 to provide home delivery services of food/hygiene products. Feeding America received $10,000 to purchase bulk supplies that were distributed to individual local food pantries. In addition, the foundation made donations of $30,000 to the Greater Green Bay Back to Business Grants, and $2,500 to the De Pere Chamber for small business relief grants. “As our communities continue to work towards recovery, we will continue to leverage the Schneider Foundation and support the important work of nonprofits across the country,” said Mark Rourke, Schneider’s president and CEO. “Despite the disruptions to everyday life, our incredible associates dedicated over 5,000 hours of time to volunteering in their local communities.”

The right fit: Milwaukee woman creates high-vis clothing just for women

MILWAUKEE — When Melissa Gaglione couldn’t find a high-visibility coat that actually fit to wear while working in the yard at the Milwaukee towing company the 39-year-old operates with her fiance, she did more than just complain about the lack of safety gear sized for women. “I was like, gosh! What would I be doing right now if I was driving a truck? How would I find the right gear to fit me?” she said, adding that being seen is a vital component of safety, whether driving a big rig or a tow truck, or working in a truck yard or at a freight dock. In addition, she noted, it’s important that clothing fit properly to avoid the risk of loose material catching on equipment and causing an accident or injury. “I mentioned to my fiance, ‘You know what? I should just start a clothing company and make these clothes, because I’m so frustrated!’” she said. And that’s exactly what she did. The result was Safety4Her, a line of high-visibility leggings, safety vests and gloves designed for women sizes S to XXL. As a busy mom with five children at home, ranging in age from 4 to 14, Gaglione said her primary goal was to create items that are both comfortable and functional. “I thought, ‘What’s the thing I love to wear?’ Well, every woman loves yoga pants, or leggings,” she said. “So, I said to myself, ‘What if I made yoga pants that had high-vis taping and that were waterproof, that were non-see-through, that had pockets that you could put your notebook, your phone, everything in?’ Well, that was just a crazy idea!” After doing a bit of research, Gaglione said she discovered that no one had created such a product — and she set to work, designing her first pair of leggings and having some samples made. The first time Gaglione wore her custom-designed gear while attending a tow show in 2018, she was approached by numerous attendees who wanted to know where she found the leggings. In April of the following year, she set up Safety4Her’s first product booth at a Florida tow show. “It was just unbelievable,” she said. “I sold out pretty much all of my inventory, and then I got picked up by East Coast Truck and Trailer Sales, which bought out the rest of my inventory.” She spent the rest of 2019 traveling the U.S., visiting with women in the trucking and towing industries and finding out what they wanted and needed, and what bothered them about products. “It was an amazing journey,” she said. “What almost blew me away was how much depression women had; how many women felt scared to ask for something small, or something that would fit them correctly, so they could do their job and be safe.” Also in 2019, Safety4Her was signed as one of Amazon’s 11 value-added service providers for the trucking industry. Gaglione says she crossed paths with Ellen Voie, president of Women In Trucking (WIT), at a Chicago event designed to let trucking industry executives meet the providers. “She was the most amazing, nicest woman ever,” said Gaglione, who is a corporate member of the organization and was named WIT’s member of the month for November 2020. “She’s helped me promote; she’s really put me in different directions of getting involved.” Gaglione’s company and products are featured in WIT’s ambassador trailer (dubbed WITney), a mobile educational unit designed to introduce women to the career of professional truck driving. Safety4Her, a fully trademarked company, offers high-visibility leggings — which Gaglione says are patent-pending — along with safety vests and sturdy yet flexible impact-resistant gloves. Gaglione has plans to add women’s heavy-duty work pants to the lineup in the near future. “That got a little bit delayed because of COVID,” she explained, adding that she’d also like to expand her line to include products for men and children. Every Safety4Her item is designed by Gaglione to ensure a snug, comfortable fit. “By no means am I a sewer,” she said with a laugh. “I do the best I can, but my rep is highly entertained by some of my sewing.” Gaglione said every Safety4Her product must incorporate three important qualities — fashion, safety and comfort. “You’re working in an environment that probably is hazardous. You don’t want to worry about, ‘Am I going to get injured because my clothing doesn’t fit?’ or think, ‘I don’t really feel good today in my clothing.’ It hinders your job,” she explained. “You want clothing that fits correctly so you can do your job and be safe.” In addition to trucking-industry professionals, Safety4Her gear is gaining popularity with the general public. “Tons of people buy my products for running, walking their dog, things of that nature,” she related. “They’ve told me, ‘I walk my dog in these leggings, and I love them. These are the greatest thing in life!’ Or, some women say, ‘My husband’s a tow truck driver and for his uniform he wears orange high-vis striping, so I want the leggings to wear so I can match him.’” Since launching the Safety4Her product line, Gaglione says her already-hectic schedule has become even busier — especially since the tow-truck business is on call 24/7 —but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “There’s never a boring moment!” she said. “It’s a lot of work, and it’s definitely hard work. (But) you reap the benefits, and you’ve got to roll with the punches on certain things.” So, what’s Gaglione’s inspiration for success? “This is going to sound totally clichéd, but I would truly have to say my fiance,” she said with a smile, noting that he is “the greatest dad ever” as well as a hard worker. “He has built everything he has from the ground up, by himself,” she explained. “It isn’t something he inherited; he started with just a cellphone and a truck. I’ve never seen anybody that has his work ethic.” Gaglione has her own reason for pursuing success. “I want women to feel empowered,” she said. “I want to set a positive example not just for my own children, but all young girls, that nothing can stop you from being who you want to be.” 8

