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Published by Arkansas Trucking Report, 2017-09-11 17:29:54

Arkansas Trucking Report Volume 22. Issue 4

ATR 4 2017 web

Award-Winning Magazine of the Arkansas Trucking Association Vol. 22 | Issue 4 2017 | $4.95

LAURA LANE

Iron Woman

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IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 4 2017

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE AND COVER F E AT UR E S
BY DAVID BOHRER
ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 COVER STORY
28 IRON WOMAN
UPS’s president of global public affairs Laura Lane
shares her resilience with the trucking industry

By Bethany May

CAPITOL WATCH
19 HAULING IT IN

State PAC must grow for trucking’s voice to be heard
By Steve Brawner

24 ELD MANDATE IS FINALLY HERE…ALMOST
Enforcement, education and capacity effect still unknowns

By Steve Brawner

TRADE SECRETS
36 FUNDING THE FUTURE
Carl Tapp’s memory lives on in

technician scholarship fund
By Lacey Thacker

39 FATAL DISTRACTION
One of trucking’s top concerns

By Angela E. Thomas

SCENE AROUND
42 GOLD MEDALS FOR TDC’S

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
2017 Arkansas Trucking Championship recap

By ATR Staff

D E PA R T M E N T S

7 Up Front: by Shannon Newton
8 They Said It

10 News in Brief
17 Calendar of Events

50 Insider Trucking
52 Stat View

53 Advertiser Resource Index
54 The Last Word: by Matt Hart

5



Award-Winning Magazine of the Arkansas Trucking Association UP FRONT

Arkansas Trucking Report is owned by the Arkansas Trucking Association, RAYS OF LIGHT
Inc. and is published bimonthly. For additional copies, to order reprints
of individual articles or to become a subscriber to ATR, contact Caitlin Last week, around 1:18 p.m., people gathered on the sidewalk outside the office,
Walraven at 501.372.3462. passing around pairs of funny cardboard glasses, to crane their necks back and look
skyward for the solar eclipse.
executive editor
SHANNON NEWTON Because Arkansas didn’t lie in the path of totality, only 90 percent of the sun was
covered. Ninety percent sounds like a lot, but unless you had the right lenses, the
managing editor day wasn’t that much different than any other day. Crescent shadows fell on the
BETHANY MAY pavement, and the light was a little dimmer than any other sunny afternoon, like a
storm was rolling in but without a cloud in the sky.
contributing writers
Even just ten percent of the sun’s light still made for a mostly bright, hot,
STEVE BRAWNER LACEY THACKER summer day.
[email protected] [email protected]
For our cover story this issue, I got to spend an inspiring morning with Laura
JENNIFER BARNETT REED ANGELA THOMAS Lane, the president of global public affairs at UPS. She talked about her life and
[email protected] [email protected] her stance on policies important to the industry, but what I walked away from that
meeting with was a sense of hopefulness, that every challenge has a silver lining if
JIM HARRIS TODD TRAUB you are wearing the right lenses.
[email protected] [email protected]
Laura’s impressive experience at negotiating tables around the world revealed an
RENEE MILLER DEANA NALL unwavering commitment to finding respect for and common ground with anyone
[email protected] [email protected] in order to achieve solutions that benefit everyone.

art director This month, UPS’s CEO David Abney and FedEx’s chairman Fred Smith set the
JON D. KENNEDY example when they penned a letter in the Wall Street Journal recognizing that the
The Freelance Co. LLC, [email protected] same policies that help our competitors to succeed are also the cornerstone of our
production editors own success. We all will help more customers and make greater contributions to
SARAH SHEETS, KATIE THOMASON, DAVID O’NEAL our communities if we stand together on tax reform, rebuilding our infrastructure
and healthy trade policies.
illustrator
BRENT BENNETT The tendency to resist change or to keep your competitors at a distance is normal.
[email protected] But success isn’t a result of normal thinking. It’s abnormal optimism.
photographers
JON D. KENNEDY, JOHN DAVID PITTMAN On Laura’s desk was a quote, “Sometimes in great darkness, all you need is a single
ray of light.” Like the tiny 10 percent sliver of the sun. She told us that positivity is
www.arkansastrucking.com what makes things happen, “You’ve got to find a way, and the way is possible if you
just think and partner and ally with others.”
president
SHANNON SAMPLES NEWTON Technology. The environment. The changing face of the workforce. The economy.
[email protected] There’s very little certainty and a whole lot of change on the horizon for our
industry. What we need to endure those changes is dogged optimism and a
director of operations reminder that we are all in this together.
SARAH NEWMAN SHEETS
[email protected] Pass me a pair of those glasses, if we unite when it matters, the future is bright.

director of safety services
DAVID O’NEAL

[email protected]

communications coordinator
BETHANY MAY

[email protected]

business development coordinator
AMANDA LAMB

[email protected]

corporate services coordinator
KATIE THOMASON

[email protected]

executive assistant
CAITLIN WALRAVEN
[email protected]

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
AL HERINGER IV

Star Transportation, Inc.
Vice President

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ROCHELLE BARTHOLOMEW MIKE MCNUTT
CalArk International, Inc. Distribution Solutions, Inc.

President CEO, Owner

MARR LYNN BEARDEN MARK MORRIS
Marrlin Transit, Inc. Morris Transportation, Inc.

President President

CARL BOJA JAMES REED
TravelCenters of America USA Truck
Vice President Fleet Sales
CEO

GREG CARMAN G.E. “BUTCH” RICE III
Carman, Inc. Stallion Transportation Group

President President & CEO

JOHN CULP TRACY ROSSER
Maverick USA Walmart Transportation
Senior Vice President
President

DAN CUSHMAN JOHN SMITH
P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. FedEx Freight
SVP Operations
President & CEO

CRAIG HARPER VICKI JONES STEPHENS
J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. C.C. Jones, Inc.
Executive Vice President & COO President

KORY LARSON TIM THORNE
The Larson Group ABF Freight
President & CEO
COO

JEFF LOGGINS DOUG VOSS
Loggins Logistics, Inc. University of Central Arkansas
Associate Professor of Logistics
President & CEO

ROB LYALL
Tyson Foods, Inc.
Vice President - Transportation

Distribution

An affiliate of the American Trucking
Associations

Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) is an Arkansas corporation of trucking
companies, private carrier fleets and businesses which serve or supply the
trucking industry. ATA serves these companies as a governmental affairs
representative before legislative, regulatory and executive branches of
government on issues that affect the trucking industry. The organization also
provides public relations services, workers’ compensation insurance, operational Shannon Newton
services and serves as a forum for industry meetings and membership relations. President, Arkansas Trucking Association
For information, contact ATA at:
1401 West Capitol, Suite 185
Post Office Box 3476 (72203)
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Drivers Legal Plan
Phone 501.372.3462 Fax 501.376.1810
www.arkansastrucking.com

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017D rivers Legal Plan 7

THEY SAID IT

“The reasoning behind it was,
‘Everybody goes over the speed
limit anyway, so let’s go ahead
and raise it. If everyone is
going 75 now, aren’t they just
going to go 80 then?”

—Rep. Andy Mayberry (R-27th District) on why he voted against authorizing the Department of
Transportation to raise speed limits around the state

“Um … you might “I didn’t know how
want to get that to drive a truck
in writing!” and I felt like it
was important I
—Former Transportation Sec. Anthony
Foxx tweeted in response to Tesla’s Elon learn how to do it.”
Musk’s declaration that he had “verbal
government approval” for an underground
hyperloop system connecting New York
City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and D.C.

“Heaven will —Arkansas Trucking Association board of directors member and associate
have no louder professor of logistics and supply chain management at the University of Central
cheerleader for Arkansas Doug Voss on why he recently earned his Class A CDL
the Razorbacks
than Coach “I stand by my man,
Broyles.” both of them.”