The Long Run: Trucker reaches driving landmark — safely

Chuck Small has reached a milestone that’s the envy of any driver’s career — one million safe miles. To put that into perspective, a million miles would take you around the world 40 times, or cover the distance between the moon and the earth three times. On average, it’s estimated it takes a driver between eight and 10 years to reach that million-mile mark. And while that’s impressive enough on the face of it, to rack up that many miles — in all kinds of weather, traffic and terrain, during the era of distracted driving — without a single incident is nothing short of astonishing. Small credits a safety-first mentality and an inborn desire to constantly improve at his craft as key elements of reaching the mark. Keeping a level head helps, too. “You’ve got to keep your cool. (When) someone does something in front of you, just kind of take a deep breath,” he said, noting that even normally even-tempered drivers can easily become riled up. “I’ve got a friend, he’s a born-again Christian, and he gets upset when he gets behind the wheel. He gets on the CB and yells at them and everything.” It’s also important to take your time. “The biggest thing is rushing, rushing around, because you’re on a time clock nowadays. Just slow down,” Small advised. “Watch your surroundings. Like backing up, you have to take your time. Your following distance, that’s another big thing. Also, you can actually feel somebody is going to come over into your lane. You can feel it by his actions.” It’s a long way from zero to a million but the events that put Small on that path began in the small town of Wareham, Massachusetts, the place he was born and still calls home. “It all started when I was a young lad. My stepfather’s father had a mill that cuts wood, and I used to visit him on the weekends,” he said. “They left the keys in all the trucks. I’d go in there and start it up and put it in gear, go forward, backward. I was fascinated with trucks.” As a young adult, Small retained that fascination. “Later, I was working for a paint company. The paint came up from Kentucky and they’d tint it to a certain color, and I delivered it to paint contractors, hospitals, colleges,” he recalled. “And this guy would come in with a cabover. It was all red, I remember, and I said, ‘Do you mind if I jump up in there and see what it’s all about?’ He said, ‘Sure.’ I sat in the seat and (thought), ‘Wow, this is nice!’” Small attended New England Tractor Trailer School and then was recruited by J.B. Hunt, based in Lowell, Arkansas, and paired with a trainer. “(He was a) very good trainer. They don’t make them like they used to, like he was,” he said. Small earned his commercial driver’s license (CDL) in 1990, and a new life on the road was born. “When I was with J.B. Hunt, I did every state except for Montana,” he said. “Back in the ’90s when the company was starting to roll, they started getting into the rail business. I think I hit every railyard in the United States.” For the past decade, Small has hauled for NAPA Transportation of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. During that time, he’s driven as part of a team, which took him as far west as Colorado. More recently however, he’s been a solo driver; his range is primarily the East Coast but has reached as far as Illinois, Florida and Georgia. Small said in all the years he’s been driving, he’s never seen anything like the conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. “As soon as the pandemic hit it was all go, go, go,” he said. “My wife, she has an illness; she didn’t want me home, so she said, ‘Stay out, stay out, the virus.’ I stayed out five months. Oh, yeah, I constantly ran. The only time I really stopped was for a reset. You’ve got to do your 34-hour reset and then I would just load up.” His expertise and professionalism landed him recognition as NAPA’s 2020 Driver of the Year, but it was a load delivered to a New Jersey Costco that really demonstrated the value of Small’s craft. In March of 2020, he delivered a load of toilet paper from Proctor & Gamble, one of NAPA’s biggest clients and, as reported by The Trucker, people who were standing in line, waiting for that rolled “white gold,” cheered him as he pulled to a stop. “What a feeling that was to have everybody clap. That must be what a celebrity goes through,” Small told The Trucker last spring. “It is usually, ‘Park over there and we’ll call you when we’re ready for you.’ It could be hours upon hours. I felt kind of wanted, and like I’m doing something.” Small, who’ll be 59 in July, has a lot more miles in him, and thanks to improved truck technology, he says those miles are safer and more comfortable than at any time during his driving career. “The truck itself, it’s so cushiony now. The cabover was a spring ride; you hit a pothole, your head would hit the ceiling. Oh, yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “They got all these technologies now. Like back in the day, you had to pull over to make a phone call. They called them ‘Superman booths’ at the Flying Js. And when you get up to the booth, there’s always someone in there. Now you’ve got iPhones, hands-free. “There’s so much technology to help you with your job,” he continued. “I have a lane control now; I put on the blinker to move to my right lane, and if there’s a vehicle there, it sets off a loud signal. A lot of people don’t like all these noises they have in trucks now, but I like it. It’s going to save me, save my life — save their life.”

XPO honors drivers for achieving more than 3 million safe miles

GREENWICH, Conn. — XPO Logistics Inc., a global provider of supply chain solutions, announced that another 10 XPO less-than-truckload (LTL) drivers surpassed 3 million accident-free miles in the last six months of 2020. The following drivers received the honor: Vincent Black of Georgia; Ronald Boring of Tennessee; Craig Boyd of Tennessee; Joe Caliri of Ohio; Marty Collier of Arkansas; Charles Dangerfield of Virginia; Samuel Gleason of Pennsylvania; Dale Pritchett of Texas; Lee Redfearn of Carolina; and Michael Stirewalt of North Carolina. “We’re extremely proud of our entire LTL team and their commitment to our safety culture,” said Josephine Berisha, chief human resources officer for XPO Logistics. “The high caliber of our drivers and our investments in technology are ensuring that every mile driven for our customers is as productive as possible. We congratulate all of our million-milers for being among the best of the best.” An additional 16 XPO drivers reached 2 million accident-free miles and 125 drivers reached 1 million accident-free miles in the same period, bringing the annual number of honorees to a record 230 drivers for 2020. All are employed by the company’s North American LTL unit. These drivers collectively drove 290 million miles without an accident — that’s equivalent to 11,646 times around the world, 583 trips to the moon and back, and three trips to the sun. XPO tracks accident-free miles in its LTL network as part of the company’s comprehensive safety program, Road to Zero. On average, it takes approximately a decade of safe driving to achieve one million miles without an accident. XPO is a North American provider of LTL transportation, with a national network of 290 service centers and approximately 12,000 professional drivers.

Maverick’s Liz Imel named WIT’s member of the month for March

PLOVER, Wis. — The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) has announced Liz Imel as its March Member of the Month. Imel is an over-the-road (OTR) professional driver for Maverick Transportation out of North Little Rock, Ark. Imel grew up on a farm and started driving tractors when she was just 5 years old. Her neighbor was a grain hauler, and as a teenager, Imel earned money by washing his bicentennial-painted long-nose Pete every Saturday. This was the start of her love for big trucks. After working seven years in a farm repair shop, she went to work at a hardware manufacturer, where she started out on the package line and worked her way up to the machine setup. She continued to advance in the company to the position of press operator, and then assistant foreman. After 13 years with the company, she said, it closed because of foreign trade. The company’s closure marked the beginning of Imel’s professional truck driving career. As a severance, she was given money for continuing education. With her oldest daughter out of school and her youngest almost out of high school, she thought, “This is my chance!” Imel started truck driving school at a local community college, and earned her commercial driver’s license (CDL). Imel has been with Maverick Transportation as an OTR driver for more eight years. The first seven years with the company, she pulled refrigerated foods. Now, she is pulling boats and loves it. “Unloading is a great workout. I also love that I get to go all over the United States,” she said. Maverick has recognized Imel for her high level of customer service and commitment to safety by selecting her as Driver of the Month in October 2014 and again in February 2019. In 2019 she was also selected as Maverick’s Driver of the Year, which she said was a great honor. As Imel reflects back on this past year and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, she is optimistic about the image of the trucking industry. “One good thing that came out of this pandemic is that the general public has a newfound respect for professional truck drivers. I challenge every driver to maintain and keep that respect by being true professionals out there — while driving and parked!” she said. Imel also encourages women to join the trucking industry. “This is a great career if you are self-motivated and have a driven personality. If you are able to make split second decisions, are kind to others, and keep a smile on your face, this is a good career for you,” she said.