—University of Arkansas alumnus and —Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said when, appearing with
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge the president in New York, she was asked at a news conference on
on the passing of former Razorback athletic transportation policy whether she agreed with Trump’s statements
slamming the work of her husband, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
director Frank Broyles

8 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT



NEWS IN BRIEF

FIRST MARIJUANA the products long distances. The new decided. DOT only proposed discussing
DISTRIBUTION LICENSE ISSUED license will allow more flexible schedul- “the benefits of setting the maximum
IN COLORADO ing and consistent delivery. speed at 60, 65, and 68 mph” and that
it “will consider other speeds based on
Colorado’s new Marijuana DOT’S PRIORITIES NO LONGER public input.”
Enforcement Division (MED) issued its INCLUDE TRUCK SPEED-LIMITER
first transport license, which will allow RULE Arkansas Trucking Association and
transportation, distribution and ware- the American Trucking Associations
housing services for legal weed. On July 20, the Office of opposed the initial rule because a maxi-
Management and Budget published mum speed was not recommended and
Prior to becoming a licensed mari- a revised “unified agenda” that did research was not done to determine the
juana logistics firm, CannaRabbit has not include the speed-limiter rule as a safest, most cost effective speed limit.
operated as a licensed cannabis courier near-term agenda item for the Federal American Trucking Associations’ Chris
for several years, transporting items Motor Carrier Safety Administration Spear criticized the proposal, “The vari-
like test samples, flower and marijuana- or the National Highway Traffic Safety ous differentials in speed from what
infused products throughout the state’s Administration. this rule proposes and what state speed
network of growers, manufacturers, dis- limits are is dangerous.”
pensers and laboratories. But as of July Last August, both the FMCSA and
1, the company can transport, store and the NHTSA proposed the rule to require At the national associations’ 2016
warehouse cannabis products for up to speed-limiting technology in heavy- Management Conference & Exhibition,
seven business days. duty vehicles. However the Trump Spear told attendees that the trucking
Administration’s aim to cut federal industry shouldn’t be responsible for
The previous MED rules only regulations has stalled the rule for now. doing DOT’s job of recommending a
allowed cannabis products to be trans- maximum speed and that regulatory
ported within the same day by the The rule would have required vehi-
same driver, creating barriers for car- cles to limit speed. 
riers to safely and efficiently transport
An exact speed limit was never Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

10



NEWS IN BRIEF, available and any challenges involved in was a shipment with no surprises, and
backing into the dock. now with the Dock411 app, any driver
Continued from page 10 can be better prepared and will be able
With only the dock address, drivers to anticipate challenges before he or
agencies had “the responsibility to study can access what the company and other she arrives at the dock. With Dock411,
[what they’ve proposed] and come to drivers have written about it, includ- every load can be a ‘gravy load.’”
a consensus about [setting] one speed ing details like dock door location, yard
and one national limit- not three speeds hazards, photos of the facility, the abil- CALIFORNIA PORT TESTS
and no national limit [as is laid out in ity to park overnight and up to 35 other BATTERY-POWERED TRUCKS
the proposal].” items. Drivers can then add details
about their own experience. GSC Logistics, Port of Oakland’s
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT GETS A largest motor carrier, will begin testing
NEW NAME Shippers can also eliminate unnec- battery-powered trucks at the Northern
essary delays from driver or dispatcher California seaport this fall. The three-
The Arkansas State Highway miscommunication by sharing informa- year trial with a heavy-duty, all-electric
and Transportation Department has tion about their location on the app as truck is part of a statewide effort to
changed its name to the Arkansas well. determine the feasibility of zero-emis-
Department of Transportation. The sion freight hauling.
oversight of the department won’t Recently, Women in Trucking
change, ARDOT’s Public Information partnered with Dock411 to help female GSC Logistics said its trucks will
Officer Danny Straessle says, but will drivers prepare for their next pick up. shuttle import containers from Port of
allow the name of the department to be Three questions were added to the app Oakland marine terminals to a nearby
more consistent with federal language specific to female drivers: “Were the yard. The rig has a 160-kilometer (100-
and other states. personnel helpful?”, “Were you treated mile) battery range, and the port will
like a professional?”, and “Were the have charging stations installed to plug
There won’t be a comprehensive restroom facilities adequate?” in the trucks on-site.
change in logos on existing signs and
department vehicles. Straessle says it “We are happy to be working with “Depending on the efficiency, reli-
will be a gradual transition as equip- Ellen Voie and Women In Trucking to ability, productivity and economics of
ment is replaced so that the name provide this information so the organi- battery-powered trucks, GSC would
change won’t take money away from zation can better prepare both female certainly entertain the possibility of
other projects. and male drivers for their warehouse integrating them into our fleet in the
facility experience.” said Dan Serewicz, future,” said CEO Scott Taylor.
Dock411 Co-founder. “We believe this
will work to improve the industry by The state-sponsored trial fits well
removing unexpected surprises from with the company’s emission-reduction
the pickup or delivery operation.” efforts, the Port of Oakland said. They
reported reducing diesel particulate
“A driver once told me how he emissions from harbor trucks by 98 per-
defined a ‘gravy’ load,” said WIT cent in the past decade.
President/CEO Ellen Voie. “He said it

NEW APP ENCOURAGES DRIVERS
TO RATE SHIPPERS

A new app, Dock411, will allow Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
truck drivers to share their experiences
with different shippers and rate those
shippers. The information drivers can
share includes directions to the facil-
ity, whether pets are allowed, if Wi-Fi is

12

or manpower to unload goods, or wait-
ing for dispatch or driver pick-up. These
operations sometimes continue for sev-
eral days.

Near-term and long-term solu-
tions are being explored for cleaner TRU
operations. Near-term strategies include
building additional storage space for
facilities that use TRUs as overflow.
Long-term, the transition to near-zero-
emission technologies and ultimately
zero-emission technologies will be
phased in over time, possibly beginning
in the 2020 decade and extending out
to 2050.

NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVING
CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ORLANDO

Arkansas sent nine drivers repre-

REFRIGERATED TRAILER senting five different carriers to com-
OPERATION LIMITS BEING
DISCUSSED IN CALIFORNIA storage before major holidays and events pete at the 2017 National Truck Driving
or overflow outside grocery stores and
The California Air Resources Board distribution centers. Some distribution Championships (NTDC) in Orlando,
has scheduled workshops to discuss centers also operate in a way that causes
limiting the operating time of refriger- TRU-equipped trucks and trailers to be Aug. 9-12.
ated trucks and trailers while at certain parked or queued for extended times,
facilities, including grocery stores, waiting for an open loading dock space The American Trucking
distribution centers and cold storage
warehouses. Associations (ATA) sponsors the annual

California has recently set new tar- championships, known as the “Super
gets for reducing air pollution, includ-
ing decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) Bowl of Safety,” 
emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, to 40
percent below 1990 levels by 2030, to The coverage you need. The guidance you trust.SM
80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050,
and cutting petroleum use by cars and YOUR RESOURCE FOR ALL FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT
trucks by up to half from 2015 levels by
2030. In order to address air pollution www.regionsinsurance.com LITTLE ROCK
around freight corridors and near dis- 1500 Riverfront Drive
tribution centers, California is consid- ©2017 Regions. Regions Insurance is an affiliate of Regions Bank. Products Little Rock, AR 72202
ering an operation limit for Transport and services are offered by Regions Insurance Inc. and underwritten by (501) 661-4800
Refrigeration Units (TRUs). unaffiliated insurance companies. Regions Insurance does not provide legal (800) 542-0226
or investment advice.
The current concept calls for the FAYETTEVILLE
registration of all TRUs operating in 1465 E. Joyce Blvd. Suite 205
California beginning in 2020; an initial Fayetteville, AR 72703
6-hour stationary operating limit begin- (479) 684-5250
ning in 2023 that reduces to 15 minutes
in 2029; and ultimately a mandatory
phase-in of zero-emission TRUs between
2025 and 2050. The use of electronic
tracking and reporting is proposed to
enforce the operational limits.

TRUs are sometimes used as cold

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 13

NEWS IN BRIEF,

Continued from page 13

to recognize industry leadership in
safety and to promote professionalism
among truck drivers.

This year, more than 420 drivers
from all 50 states competed in nine
competition classes in Orlando after
qualifying in their state championships.

FedEx Express driver Roland Bolduc
from East Longmeadow, Mass. won the
Bendix 2017 Grand Champion title on
Aug. 12 after competing in the Sleeper
Berth class.

Placing fifth in the Sleeper Berth
class was Arkansas driver Gary Mars,
from Fayetteville, Ark.

An Arkansas Road Team captain,
this was Mars’ third time to compete
at the national competition, and in
2014, he placed 7th overall in the 5-axle
class. Mars has been with Walmart
Transportation for 14 years and has
served the industry for 26 years.

STATE BRIDGE PROFILE FINDS the 9.1% of all structurally deficient Last year 60% of Trucking HR
6.3% OF ARKANSAS BRIDGES bridges in the U.S. in 2016. And the Canada’s top fleet employers partici-
ARE STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT number of structurally deficient bridges pated in the program, but the company
decreased by 4.2% in Arkansas. is looking for even higher numbers this
Arkansas’ bridges ranked 34th year in an effort to help fill an employ-
nationwide, based on percentage of States with the lowest percentage ment gap in the industry.
bridges characterized as structurally of structurally deficient bridges were
deficient. Of Arkansas’ 12,871 bridges, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Texas, Utah A recent study predicts a shortage
811 (or 6.3%) were found to be struc- and the District of Columbia. of 34,000 drivers by 2024.
turally deficient, according to 2016
bridge data analyzed by the American TAKE YOUR KIDS TO WORK DAY: The least represented age demo-
Road & Transportation Builders A LESSON IN TRUCKING graphic in trucking are the 24- to
Association. 34- year olds. The average age of truck
This November, Trucking HR drivers is 49 and many of them are
Motorists have crossed these Canada is calling on all fleets to intro- retiring.
structurally deficient bridges 2.07 mil- duce their children and grandchildren
lion times daily last year. Most of the to the trucking industry. David Bradley, acting CEO of
busiest bridges deemed structurally defi- Trucking HR Canada, hopes to encour-
cient are in central Arkansas, including The organization is working with age a new generation to consider driving
two Union Pacific Railroad over- The Learning Partnership, a group as a satisfying career option.
passes in Pulaski County (both crossed devoted to advancing publicly funded
123,000 times each day). education, and encouraging more fleets “Our industry can reverse this
to participate in national Take Our Kids trend by showing young people that
“Structurally deficient” is to Work Day, November 1. trucking is a welcoming profession with
defined by one or more of the “key plenty of possibilities.”
bridge elements, such as the deck, The event aims to have high school
superstructure or substructure, is freshman learn about the variety of 
considered to be in poor or worse trucking career options by going to
condition,” according to ARTBA. work with a friend or family member.

Arkansas’ percentage is better than

14 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT



Exclusive. All-Inclusive. Simple. NEWS IN BRIEF,

Patron Continued from page 14

Utility Tri-State, Inc. TEST FOOD SAFETY COMPLIANCE
WITH NEW TOOL
Supporters
Aon American Trucking Associations’
Agricultural and Food Transporters
Drivers Legal Plan Conference, along with the American
Stephens Frozen Food Institute, launched a new
online self-assessment tool to help
The Larson Group motor carriers evaluate their processes
and procedures for complying with the
In 1932, a small number of companies came together to lay the Food Safety Modernization Act.
foundation for today’s Arkansas Trucking Association --- the
recognized voice for the trucking industry in Arkansas. “The changing regulatory envi-
Members today continue to provide the support that builds ronment can be a challenge for motor
upon those foundations. Founders Club members support ATA carriers,” said AFTC Executive Director
because they believe, like we do, that trucking is the backbone Jon Samson. “This tool can help fleets
of our economy. ensure they are complying with these
rules related to the transportation of
16 food.”

The tool generates a detailed readi-
ness report and indicates where action
may be needed by food shippers, carri-
ers, receivers and loaders to ensure their
compliance with FSMA implementation.
Furthermore, upon completion of the
self-assessment, a listing of food safety,
transportation and logistics-related
service providers is generated, offering
various entities in the food supply chain
with solutions in each of these opera-
tional areas.

The Agricultural and Food
Transporters Conference is the national
organization representing motor carrier
and allied members of the American
Trucking Associations on critical issues
affecting agricultural commodity and
food transportation.

ACT 1166: FOUR YEARS IN

By Greg Jones, Wright, Lindsey &
Jennings LLP

Prior to 2013, an annoying problem
haunted the Arkansas trucking indus-
try. While many motor carriers hired
independent contractors (ICs) to haul
their loads, many of those ICs carried
no workers’ compensation insurance.
That worked fine … until the ICs (or the
IC’s drivers) suffered serious work-relat-
ed injuries. With no apparent workers’
compensation coverage, where could the
injured drivers turn?

Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

OCAFLEEVNEDNATRS

Some drivers claimed that they than de facto employees of the carrier. SEPTEMBER
should fall under the motor carrier’s So where are we today? SEPTEMBER 10-16
coverage. And that ploy worked. Motor
carriers found themselves paying ben- Surprisingly few problems have NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVER
efits to supposedly independent con- emerged with implementation of this APPRECIATION WEEK
tractors, even though those ICs had Act. Indeed, as of this article’s publica- SEPTEMBER 13
contributed nothing towards paying for tion, it appears that the Act’s inter- TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION
the carriers’ premiums. pretation has not yet triggered a single COOKOUT
Workers’ Compensation opinion, much TA Petro, North Little Rock, Ark.
It was a 21st century adaptation less any reported appellate decision. SEPTEMBER 16
of Little Red Hen … but with a twisted SPECIAL OLYMPICS ARKANSAS
ending. Yet that relative calm has not TRUCK CONVOY
meant that no questions have arisen. North Little Rock, Ark.
That changed in 2013 with the SEPTEMBER 17-21
General Assembly’s passage of Act No. For example, one question is 2017 CVSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
1166. Now codified at Ark. Code Ann. whether a motor carrier must accept & EXHIBITION
§11-9-502, the Act provides a method the IC’s election for coverage. The Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
for ICs to join a motor carrier’s exist- answer seems to be “yes.” So long SEPTEMBER 20
ing workers’ compensation policy: (a) as the IC drives exclusively for the JOINT 40 UNDER 40 COUNCIL AND
if they were under exclusive contract motor carrier and pays the requisite BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
to the motor carrier; (b) if they made premiums, the carrier (or its work- The Burgundy Hotel, Little Rock, Ark.
a written election to secure such cov- ers’ compensation insurer) may not SEPTEMBER 20
erage; and (c) if they paid the related decline the IC’s election. In a related ATA-PAC FUNDRAISER PARTY
premiums. vein, prudence dictates that carriers Table 28, Little Rock, Ark.
not only keep records of the ICs’ elec- SEPTEMBER 21
Thus, to the ICs, the Act gives tions, but also memorialize the fact ATA-PAC GOLF TOURNAMENT
them a valuable source for insurance. that such coverage has been offered Chenal Country Club
To the carriers, it closes the exposure to those ICs who are under exclusive Little Rock, Ark.
for “benefits freeloading.” And yet contract with them. SEPTEMBER 28-29
the Act achieves both goals while also NATMI SAFETY & DOT COURSE
verifying that, notwithstanding the If your company wishes to view Little Rock, Ark.
extension of workers’ compensation or use an election form devised by the
insurance, the ICs indeed are consid- Arkansas Trucking Association, please see OCTOBER
ered independent contractors rather www.arkansastrucking.com/act1166 ATR OCTOBER 12

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 SAFETY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
MEETING
OCTOBER 17
MAINTENANCE & TECHNOLOGY
COUNCIL MEETING
OCTOBER 21
RAZORBACK TAILGATE PARTY
Fayetteville, Ark.
OCTOBER 21-24
AMERICAN TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION’S MC&E
CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Fla.
OCTOBER 27
NATMI WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
& COST CONTROL
Little Rock, Ark.

17



Hauling It In

State PAC must grow for trucking’s voice to be heard

By Steve Brawner

Contributing Writer

Lawmakers in Little Rock and “BECAUSE OF THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY’S PERCEIVED
POLITICAL CLOUT, LAWMAKERS LOOK TO US TO
Washington make decisions that PARTICIPATE IN THIS WAY, BECAUSE THAT’S HOW
THOSE WHO ARE LOBBYING AGAINST US AND
affect the trucking industry, and, like ALONGSIDE US ARE DEMONSTRATING
SUPPORT FOR CANDIDATES.”
it or not, those decisions are affected
—SHANNON NEWTON, ATA PRESIDENT
by outside interests. Because of that,