Driver Q&A: On the road with Lee Strebel

Owner-operator Lee Strebel answered a few questions about his career on the road in a recent interview with The Trucker. Q: Where do you call home? A: I live in Gulf Breeze, Florida, near Pensacola. I used to live near the Truck Stop Ministries office in Jackson, Georgia, so I leave a personal vehicle there and when I go home, I park my truck there. Q: How long have you been a truck driver? A: I just started my 46th year. I started with cabovers. There were a few Petes and Kenworths, but mostly cabovers. Q: Why did you seek a career as a truck driver? A: I read a book when I was really young (6 or 7) about trucking. I thought it was a cool job, and I always wanted to be a truck driver. I was totally fascinated by the book. Q: What do you like most about your career as a truck driver? A: I like seeing different places, meeting new people and hauling fascinating loads. In the past 12 years I have hauled some really cool stuff. We moved the Roy Rogers museum to Branson, Missouri. I hauled the set for the “Hello Dolly” musical. I picked it up at Riverwood Studios in Chicago and delivered it to Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. Yes, THAT Ford’s Theatre. Q: Will you tell us a bit about being an owner-operator? A: I don’t play well with children. I like the freedom of running my own business, running when I want. As an owner-operator I have a lot more freedom in what I do. Q: What did you look for in a trucking company to lease to? A: I looked for one with a very low turnover rate. M&M American has hardly had any turnover. They never advertise for drivers; you have to be invited; then you’re heavily scrutinized. Really, really nice people. The business was really hurt by COVID. Q: How long do you spend on the road at a time? A: Usually, I spend two or three months at a time. I just don’t go home that often. When I go home, it’s for a week or week-and-a-half until I get antsy and have to go back to work. Q: What’s your advice to anyone looking to become a truck driver? A: Be quiet and listen to your trainers. Coming out of truck-driving school, you are NOT educated in trucking. Take it slow and easy, and don’t overdo your skills. If you’re making a maneuver and it looks like you’re not going to make it, don’t become a YouTube sensation. Stop and figure it out, and do it over the right way. Q: More specifically, what is your advice for anyone looking to become an owner-operator? A: Pay attention. Keep track of expenses on the truck. You may not know all the expenses, but you can find out a lot. Tires are wearing out every mile you run, so you have to plan for replacement. You have to be more attuned to maintenance than you do as a company driver. Carriers know they’re going to trade that truck at a certain interval, but you have to plan for much longer. Watch your tire pressure. It makes a huge difference in wear and in fuel mileage.

Averitt associates totaled 5,000 hours of community service in 2020

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Averitt Express associates combined gave more than 5,000 hours of community service as part of the company’s Team Up Community Challenge in 2020. With 76 Averitt facilities, employees served 5,342 hours, helping 118 organizations in efforts including clothing, food and toy drives, disaster relief, mask sewing and donations, litter cleanups, and blood donations. As a result of hours served, Averitt’s executive team is matching dollars for hours with a donation of $53,420 to Averitt Cares for Kids, the company’s employee giving program. “I’m very proud of how our team stepped up to make a difference in our communities during 2020,” said Gary Sasser, Averitt’s chairman and chief executive officer. “While navigating the realities of COVID-19, our associates found unique and innovative ways to help others while at the same time keeping safety top of mind. That’s a prime example of what our team is all about, and I’m excited to see the ways our associates make a difference in the future through the Team Up Community Challenge.” Together, the Team Up Community Challenge and Averitt Cares for Kids make up Averitt Charities. The mission of Averitt Charities is to help those in need through a partnership company that gives back to the communities Averitt serves. The Team Up Community Challenge is a year-round initiative where each facility across Averitt’s network is encouraged to donate at least 40 hours of service to various charitable causes. For more information, click here.

The right dog for the road: Driver puts love, training into his passenger-seat pups