the Arkansas Trucking Association is

ramping up its political action com-

mittee and other campaign fundraising

activities at both the state and national

levels. 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 19

“AS OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA HAS EXPANDED, WE and Senate undergo leadership changes.
NOW HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOTED WITH Now that Arkansas has become so dom-
US. AND IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT, WE inated by Republicans, the real action
now is in the Republican Party prima-
NEED TO HAVE MORE CASH IN THE BANK.” ries, where up to 10 races in the House
and Senate could be competitive. The
—SHANNON NEWTON, ATA PRESIDENT ATA particularly wants to participate
in open state Senate races, of which
It must, because groups that oppose “It’s been great. It really has,” he there could be several high-profile ones.
the trucking industry’s efforts aren’t said. “Everybody’s rallied behind it. We In some races, it might be necessary
taking a break. get great participation from sponsors. … to donate to a candidate who supports
It’s leading us all back to the one com- trucking and is opposed by a trucking
“Because of the trucking industry’s mon goal, to raise money for the politi- opponent. In some tossup races, the
perceived political clout, lawmakers cal action committee, so that we can ATA needs to donate to both candidates
look to us to participate in this way, use it to aid our agenda and advance the so as not to offend the future winner.
because that’s how those who are lob- items we deem necessary.” In addition to contributions already
bying against us and alongside us are given to Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the ATA
demonstrating support for candidates,” The ATA-PAC gained in impor- will be supporting Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin
said Shannon Newton, ATA’s president. tance after voters in 2014 approved a and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge in
“If we don’t, we’re going to be consid- constitutional amendment prohibiting statewide races.
ered uninterested or unable to help by corporations from donating directly to
those who are financing campaigns.” campaigns. PACs enable industries and Being an active participant in
interests to bundle donations at a maxi- the political process will be espe-
Formed in 2012, the ATA-PAC has mum of $2,700 for the party primaries cially important these next two years,
relied on one event each year, a fall golf and $2,700 for the general election. Newton said. After focusing the past
tournament hosted by the 40 Under two legislative sessions on tax cuts,
40 Council raising about $40,000 each In recent years, the ATA-PAC has health care and, most recently, medi-
year – half of that going to costs associ- leveraged sizable contributions to the cal marijuana, an increasing number of
ated with the tournament. The tourna- House and Senate leadership caucuses legislators are acknowledging the need
ment has been a positive experience, and to the Democratic and Republican to address highway funding. Past efforts
though there have been a few lessons caucuses. Caucus leaders then spread have been blocked by legislators’ unwill-
learned, such as ensuring the costs of the money around to their members. ingness to support a tax increase for
the fun don’t cut too much into the The arrangement allows the ATA to highways. But now, a tax reform task
fundraising. The fundraising events for influence members of the leadership, force is meeting to study the state’s tax
this year will be in Little Rock and aims but not to directly donate to individual code, and its recommendations could
to expand and include legislators and legislators who have supported the pave the way for a combination tax cut
state officials in attendance. trucking industry. in one area paired with a tax increase
for highways. Such a combination
Al Heringer IV, vice president of “As our legislative agenda has occurred this year in Tennessee, where
sales at Star Transportation and ATA expanded, we now have more people legislators raised the diesel tax by 10
chairman, said the ATA-PAC has been who have voted with us,” Newton said. cents and the gasoline tax by six cents
a success. Before its creation, too much “And in order to be able to demonstrate over the next three years while cut-
of the association’s political activities support, we need to have more cash in ting grocery and other taxes. Moreover,
were dependent on a few big carriers. the bank.” legislators could be emboldened by
The PAC allows all carriers to pool their an analysis by the American Road &
resources, giving the ATA a greater voice The 2018 elections will offer many Transportation Builders Association. It
on trucking issues such as infrastruc- opportunities for trucking to increase found that 91 percent of legislators who
ture and tolling. its influence. The ATA will want to supported gas tax increases between
position itself as both the state House 2013 and 2015, and who stood for re-
election, were re-elected.

Bill Vickery of Capitol Advisors
Group, the ATA’s political consultant,
said voters are more willing to support



20 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

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tax increases for roads than for other “AT THE END OF THE DAY, INDIVIDUALS CALLING
expenditures. THEIR MEMBERS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT

“It’s one of the few examples where LOBBYING TOOL THAT EXISTS, AND IT’S ALMOST
you can literally go and see where the INSURMOUNTABLE BY ANY LOBBYIST TO GO UP
dollars are being spent,” he said. “So
often, tax increases are used for pro- AGAINST THAT.”
grams that you can’t hold in your hand.
In this case, there will be a sign up that —BILL VICKERY, CAPITOL ADVISORS GROUP
says, ‘This tax paid for this road.’ So,
yes, it’s very tangible.” four U.S. House members, Rep. Rick its network when a particular issue is
Crawford and Rep. Bruce Westerman, approaching a vote. It enjoyed particu-
Money in politics is an oft-debated sit on the House Transportation and lar success this year when it supported
topic, but the fact that it takes dollars Infrastructure Committee, a starting a constitutional amendment limiting
to get elected is undeniable. Political point for much of the legislation affect- lawsuit awards that will be presented to
advertisements, campaign websites and ing highways and the transportation voters in November 2018. Newton said
yard signs aren’t free, and a state Senate industry. Sen. John Boozman, who is ATA members embraced that issue and
candidate may spend $150,000 to be not up for re-election in 2018, sits on contacted their legislators. At the federal
elected, said Vickery. While a $2,700 the corresponding Senate Environment level, when news recently broke that a
check won’t fully fund a campaign, it and Public Works Committee. member of Congress had introduced a
certainly helps, and it comes all at once. bill to delay the mandate for carriers to
“As an organization, we need to install electronic logging devices, ATA
“Members spend a lot of time and raise our profile in giving, whether it members contacted Newton asking
effort raising money, and that’s a chunk be ATA-PAC, (the American Trucking what they could do to ensure the man-
of money all in one fell swoop,” he said. Associations’) Truck PAC, congressional date goes into effect.
“That’s what makes PACs, that’s what fundraisers, across the board,” Newton
makes them so effective is that they’re said. Those kinds of activities produce
able to take their members’ money and results money alone can’t buy, Vickery
then dole it out in these bigger chunks, Vickery said trucking is one of the said.
which means it takes you less time and state’s “cornerstone” industries, with
less effort to raise more dollars.” such a large presence in the state’s “At the end of the day, individu-
economy that many assume it has an als calling their members is the most
It’s inaccurate to say most legisla- equally large presence in the political important lobbying tool that exists, and
tors can be “bought” with a campaign landscape. Unlike other industries, the it’s almost insurmountable by any lob-
donation, a point Newton stresses to trucking industry has identified a need byist to go up against that,” he said. He
her ATA membership. But donations – highway improvement – and proposed later added, “Trucking companies are
do help candidates who support truck- taxing itself to address that need. literally all over the map in Arkansas.
ing defeat candidates who don’t, and When the bookkeeper of a trucking
if a pro-trucking elected official has a “They want to pay more,” he said. company in southwest Arkansas picks
big enough war chest, it can discour- “And they don’t benefit from the actual up the phone and calls, oftentimes they
age opponents from even filing to run construction of new roads because go to church with these members, so
against them. Moreover, campaign they’re going to use whatever’s there, trucking industry employees are then
donations increase the association’s and so I think they’re in a very unique influential in their own community.
access and influence with legislators position. … There’s not another industry That human element is actually more
once they are in office. in the state that is in the unique posi- important than money,” he said.
tion that the trucking industry is in
“We have some legislators who where it wants to pay more in taxes. But money is pretty important, too.
have extended us an ear and voted with “They’re human beings,” Vickery
us because we won on the merits of the Just as important as campaign dol- said of lawmakers. “They know who’s
argument without ever giving a contri- lars are the personal contacts made supportive of them and who let them
bution, but as those legislators are up by members of the trucking industry down.” ATR
for re-election, we need to be in a posi- with their legislators. The ATA activates
tion to provide them support,” Newton
said. 23

The ATA-PAC cannot donate to
congressional officeholders because it’s
a state PAC, but Newton said the ATA
wants to increase its influence at the
national level too. Two of the state’s

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017

ELD Mandate Is Finally
Here … Almost

Enforcement, education and capacity effect still unknowns

By Steve Brawner technology in their tractors. But opponents led by OOIDA
The mandate seemed to have have not given up. On July 18, Rep.
Contributing Writer Brian Babin (R-Tex.), proposed a bill
crossed its last legal hurdle June in Congress that would extend the
It’s been a long road to enacting 12, when the U.S. Supreme Court mandate out two years. As of Aug. 8
the electronic logging device mandate, declined to hear a request by the it had 38 co-sponsors, all Republican,
and while opponents are still trying to Owner Operator Independent Drivers and had been referred to the House
find ways to stop it, it seems likely that Association to reject the rule. Last year, Transportation and Infrastructure
on Dec. 18, motor carriers across the the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Committee.
country will be required to install the had ruled in favor of the mandate.
Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
24