New York native Chris Potter, now based in South Carolina, has always been around canines. He grew up with dogs, trained them for military use while in the U.S. Air Force and has owned a string of dogs for companionship on the road, the latest of which is Nala, a German boxer. If you doubt that there’s really such a thing as a dog whisperer, spend a little time around Potter and you’ll become a believer. His knack for training dogs has taught him a few things about how to select the right dog for the road — most of which, he said, is rooted in common sense. “You just don’t put a dog in the truck that’s not housebroken. Housebreak them and teach them some good leash manners first. Also, introduce them to a lot of people. The more socialization they get, the better,” he said. “There’s no magic formula to whether or not a dog is going to chew — you know, air lines, seat belts, chairs, beds,” he continued. “Give them a toy; tell them what’s allowed to be chewed and what’s not allowed to be chewed. That also needs to be done at the house, before you get in the truck.” As for which dog to select, Potter said it has less to do with breed than personality. “A submissive dog is better than a dominant dog on a truck,” he said. “One of the ways you can tell if a puppy is going to be dominant or submissive is you put them on their back and hold them there. If they fight you tooth and nail, they’re going to be a dominant dog. If they submit, in 15 to 20 seconds they kind of give up and let you hold them there, that’s a better dog for the truck.” Potter has put his considerable training skills to effective use with each of his trucking hounds. However, he said, none rival the encounter that brought Magellan, his first pooch, aboard. “I was in Cortez, Colorado, to take my 34-hour reset,” Potter said. “The Humane Society happened to be nearby, and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll walk over there and pick the saddest-looking dog and see if I can take him for a walk. It’ll brighten his day and mine.’ “There was a dog in quarantine separated from the other dogs. He’d been labeled as a mean, ‘do-not-approach-this-dog’ kind of thing. Well, of course I took that as a challenge,” Potter noted. Within 10 minutes, Potter was inside the supposedly vicious dog’s cage, seated on the floor. Upon noticing what was happening a kennel worker started shouting at him. “He said, ‘Get out of there! That dog is in there for biting somebody,’” Potter recalled. “And I said, ‘I want to walk the dog.’ He says, ‘Dude, you need to get out of that cage,’ and he came over to try to take me out and the dog growled at him. “I said, ‘You go tell your supervisor I may be interested in adopting this dog, but I definitely want to take it for a walk first,’” he said. The center manager wasn’t sold on the idea, but seeing as how the dog appeared to be on Potter’s side, she relented. The staff was so impressed with how the 70-pound pit bull mix passed his walking test that the manager allowed Potter to take the pooch for a ride in his rig. Passing that — and with Potter’s written assurance that the dog would never reside within that county — the dog came home with Potter to South Carolina. “That was my first trucking dog, and I named him Magellan after my GPS,” Potter said. “The sad thing is, I only had him for six months. I live on 2 acres and the second time I took him back there, he went outside and didn’t come home. A little after that, I saw him walking up the steps. He was injured and the best the vet could figure, he got bitten by a copperhead.” Unfortunately, Magellan succumbed to his injuries. Following Magellan’s death, Potter discovered Zeus, a Belgian Malinois of superb athletic ability. Potter says he never felt safer on the road than when Zeus was along for the ride. “Two feet from the door, he could jump over my head, through the open window and land in the passenger seat, without a running start. And he was 90 pounds,” Potter said. “He saved me from getting stabbed in West Memphis (Arkansas) once. I exited my truck, and two guys were breaking into my trailer. Well, one of them got over the fence but the second one left his bloody pants behind, along with a wallet and his ID I could give to the police.” After Zeus, came Baxter, a German boxer whose fearsome appearance belied a sweet, gentle nature. After Baxter was tragically hit by a car last spring, Nala came aboard. Since then, Potter is rarely seen on the road without her. Given Potter’s obvious love of dogs, it comes as something of a surprise to learn that when he started driving 10 years ago, he wasn’t eager to have one ride shotgun. Now he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I was without a dog for a short time after Baxter, and I just didn’t like it,” he said. “A dog keeps me active. I tend to be lazy if I don’t have a dog to walk or play with. So, it’s good for me and good for the dog.”

Fleet Advantage donation of $15,000 will help people with special needs, developmental disabilities

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Kids Around the Corner, a charitable foundation created by Fleet Advantage to support communities, in February donated $15,000 to Arc Broward, a South Florida organization dedicated to helping advance and enrich the lives of people with special needs and developmental disabilities. “Especially since the beginning of last year, corporations have realized how much more important of a role they play in contributing to the development of their local communities,” said Elizabeth Gomez, marketing and business development coordinator for Fleet Advantage. “We are proud to donate to such a worthy cause here in South Florida that is focused on the development of a diverse group of people, as well as contribute toward the development of programs that enrich their lives and introduce lifelong opportunities.” Fleet Advantage recognizes the importance of supporting organizations that play a vital role in the well-being of local communities. “We are so grateful for this generous donation and our relationship with Fleet Advantage,” said Dennis Haas, president and CEO of Arc Broward. “It has been a challenging year to say the least, and support from community partners like Fleet Advantage reminds us that we really are all in this together.” Arc Broward’s programs play a significant role in helping to provide opportunities to more than 1,200 children and adults. Through donations and community programs, the service helps change perspectives and enrich lives of thousands of people and families in the South Florida community.

Gaston College training program helps make truck driving a family tradition

DALLAS, N.C. — The Truck Driver Training program at North Carolina’s Gaston College has helped put four members of one local family on the road to rewarding careers. Danicqua Knox, who will graduate from the program in March, is the latest family member to go through the program, following her mother and two brothers. Danicqua’s mother, Deborah Knox, became interested in truck driving as a career about 19 years ago, but circumstances prevented her from pursuing it until several years later. When the timing was right, she researched various driving schools and decided the Gaston College Truck Driver Training program was the best fit. She entered the program in January 2011 and graduated in March of that year. “Graduation was the best day of my life,” Deborah said. “In my opinion, the program instructors were the best any school could ever have.” When Deborah first started driving, her children took turns traveling on the road with their mom. Her sons, Dontavius Cooper and Steven Good Jr., both of whom worked in the warehouse industry at the time, enjoyed the experience and decided to follow in their mother’s footsteps. Cooper graduated from the Gaston College program in 2013, Good graduated two years later. Deborah’s mother, Easter Walker, also became interested in the industry, and became a professional driver after training at a different school. Deborah and her sons have worked for several different companies, driving different types of trucks and trailers, and gaining experience. “They say that when you love what you do for a living, it stops being a job and becomes a lifestyle,” Deborah said. “I have loved being in the trucking business.” The COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted the trucking industry in 2020, and at one point Deborah and Cooper, who were working for the same company, were furloughed. A few weeks later, they were both hired by a trucking company that contracts with Amazon. “Everything has been good so far,” said Deborah. “So good that my other son, Steven, got a job here as well.” Danicqua said she is enjoying the Gaston College Truck Driver Training program, and she has been riding with her mother on weekends to get some extra training. She looks forward to graduating and continuing what has become a family tradition of truck driving. “I’d like to say thank you to the school and instructors, and to all the people that helped me, and my family, get started in our careers,” Danicqua said. The Truck Driver Training Program at Gaston College, a collaborative program with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, provides the training required for students to operate tractor-trailers and earn their commercial driver’s license (CDL). The program is certified by the Professional Truck Driving Institute (PTDI). “Gaston College has one of the best Truck Driver Training programs in the South,” said Donna Blake, coordinator of occupational and continuing Education. “We know this because our students who obtained their CDLs through our program spread the word to their family and friends about how excellent our program is, and these folks enroll in the program themselves,” Blake continued. “Students have great-paying jobs waiting for them when they graduate from this program. It is truly an honor to work with students who are going places and earning a great living after graduation from the Gaston College Truck Driver Training Program.” To find out more about Gaston College’s Truck Driver Training program, contact Blake at [email protected] or 704-922-2267.