That effort probably won’t go far, “IT’S A LONG SHOT FOR CONGRESS TO EITHER DELAY
said Dave Osiecki, president and CEO OR STOP IMPLEMENTATION AT THIS POINT. IS THERE
of Scopelitis Transportation Consulting
and the former American Trucking A POSSIBILITY? SURE. IT’S A SLIM POSSIBILITY.
Associations executive vice president BUT IT’S NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN.”
and head of national advocacy.
—DAVE OSIECKI, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SCOPELITIS
Congress rarely passes stand- TRANSPORTATION CONSULTING
alone bills these days. They’re usually
attached to a much larger package, ENFORCEMENT? side inspections.
such as a funding or authorizing bill. That’s by design, said DeBruyne.
The most likely bills to which the delay For its part, the Federal Motor “We’ve had a good period of time
could be attached, the fiscal year 2018 Carrier Safety Administration is pro-
Department of Transportation fund- ceeding with the assumption that the to think this through, and we purposely
ing bills, have already passed out of the mandate will go into effect, said spokes- chose autumn to commence the rollout
relevant committees in both the House man Duane DeBruyne. He said the of the training so that if we were to do
and Senate and are headed to the floors agency believes the mandate could save it too early, then there would be that
of both chambers, though the House as many as two dozen lives each year risk of people not retaining it when the
bill would prohibit enforcement of the and prevent hundreds of injuries. final rule becomes effective Dec. 18,”
ELD mandate for livestock haulers. The he said.
bills could be amended, but the chances Enforcement remains among the
are reduced each step in the process it biggest question marks. As of early Osiecki has led about 15-20 ELD
advances. August, the FMCSA still had not provid- seminars in partnership with state
ed training materials and the software trucking associations, including the
“It’s a long shot for Congress to that law enforcement officers will use Arkansas Trucking Association at the
either delay or stop implementation at in more than 3.5 million annual road-
this point,” he said. “Is there a possibil- 
ity? Sure. It’s a slim possibility. But it’s
not likely to happen.”

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ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 25

end of August. He said while many large to be the enforcement side, whether Many industry experts expect
and medium-sized carriers have adopted they’re going to be ready come day one, capacity to tighten once the mandate
the technology, many smaller carriers come Dec. 18.” goes into effect, as drivers will no lon-
and owner-operators are waiting until ger be able to cheat with paper logbooks,
closer to the deadline. “SHOCK-AND-AWE” and some will leave the industry com-
EXPECTATIONS pletely rather than make the change.
“There’s still work to be done,” he Particularly affected will be hauls of
said. “There’s still a lot of education Thayne Boren, general manager of 400-600 miles that before the mandate
to be done in the industry, but I think truckstop.com’s mobile platform, said could be made in one shift with a little
most of the industry will be ready. Not 84 percent of his clients operate 1-25 fudging and now will require a shift-
everybody, but most will be ready. And trucks, and 82 percent of those have and-a-half.
I do think a big question mark is going not installed ELDs.
Kenny Vieth, president of ACT
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ELD EDUCATION

One challenge facing fleets is
deciding which technology to install in
their trucks. The FMCSA’s website as
of Aug. 8 featured 89 registered ELDs.
Osiecki said that huge amount of choic-
es is akin to dining at a restaurant with
a menu so large that it’s hard to decide
which item to pick.

“And a lot of these players are
new,” he said. “You don’t know their
background; you don’t know their capa-
bilities; you don’t know their customer
service departments, whether they even
have one. You don’t know their software
writing capabilities. You don’t know
whether their devices are truly certified.
So that’s an issue for the industry, is to
wade through that whole process.”

Osiecki said carriers shouldn’t wait
until too close to the December dead-
line to choose a vendor and install the
product. It’s possible that, despite the
high number of vendors, the relatively
small number of Chinese-based manu-
facturers won’t be able to deliver orders
made at the last minute.

“The closer we get, the longer the
period of time before you can get it and
install it,” he said.

Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

Osiecki said he describes 15-20 “THE HOURS OF SERVICE REGULATIONS ARE NOT
practical scenarios in his talks to truck- CHANGING. THAT HAS NOT JUST CHANGED. IT’S JUST
ing associations. What happens if a
driver uses his truck on personal time? THE EASE OF WHICH IT IS TO CIRCUMVENT THOSE
What about time in the yard? What REGULATIONS, THAT’S WHAT’S CHANGING. … THE
happens if a driver forgets to log out? FACT THAT WE’RE MOVING TO AN ELECTRONIC AGE,
What does a fleet do when it rents a
truck — have extra ELDs on hand, or use THE TIME HAS COME.”
the rental fleet’s? All of those questions
will have to be answered by each carrier —FMCSA SPOKESMAN DUANE DUBRUYNE
by the time the mandate goes into effect.
compliant, followed by a second phase enforced, it won’t change the rules
The enactment of the mandate involving all motor carriers. After that themselves.
has been a long time coming. The first idea was thrown out in an OOIDA
hours of service regulations went into court challenge, FMCSA decided to “The hours of service regulations
effect during the President Franklin enact a full mandate. In 2012, Congress are not changing,” he said. “That has
Delano Roosevelt administration. through the MAP-21 highway funding not just changed. It’s just the ease of
Osiecki said a regulation first spelled law finally instructed FMCSA to craft which it is to circumvent those regula-
out standards for voluntary use of ELDs the mandate. tions, that’s what’s changing. … The
in 1988. The late 1990s and early 2000s fact that we’re moving to an electronic
saw a serious push to require use of As DeBruyne explained, while the age, the time has come.” ATR
the technology. The Arkansas Trucking ELD will change the way the rules are
Association, in fact, announced its sup-
port in 1999. In the late 2000s, FMCSA
increased the momentum. At first it
wanted to require ELDs to be used by
companies that had been found non-

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 27

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
DAVID BOHRER
28

IronWoman
UPS’s president of global public affairs Laura Lane
shares her resilience with the trucking industry

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 By Bethany May

Managing Editor

After swimming 2.2 miles in the ocean, blue from the cold, but
exhilarated, Laura Lane biked 112 miles while her family cheered her
on. And then, she passed out on Mile 1 of the last leg of her Iron
Man race—the marathon.

But Laura Lane, president of global public affairs at UPS, does.
not. quit.

When she came to, the race medics asked if she knew who she
was and where she was, Lane responded, “My name is Laura Lane,
and I’m going to finish this race.”

She convinced them she could keep going, and she did. The next
time she passed out, she was at Mile 11 in front of a Boy Scout water
station. This time, bloody from the fall and looking how she felt, it
was more difficult to persuade the medics that she could stay on the
course.

Though competitors sign a waiver releasing responsibility if he or
she dies during the race, Lane looked like a liability.

“I don’t even know what he asked me because I was a little bit
out of it. I just said, ‘My name is Laura Lane, and I’m finishing this
race. You have to help me.’”

With a cup of pretzels in one hand, a cup of banana slices in the
other and her watch set to beep every minute to remind her to take a
bite, Lane was promised that if she made it to the next mile, she’d be
allowed to continue.



29

Her husband Greg and two daugh- a port-a-potty and cleaned herself up. SENSE OF ADVENTURE
ters Taylor and Samantha were waiting “I ran those last two miles as if
to cheer her on at Mile 13, the halfway Before Lane found her way to UPS
point. Seeing her covered in sweat, blood nothing had happened before and and the trucking industry, she was
and other questionable stains, they though I smelled bad and didn’t look the first person in her family to go
begged her to get off the course. that great … I was an Iron Man when to college (with a full scholarship to
they put that medal around my neck, Loyola). She says her extended family
But as she told the medics, she was and took my picture that now hangs thought something was wrong with her.
determined to finish. “Honey, all I need above my desk.”
you to do is believe in me because I’m “You are supposed to be a great
going to finish this race.” Lane looks to that photo for inspira- wife, you are supposed to have kids,
tion in her daily life when she is respon- and you are supposed to pick up the dry
In triathlons, athletes wear their sible for all worldwide government affairs cleaning. I wasn’t going to follow that
race number and age on their bodies in activities for UPS in the over 220 coun- rule.”
permanent marker so they can be identi- tries and territories it serves. Even though
fied in the water, on their bikes or the she’s already an Iron Man, she’s planning Lane’s father, a government con-
running trail. With each step, Lane’s another race, this time in either Texas tractor, was an early motivator. He
back calf flexed the number 41 — older or Louisville, the site of the UPS Global served in West Germany when she
than she thought she’d be competing in Operations Center. “My goal now is to and her brother Scott were young.
an Iron Man. When her stamina was do it without passing out and finishing They moved back to Evanston, Illinois,
running out at Mile 18, a woman in her stronger than ever,” she says with a laugh. where she grew up, but her time abroad
60s ran alongside her for two miles, reas- instilled a “real sense of adventure” in
suring her, “Honey, you’re not looking so The moral of the story is “some- a way that her small town on the south
good, but I know you got it in you.” times, when you feel like you can’t, you side of Chicago didn’t.
tell yourself you can,” she says.
Two miles from the finish line, “Everybody eats peanut butter
and within earshot of a booming voice It’s obvious from one glance at her and jelly sandwiches. Everybody looks
declaring ‘John Blake from Nova Scotia, résumé that this isn’t just a nice maxim the same. Everybody goes to the same
you are an Iron Man!’, Laura ducked into for Lane, it’s who she is and how she church. You go to the same movies.”
really lives.
But her father told her she could

30 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

be anything she wanted to be, and she “I’M REALLY A CHAMPION OF “YOU’VE GOT TO BE
believed him. “In many ways, I never YOU.” IT ISN’T ABOUT THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN,
let the world tell me I couldn’t because I HOW LONG YOUR HAIR IS, WHETHER YOU ARE A
was always told I could.” WOMAN OR MAN OR TRANS. JUST BE YOU AND BE

A WOMAN’S PLACE GREAT AT IT.”