Mini rigs: Michigan woman finds way to indulge love of big trucks

From the time she was a little girl, Amy Wright has loved big rigs. Whether through popular media or seeing them in person, the 47-year-old says she became obsessed with them early in life — and that enthusiasm has never waned. “Ever since I was 3 years old, I was fascinated by big rigs,” she said. “My dad drove a truck before I was born, and I have uncles and other family members who have driven them.” There’s no doubt that, given her love for 18-wheelers, Wright dreamed of getting behind the wheel of a big rig herself and hitting the open road. Unfortunately, such was not in the cards. Wright was born with spina bifida, a birth defect in which the neural tube within the spine fails to form properly while in the womb. According to the Spina Bifida Association, the condition is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the U.S.; yet it’s hard to pigeonhole because every case affects the patient differently. In Wright’s case, it meant being paralyzed from the waist down. It also meant her dream of driving big rigs was over before it even began. “I graduated high school and went to college for two years,” she said. “I always wanted to do something in the trucking industry, maybe like a dispatcher — something where I could be around something I love. It never panned out, unfortunately.” Still, like star-crossed lovers, Wright and big rigs would continue to find ways to intertwine paths. “In the ’70s, trucks were all over TV — ‘Movin’ On,’ ‘Convoy’ and ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’” she said. “My brother and I watched ‘Movin’ On’ even before I can remember it, and from what my parents tell me, I was just fascinated with driving a truck.” Trucks have also bolstered Wright in difficult times, including one particularly memorable instance that she loves sharing. “When I was 6 years old, I was in the hospital with pneumonia — and one of the other patients was Mr. Smoke of the Smoke and Sons trucking company out of Clayton, Michigan,” she said brightly. “We had the same nurse, and she saw me playing with my trucks, so she said something to Mr. Smoke. “He talked to my parents and arranged for me to ride home in one of his trucks. It was a GMC Astro 95 with the 45-foot livestock trailer. That was awesome. He even gave me a little stuffed teddy bear which I still have to this day,” she recalled. Wright may not have been given the opportunity to ever drive such a rig for herself, but while growing up, she discovered the next-best thing. “When I was a kid, I started with the 1:32 scale snap-type (big rig) model kits,” she said. “When I was about 14, I started with the glue kits, so I’ve been doing the glue kits for over 30 years.” From the moment the first two plastic pieces snapped together, Wright knew she had found an outlet for her love of trucks. Over the past three-plus decades, she’s completed models of 175 tractors and 75 trailers. “I love all trucks, but — probably because one of my uncles had one — I’ve always loved International most,” she said. “My all-time favorite truck would be the old-school 4300s.” Wright makes frequent use of social media to showcase her collection, unveil newly completed models and even give people a glimpse of her entire collection, which lines shelves on the walls of her home and stands in proud order in one display cabinet after another. “I do a lot of old-school 1960s, ’70s and ’80s trucks, mainly owner-operator, old school stuff,” she said. “I’m gonna build as long as I can, until I run out of space. This is the closest I can get to the real thing.” Any gaps in her vast collection are rare. Wright, who’s as knowledgeable about truck models as any encyclopedia, knows just what’s missing. “I basically have everything, except maybe a Volvo VN670 that I’ve never gotten my hands on,” she said. She also notes, with a smile, that she doesn’t have a replica of the Smoke rig that gave a little girl the ride of her life. “I don’t have that one yet,” she said. “But I’m going to.” In addition to model-building, Wright has found other ways to indulge her lifelong love of trucks. She regularly attends truck shows, and she also spends time at the local truck stops around Litchfield, Michigan, where she lives, chatting up the drivers, in whom she finds a kindred spirit. “I’m like a sponge; I gather all the information I can,” she said of these encounters. “I like their stories about being out on the road and talking about the trucks they drive. A lot of them love trucks as much as I do, the ones that are the true truck guys, so we have that kinship.”