With that same sense of adventure, —LAURA LANE, PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT UPS
she became a foreign exchange student
at 16 and lived in La Paz, Bolivia. She Arabia, she was part of an all-female be authentic,” she says.
says, she knew the world was bigger negotiating team. The Saudis, who hold For Lane, this leadership-by-
than Cook County, Ill., and she was rigid philosophies about the role of
determined to see it. So after college, women, refused to sit across the table example philosophy is so important in
she took the Foreign Service exam and from her, but President Clinton main- her position as the senior advisor in the
began a career that the world said she tained, “This is my team, and if you company for the LGBTQ community.
couldn’t have, but she did anyway. want to negotiate with the United States “I think about the challenges they face
of America, you are going to have to every day in terms of not being able to
“When I joined the Foreign Service, negotiate with this group.” come to work as their true selves, so
I was one of the youngest women ever I’m really a champion of ‘you’ve got to
admitted, and the reason that they Throughout her career, she has be you.’ It isn’t about the color of your
were attracting more women to join the disregarded the “rules” of who is in the skin, how long your hair is, whether you
Foreign Service was because of a class club and who is allowed to participate, are a woman or man or trans. Just be
action lawsuit.” contribute and find success. Yet, until you and be great at it.”
UPS called her, she hadn’t considered
Before then, women were forced to the trucking industry as a fit for her Considering how others experience
resign when they got married or preg- skillset of bringing people together. the world and what they want from it
nant. At the time, it was helpful to his is what makes someone good at making
career in the Foreign Service if a man “I never thought of a girl going deals, Lane says. Whether negotiating
got married because “then he’d have into trucking. You never think that, but a cease fire, trade agreement or a good
a spouse to do the tea parties at the what makes me such a big believer in business relationship, it’s understanding
Embassy.” Women’s roles in the service what the industry can do is how it con- the party that you are negotiating with,
weren’t clear, and many thought they nects people, connects ideas and con- walking in their shoes and finding that
weren’t suited to be at the front lines of nects goods and services.” deal that works for both.
American diplomacy at all.
She wasn’t without role models in President Trump touted his deal-
Under the Clinton Administration, the industry though. “My uncle Jim was making skills in the election last year,
that way of thinking began to change. a long-haul truck driver and the truck- and he literally wrote the book The Art
Charlene Barchesky was the U.S. trade ing industry supported him and his of the Deal on the topic. Since Brexit
representative, and she ensured there nine kids, my cousins. My mom worked (when the United Kingdom decided to
were smart, talented women at the in a mechanic shop. It’s always been withdraw from the European Union),
negotiating table — including a young around me, the industry that moves reopening discussions on NAFTA, and a
Laura Lane. things.” Congress that seems to run into a stale-
mate every other week, it seems more
Before Lane began making relation- WALKING IN SOMEONE important than ever that Americans be
ships with trade and logistics leaders in ELSE’S SHOES able to make deals with nations across
her role at UPS, she was involved in the the globe, next door and just across the
negotiations in the basic telecommuni- She was told to become more cor- political aisle.
cations agreement, which opened the porate, look more the part, not be so
whole global marketplace to competition feminine, cut her hair, look a certain Lane’s experience at negotiating
for telecommunications services. She way in her role as negotiator on some tables in government and the private
also negotiated the financial services of the U.S.’s biggest deals. “You have to sector have given her insight into deals
deal to speed the implementation of be you, and that’s how you should lead, that last.
stronger rules for allowing financial ser- promoting that kind of environment
vices to be used everywhere in the world, that you want to flourish in. You can’t “Sometimes people approach nego-
making payment in global trade easier. do that if someone is asking you not to

She sat across the table from mostly
male negotiators in Beijing during the
agreement for China’s entry into the
World Trade Organization. In Saudi

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 31

Laura Lane BRINGING RIVALS TOGETHER

At-a-glance And Lane’s ambitions are to
bring everyone together. In fact,
FAMILY My husband Greg and I met in Bogotá, Columbia at the the day before ATA met Lane in her
American Embassy. He was assigned as my bodyguard because he Washington, D.C. Pennslyvania Avenue
was the U.S. marine guard at the Embassy. We’ve been married for 25 office, the Wall Street Journal had pub-
years. We have two daughters, Taylor and Samantha. lished a letter, coauthored by UPS’ CEO
David Abney and FedEx’s Chairman
OF ALL THE PLACES YOU’VE BEEN, WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN THE Fred Smith, in which they write about
WORLD? Just because of my background, having been a negotiator and the priorities and positions on funda-
having served in the foreign service, I’ve been to almost every country mental policies that two of the fiercest
with the exception of the… I haven’t got across the line into North rivals in the industry share.
Korea, but I’ve stood at the DMZ and stared them down.
“There’s a lot of dissension, and
I’ve been everywhere, but my favorite place is being home. It doesn’t there’s not enough unity today,” she
really matter where you are as long as you are with your family and told Abney when she suggested he and
the people you love around you. Smith unite on the letter.

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? The Year of Yes by Shonda If there’s anything the companies
Rimes who battle in the marketplace can agree
on, it’s tax reform, trade policy and
ANY HIDDEN TALENTS? I’m not a talented person, but I’m a person that infrastructure.
never gives up. I guess that’s a talent because in the face of any chal-
lenge, I don’t give up. “If we know anything, we know
what it costs us when our trucks or
tiations and deals as zero-sum games. bage can or something?” package cars sit in traffic or have to do
I win-you lose. I got a concession. You It was intense. At 45, she had bad all these detours because of a crumbling
had to give something up. Those deals, bridge or inadequate access routes in
I believe, never last. You always have to driving habits that had to be broken and and out of certain port operations, or
look at any negotiation as an opportu- retaught, but at the end of the training, the bypasses or highways coming off
nity to find the ways in which you can she could connect a triple trailer and the rails, since we are one of the biggest
come together in partnership.” felt powerful in the cab. There was customers of the railroads. We know
only one step van that she could drive what that costs and what that means
Those values are why she came to pass her training tests, pushing the in terms of the efficiencies of our net-
to UPS. “I believe you have to walk seat all the way forward to engage the work. We know what it means in terms
in their shoes and understand their clutch. of fuel burn and not being as green as
circumstances, understand what their we are as a company because the infra-
interests are in order to find that right After training, she drove the truck, structure isn’t supporting that.”
deal that is one that can be lasting that made the deliveries and walked in the
reflects the interests of both parties.” shoes and recognizable brown uniform. Chris Spear has worked with
Lane and UPS prior to becoming the
She was actually given the oppor- “The UPS drivers have one of the American Trucking Associations’
tunity to walk in someone else’s shoes best jobs because they get to know president and CEO last year. He was at
at UPS a couple of years ago. Or rather, everybody on their route. You are always Honeywell, a software company, when
drive in someone else’s truck. bringing them hope, an idea, a present, they partnered with UPS on handheld
something good,” she says. “We’re not communication devices for all UPS
UPS assigned her to be a UPS driver serving any divorce papers. I remember drivers. Spear says he has always looked
for two months undercover during delivering to one lady on my route. She forward to sitting down with Lane
Christmastime and gave her the chance was a grandma, and I delivered the tri- “because you know going into it that
to go through one of the company’s 10 cycle for her grandson. things are going to happen.”
Intergrad training programs that pre-
pares drivers for the road. “It’s the beauty of what people in He’s seen her passion for unit-
our industry do every day. They connect ing people wherever she goes. “Laura
“I was terrified when I accepted companies to customers. They connect is extraordinarily engaged and really
the job,” she remembers. “Oh my gosh! people to each other. It’s about what’s works hard to bring different points of
I’m an awful driver. What if I hurt the in that box. It’s about so much possibil- view together and help shape ideas that
brand when I run over someone’s gar- ity in the package.” could take the form of policy.”