Penske Logistics announces 2020 ‘wall of fame’ inductees

READING, Pa. — Penske Logistics this month announced the carrier’s Class of 2020 Driver Wall of Fame inductees, as well as members of the Platinum, Gold and Silver classes, as part of the company’s Premier Driver Recognition Program. The program is open to professional Penske drivers in the U.S. and Canada. The Premier Driver Recognition Program has four levels to honor consecutive safe driving without an accident: Diamond (20 years), Platinum (15 years), Gold (10 years) and Silver (5 years). All 18 members of the 2020 Driver Wall of Fame are Diamond Class members. This is the fourth Driver Wall of Fame class. There are now 68 all-time members on display at Penske’s global headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Penske Logistics 2020 Driver Wall of Fame inductees include: Perry Bastian, Pennsylvania; Kevin Baty, Michigan; Esequiel Carmona, Texas; Saturnino Garcia, California; Gabriel Gurrola, Texas; Ronald Hayduke, Tennessee; David Hertzberg, Michigan; Randolph Jezewski, Michigan; Joseph Kilgo, Ohio; Ricky Kiper, Kansas; Robert Morgan, Maryland; Robert Morris, Ohio; James Reda, Michigan; Donald Reinert, Michigan; Gregory Sabo, Michigan; Chris Secord, Ontario, Canada; Roland Simpson, Michigan; and Mark Willoughby, Michigan. A total of 615 drivers were recognized in Penske’s 2020 Platinum, Gold and Silver classes; 19 drivers achieved Platinum status, 62 reached Gold level and 534 were recognized for achieving Silver status. “We are very proud to welcome all four classes of our Premier Driver Recognition Program,” said Marc Althen, president of Penske Logistics. While the Diamond Class is especially impressive, our Platinum, Gold and Silver classes have also achieved stellar status in their professional truck driving careers. Their continued dedication to servicing our customers safely and professionally is the benchmark for all drivers across our industry.”

‘Memorial Run’ rig, driver honor fallen firefighters

Spend enough time on the road these days and you’ll quickly discover there are a lot of tribute trucks rolling down the highway. Each of them brings attention to a worthy group, from service men and women to cancer survivors and various other honorable causes. Randy Rogers, who’s driven on and off since 1999 and full-time since 2016, was always struck by the various rigs that he saw on his runs. But he also noticed one group that was conspicuously absent: firefighters. “I have a friend who has a 9/11 truck. I’ve seen other mass casualty references. I thought, ‘Nobody is taking care of our firefighters, and I want to remember all of them,’” said Rogers, a driver for Neosho, Missouri-based Certified Express Inc. The lack of a truck honoring fallen firefighters was no casual observance on Rogers’ part. Prior to his life on the road, he served 16 years as a firefighter, first in the wild lands of Oregon and years later in small-town and urban settings in Missouri. Firefighting is also a family affair — Rogers’ wife Elizabeth served as president of the local auxiliary for eight years, raising funds for families in need. “I lied to get on my first fire because I wasn’t old enough; I was almost 16,” he said. “I was young and dumb and thought I was going to save the world. I was God’s right-hand man and thought everyone was going to live. I grew up and grew wiser, and learned I wasn’t God’s right-hand man; I wasn’t going to be able to save everybody.” That reality included his fellow brothers in arms. During his firefighting career, Rogers lived through the demise of three colleagues, and attended the funerals of many more fallen first responders. Each experience of loss clings to him like soot. “I cannot explain the loss of a fellow firefighter or police officer, and I’ve experienced both,” he said. “It’s unexplainable; I never shed a tear when I lost my mother, but I can’t stand losing a firefighter. I can’t explain it.” On the highway, Rogers had plenty of time to think about what a memorial truck to fallen firefighters could look like, and with a background in graphic design, he was able to refine those ideas into a bold color scheme for a truck he calls “Memorial Run.” “Now, I’m not disrespecting any other truck out there — thank God for what they do — but there’s trucks out there where there’s so much (information) on the truck that, in passing, you don’t know what the moral of the story is,” he said. “That serves no purpose. I wanted someone to look at my truck doing 70 miles per hour and know what it is.” Rogers might have had the idea and the design, but what he lacked was an actual rig and the means to bring it to life. That all changed one day when he screwed down the courage to approach CEI’s CEO Scott Wade. “I had this idea for months,” he said. “A fellow driver is the father of one of my fallen fellow firefighters, and he’s the one that brought me back into driving again. I pitched this idea to him, and he said, ‘Just go to Scott.’” As it turned out, Wade had been considering wrapping a truck but had ideas for other causes. Rogers recalls being “about 14 seconds” into his vision for Memorial Run before the boss had heard enough. “He said, ‘You put together a design and shoot it to me.’ I sent it to him that afternoon and was scared to death to open his email response,” Rogers recalled. “Finally, I did, and he said, ‘I frickin’ love it.’ “Scott has been behind this 1,000 percent,” Rogers continued. “He gets to our funerals, parades, he puts his money where his mouth is. I almost feel guilty because he’s done so much for me on this.” Memorial Run I hit the road in April 2018 and, over the next two years, turned heads as it traveled throughout the lower 48. After two years on the road, the engine blew, paving the way for Memorial Run II, which rolled out in August 2020. This new incarnation of Memorial Run sports the same Maltese Cross, reflective detailing and the honored fallen listed on the memorial wall behind the cab. At present, the wall includes 13 gold ribbons and three mass casualties. Rogers said there’s no formal process for adding to the wall; names and stories reach him and some “just feel like they should be there.” He hopes the mere existence of the truck, designed to honor all, brings pride and joy to everyone who sees it. So far, that’s exactly what it has done. “I have two taglines. One is simply ‘… because we can’t forget,’ and I think we’ve accomplished the mission,” he said. “Are we done? No, not even close. I’m planning soon to get a matching trailer to go with the truck. I’m considering reaching out through my social media to market smaller gold ribbons for people, that would go on the trailer, and I think we can fit about 400 six-inch gold ribbons on it. I really want to get this done, but I need to learn to slow down. The good Lord is trying to teach me how.” Rogers hopes others will share his passion for honoring fallen first responders. “I want people to remember those dead firemen. I don’t care if you remember a name on our truck, just remember our guys go to work every day and sometimes they don’t come home,” he said. “I’ve been stopped and photographed by people. One guy followed my truck for 80 miles to take a photo. People have told me they saw my truck, and now every time they see a red truck, they think about mine. That’s the whole point.”

Tennessee Highway Patrol to escort 2021 Big G Motorcycle Ride benefiting St. Jude

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — Big G Express is planning its sixth annual Big G Motorcycle Ride to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on June 5. In partnership with the Tennessee Trucking Foundation, Big G’s fundraiser will help St. Jude continue leading the way in how the world treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. “I’m so excited about the ride,” said Tim Chelette, driver and fundraiser organizer for Big G Express. “This year, we’re going to be escorted by the Tennessee Highway Patrol from the time we leave the Big G yard all the way to Jim Oliver’s Smokehouse.” The ride, which is about 75 miles long, will start at the Big G Yard at 193 Aldi Blvd. in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, and end at 850 W. Main St. in Monteagle, Tennessee. At the restaurant, all riders will be eligible for door prize drawings, and a fundraiser auction will be held. In a video address promoting the annual ride, Chelette said Big G riders and supporters raised $25,000 during last year’s ride. In five years, the fundraiser has collected $56,000 for St. Jude. Registration for the ride will begin at 7:30 a.m. June 5 (fee is $20 per motorcycle), then kickstands up at 9 a.m. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided. “Imagine the enormous good that could be done for the children at St. Jude with donations of just $1 or $5,” Chelette said. “It’s people like you who show up, who show out and like to support St. Jude —and it’s the children being treated there and their families who benefit. Because at the end of the day, zero dollars is what they pay.” To donate items for the auction, contact Chelette at 615-308-7502 or [email protected]. To make Big G Motorcycle Ride donations directly to St. Jude, click here.

Averitt Express employees raise more than $1 million for St. Jude in 2020

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Truck drivers and other employees of Averitt Express in 2020 raised more than $1 million — $1,000,001, to be exact — for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The funds donated in 2020 matched the company’s record for its largest-ever contribution in 2019, and marked the sixth consecutive year Averitt employees either matched or set a record in their donation to the hospital. The amount equals the $1,000,001 that was given by Averitt in 2019. The milestone was fueled by weekly contributions from Averitt employees as part of Averitt Cares for Kids, the company’s charitable employee-giving program. About 96% of Averitt associates participated, giving $1 per week to help St. Jude, in addition to other causes. Averitt also makes contributions to Averitt Cares for Kids in recognition of associates’ accomplishments, participation in community service projects, and life events. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides treatment — completely free of charge — for children who are battling cancer. “We frequently talk about ‘The Power of One’ — the idea that everyone can make a difference as we work together,” said Gary Sasser, chairman and CEO of Averitt. “That’s why we continue to add the extra dollar to our donations. I’m humbled by the giving spirit of our team, and I’m proud of the way our associates use teamwork to help those in need. This is also a great example of what St. Jude founder Danny Thomas once said: ‘I’d rather have a million people give me a dollar than one give me a million.’” Since Averitt Cares for Kids began in 1987, it has contributed close to $12 million overall to numerous charities, including more than $9 million to St. Jude. Averitt Cares for Kids completed a $1.5 million endowment to help fund the initial construction of the St. Jude Leukemia and Lymphoma Clinic, where the majority of St. Jude patients are treated. Averitt associates’ most recent contribution will continue to support the innovative research and lifesaving care at St. Jude, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Clinic.