Spear said that’s important in the
current environment “where you have

32 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

a lot of insiders that are less inclined to At UPS, they are combatting that increasingly more technology-infused.”
work outside of their lane or with oth- fear by adopting new technology that Lane says, “The base-line start is edu-
ers. Laura has come into this breaking makes the trucks and drivers safer, cation and having the right policy to
down those barriers and bringing people “many of which will lead to a future of help people retrain so that they are not
and ideas together for the collec- semi-autonomous or autonomous vehi-
tive good. And I think that’s scared of technology or trade;
not only good for her company, cles,” and by “helping those that have they see the opportunities it
it’s truly good for the country. to turn that curve in terms of adapting brings.”
And we need more of that.” those new technologies.”
COMING FULL CIRCLE
For Lane, the right policy Policy framework not should be
environment doesn’t have about stopping globalization or technol- To understand how some-
to be Republican, Democrat, ogy that might cost current jobs, but one can resist fear, can pick
Independent or Socialist. It just “it should be about finding ways to herself up on Mile 120 of
has to be good, American poli- give people purpose again in a society, an Iron Man and keep going
cy that is not driven by fear. culture and economy that is becoming despite what her body tells
her, you have to understand
She says, “I actually think the worst day of Laura Lane’s
there is a lot fear that drives career.
our policy. People are afraid of losing At 26 years-old, Lane was bid-
their job, losing their ability to provide ding for her second tour of duty in the
for their families. They are afraid of Foreign Service. She had bid to serve
what new technology could mean for at the American Embassy in Kigali,
them, and I think that we need to be Rwanda because she wanted to learn
leading in the face of all this change French and thought analyzing interest
to show that while the world is chang- rates or economic growth indicators in
ing, it’s not something to be feared, but Paris sounded boring.
something to be embraced.”


Expertise you can count on no matter
what path your business takes

You set goals for where you want to take your business, and we will help you get there. Our team can support fleet
owners and transportation company leaders in Arkansas with tailored financial solutions to help your business grow.
Tap into our knowledge, experience, and broad offering of products to help put your company on the road to success.
Learn how we can work together to move your business forward.

Dave Modde • 314-909-1225 • [email protected]

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and finance businesses of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and its subsidiaries. IHA-4449403

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 33

Lane delivers to the
research station in Antartica

“THERE’S A LOT OF
DISSENSION, AND
THERE’S NOT ENOUGH

UNITY TODAY,”

—LAURA LANE,
PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL PUBLIC

AFFAIRS AT UPS

She arrived in Kigali in August months. In July, she was sent back into utes or less, saving women from post-
1993, at the beginning phases of the the country as a political advisor to the partum hemorrhaging.
Arusha Peace Accords, because there had general of the U.S. forces and found her
been significant violence in the country whole staff had been killed, but one. She remembers, “The last time
between the Hutu and Tutsis while the “I forever live with a deep regret that I I saw General Kagame was when I
U.S. was negotiating the peace accord to didn’t do more, and I say, ‘God, why did crossed the DMZ and met with him
bring the warring factions together. you put me in this place?’ and his forces up in Burundi. We really
left him and the Rwandan people in
Lane’s job was to serve as the lia- “In that situation, I did what came the lurch because we weren’t there with
son, going across the DMZ to meet with from instinct and maybe from the heart that strong show of support and force
the rebel forces and begin the process of to use all the people I know to figure for ending the genocide.”
creating trust between the U.S. and the this out, do the right thing and not let
military so there would be a foundation anybody down.” Twenty-two years later, at the
for rebuilding the government. World Economic Forum, Laura had
If only she could have been there a chance to shake (now) President
But on April 6, 1994, Rwandan as a 40-year-old. She might have done Kagame’s hand. “I wasn’t sure if he
President Habyarimana’s plane was shot more, said more, saved more lives, she was going to remember me, but then
down, and Lane found herself at the thinks. I thought I’m a white woman who
epicenter of the Rwandan genocide. was so out of place crossing the DMZ,
When she returned to the United meeting with him, and I would always
“It was one of those times where States, she never wanted to go back. It do crazy things like bake banana bread
you realize whether you have the was too painful. She had lost friends and bring it to the forces because they
courage in you or not to be able to to the genocide. She had known all the were living in the middle of the jungle
handle that kind of situation. And I colonels from the Hutu army. She had environment.”
found myself as the only American baked banana bread for General Kagame.
embassy person that could make it When Laura approached, President
through the lines of fighting to get to But in 2016, UPS asked Lane to go Kagame said, “You’re the one who
the embassy to begin negotiating the to the World Economic Forum Summit would always come.”
cease fires to try to help evacuate all the on Africa in Kigali.
Americans.” “And I said, ‘This time we’re com-
They asked her to talk about UPS’s ing with something that is going to
Finally, she was tasked with clos- partnership with Zipline, a drone com- make a difference. We are going to
ing down the embassy and leaving with pany, to deliver life-saving blood to the bring good. We are not going to let you
her husband, but not before she wrote remote clinics around the country. down this time.’ It was the most beauti-
letters to all of her Rwandan staff, ful sense of closure I’ve ever gotten.”
promising that she’d return as soon as Rwanda, named the land of a 1000
she was allowed back in. She had saved hills, is a logistics nightmare. Trucks And so the worst day of her career
Americans’ lives and any Rwandan can’t roll during the rainy season. Like lead to the best one and has bred a
who arrived in droves at the embassy most sub-Saharan African countries, sense of optimism that causes an
begging for help to get out of the lines Rwanda has one of the highest HIV exhausted woman to wake up from
of fighting. rates in the world, but most women die fainting and say, I’m Laura Lane, and
not of AIDs, but of childbirth. I’m finishing what I started. ATR
She begged to return for three
The drone service will deliver blood
to anywhere in the country in 15 min-

34 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

Building Partnerships
That Last

PROVEN EXPERIENCE

IN COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION CLAIMS SINCE 1962 INCLUDING
HEAVY EQUIPMENT, CARGO, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS.

Funding the Future

Carl Tapp’s memory lives on in technician scholarship fund

“WE HOPE TO EASE THAT [FINANCIAL] BURDEN FOR
ARKANSAS STUDENTS WITH TECHNICAL APTITUDE
AND CURIOSITY AND TO ENCOURAGE THOSE TRAITS

THAT WILL KEEP TRUCKS AND TRAILERS SAFE,
EFFICIENT, AND CLEAN FOR YEARS TO COME.”

—SARAH SHEETS, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT ARKANSAS
TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

Tapp getting the Technician Championship completely unexpected that serendipi-
off the ground. tous idea arose in the middle of 2017.
By Lacey Thacker
After Tapp retired early due to PATH TO A CAREER
Contributing Writer multiple sclerosis, Calhoun and other
friends of Tapp’s would make it a point The trucking industry is facing an
Kenneth Calhoun, vice president to gather at his home once a year. Tapp immediate need for diesel technicians,
of customer relations at Truck Centers committed his life to the trucking both in Arkansas and nationwide. Sarah
of Arkansas, met Carl Tapp nearly 25 industry, and his friends committed to Sheets, Director of Operations with the
years ago, when Tapp was working ensure Tapp stayed as connected as pos- Arkansas Trucking Association, notes
as vice president of maintenance for sible during his retirement. Tapp passed that, “In addition to the driver short-
P.A.M. Transport and Calhoun was with away in early 2016, but at the encour- age, the industry is in need of more
United Engines. agement of Rick Tapp, Carl’s brother, manpower under the hoods and over
that yearly gathering at Tapp’s home the motherboards of increasingly tech-
As an ardent supporter of the continues to this day. nological trucks.” To meet the pressing
industry and people who worked within need for diesel technicians, the industry
it, Calhoun says of Tapp, “He certainly During their yearly dinner, the must spark interest in the positions.
had a passion for our industry, our tech- friends remember Tapp, who Calhoun Sparking that interest in high school
nicians.” That commitment shows in describes as a great friend, while not- juniors and seniors beginning to make
the number of awards he received dur- ing wryly that he could also be quite decisions about career paths is a logical
ing his career, including the Silver Spark brusque if you got on his bad side. place to start.
Plug from TMC in 2010 and a Career While fellowshipping, Calhoun says
Leadership Award from Commercial the topic of a charity golf tournament Calhoun points out that, while
Carrier Journal in 2011. Tapp, one of to raise money for multiple sclerosis there may be those outside the industry
the founding members of the Arkansas in Tapp’s honor would inevitably come who think work as a truck technician
Trucking Association’s Maintenance up. Afterward, as happens, the friends is a job for those who weren’t meant
and Technology Council, and its first would go back to their lives and daily for college, that’s simply not the case.
chairman, was also instrumental in routines, only for the idea to be put on In fact, working as a truck technician
the backburner for another year. It was requires an increasingly high level of

36 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

skill and expertise. “They’re very much cause. Another 12 thousand dollars has ize they can be part of the technology’s
medium and heavy truck technicians. been contributed, and an additional ten development—as they can in the truck-
They’re dealing with a level of complex- thousand dollars has been committed. ing industry. Because of regulations
ity and sophistication that many people that have been put in place, Calhoun
simply aren’t aware of.” If all goes according to plan, two notes the industry’s technology is, over
scholarships of $7,500 will be awarded the next ten years in particular, on a
Calhoun says the push to grow the in spring of 2018. With the work of the course for growth. “As an industry, our
technician force is certainly a result of scholarship committee, over the next course is mapped through 2017 through
the immediate needs in the industry, few years the balance will continue mandates and legislation that we are
but it’s also a path to a career with increasing until eventually, the scholar- required to adhere to. We will be chas-
unlimited potential. “We take care of ship will reach a point when an endow- ing technology that hasn’t even been
our own. Most of the vice presidents ment becomes possible. But all that invented yet.”
and presidents in maintenance and work can’t be done without help. It will
superintendents of fleets have one thing take both on-going financial contribu- According to Calhoun, “We’re
in common: they started on the floor tions as well as involvement from the going to have to do all of these new and
turning wrenches.” Calhoun points to community. Sheets says, “The trucking creative things that, if the technology
the many people grown by the industry community coming together in this exists at all right now, is in labs or in
who are now earning six figures. But effort is what it will take to sustain the one of the four super trucks running
despite the strong career potential for program and is a step in the right direc- around.” New truck technicians will
diesel technicians, Sheets pointed out tion toward resolving the issue of tech- have the opportunity to be in on the cut-
that the financial burden of an appro- nician shortage.” ting edge of that developing technology.
priate education can still be a barrier
that keeps young people from entering SDCOHNOOLRASRTSOHIDPATE Instead of merely funding a stu-
the field. dent’s education, Calhoun hopes the
• Bruce Purkey scholarship itself will encourage schools
And that’s where Carl Tapp • DAVCO Technology, LLC in Arkansas to continue improving
comes in. Earlier this year, Techforce • Pressure Systems International their courses. He says The National
Foundation offered to contribute • TechForce Foundation Automotive Technician Education
$5,000 to fund some level of scholar- • Truck Centers of Arkansas Foundation is the only accepted cre-
ship. With that contribution, Calhoun • Truck-Lite Co., LLC dentialing agency for technicians, by
realized a scholarship fund to grow the technicians—but there are no NATEF
technician force would be a perfect way Calhoun plans to be involved with accredited schools in Arkansas.
to memorialize Tapp, and the Carl Tapp the scholarship for “as long as they’ll Calhoun plans to prioritize accred-
Technician Scholarship was born. let me,” he says, but is actively seeking ited schools, but until they exist in
other committee members to fundraise Arkansas, schools pursuing accredita-
Sheets states, “By establishing and help make decisions regarding how tion will receive priority.
the scholarship fund, we hope to ease the fund should be managed, grown,
that [financial] burden for Arkansas and distributed. The current committee Sheets states that the Arkansas
students with technical aptitude and includes nearly ten members from vari- Trucking Association is “excited about
curiosity and to encourage those traits ous trucking companies as well as the an opportunity to encourage growth
that will keep trucks and trailers safe, Department of Career Education and in the diesel technician workforce, as
efficient, and clean for years to come.” several school districts. well as a way to help assure that the
safest, most knowledgeable and skilled
STRONG TRAJECTORY Calhoun hopes that the availabil- technicians are working on the trucks
ity of the scholarship will encourage and trailers on our roads.” The Carl
Of course, with an official name interested students to pursue work in Tapp Technician Scholarship, Calhoun
comes official business. First, a scholar- the industry. Working as a truck tech- hopes, will have a permanent place
ship account had to be created, which nician isn’t just a well-paying job with in Arkansas, one that helps seniors in
the Arkansas Trucking Association a strong career trajectory—it’s a posi- high school both learn about the career
agreed to house. Calhoun then began tion in an industry that’s primed for opportunities available in trucking and
approaching friends, colleagues, and innovation. High school students today help them finance the education neces-
business associates to both fundraise are often excited about working in a sary to begin that career. ATR
and seek committee-level involvement. highly technical field, and they’re likely
Calhoun acknowledges his employer, to be even more interested if they real- To donate or get involved with the Carl
Truck Centers of Arkansas, for allowing Tapp Scholarship Fund, contact Sarah
and encouraging him to take on outside Sheets (sarahsheets@arkansastrucking.
interests, and they agreed to donate com) or visit www.arkansastrucking.
an annual one thousand dollars to the com/tech-scholarship.

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 37



Fatal Distraction

One of trucking’s top concerns

By Angela E. Thomas

Contributing Writer

The problem of distracted driv- “WE SIT UP HIGH IN THE CABIN, SO SOMETIMES WE
ing first appeared among trucking’s CAN’T HELP BUT SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING IN
top 10 critical issues on the American
Transportation Research Institute’s THEIR CARS.”
annual survey in 2014, and it has
remained there since. —APRIL COOLIDGE, DRIVER FOR USA TRUCK AND ARKANSAS
ROAD TEAM CAPTAIN
With good reason, each day in the
United States, approximately nine peo- DISTRACTION 101 ager of orientation and driver develop-
ple die and more than 1,000 people are ment before becoming an instructor.
injured because of accidents involving Trucking instructors are addressing Defensive driving has long been taught
distracted drivers. the problem directly, adding informa- in driving courses, especially in those
tion and directives to their curriculums. for professional truck drivers. While he
According to the National Highway The issue of driver distraction is so believes in exercising defense, he also
Traffic Safety Administration, driver important that Scott Sikora, instructor espouses “protective driving.”
distraction is a specific type of driver for the professional truck driver pro-
inattention that occurs when driv- gram at the College of the Ouachitas “Protective driving means I’m also
ers divert their attention from driving (COTO), actually added more hours going to think about those I share the
to another activity. These activities to COTO’s program to ensure time to road with, knowing that my actions
include, but aren’t limited to eating, address the topic. have an impact on others,” Sikora said.
talking to passengers, adjusting radio or
climate controls, and, of course, texting Sikora worked as a professional His instruction includes seven
or talking on a cell phone. truck driver for 6 years and was a man-

The three types of driver distrac-
tion are visual, taking your eyes off the 39
road; manual, taking your hands off the
wheel; and cognitive, taking your mind
off driving, according to the Centers for
Disease Control.

We most often think of technol-
ogy, specifically cell phone usage, as the
culprit. And rightfully so, the NHTSA
reports that sending or reading a text
message takes about 5 seconds. If a
driver is traveling at 55 mph, “that’s like
driving the length of an entire football
field … with your eyes closed.”

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017

DEADLY DISTRACTIONS either talking, texting or on social
media. There’s no way they know what’s
The report, “Distracted Driving 2015,” details the repercussions of going on around them. Sometimes, I’ll
distracted driving: honk to get their attention.”

• 10 percent of crash fatalities, 15 percent of injury crashes and 14 Sikora said his students often point
percent of all police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes were the out drivers who are distracted.
result of distractions;
“I just recently had a student
• 3,477 people were killed and an estimated 391,000 people were say ‘Look at that guy. He’s on his cell
injured in crashes involving distracted drivers; and phone.’ And he gave the driver more
room, because he realized you never
• 551 nonoccupants — pedestrians, bicyclists and others — were killed know what a driver is going to do when
in distraction-affected crashes. they’re distracted.”

Source: The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Coolidge also has the opportu-
Safety Administration nity to address the issue of highway
safety more directly. She serves on the
tenets. “These principles set a standard TRUCK CAB PERSPECTIVE Arkansas Road Team, a highway safety
that keeps others safe while keeping program of the Arkansas Trucking
professional drivers safe.” His direc- April Coolidge has worked with Association. She and other members
tives include knowing what’s happen- USA Truck as a professional driver for of the team travel the state and talk to
ing. “I teach students to be aware of over four years. She’s a real estate broker students at schools and other events
their driving distance and to maintain who began driving as a second career. about how to be safer on the highways.
an awareness of the space around their Eleven percent of drivers under 20 years
vehicles. Slow down, and stay back. “I’ve always loved driving. My of age who are involved in fatal crashes
Expect the expected and be proactive. father was a professional driver, and were distracted at the time of the crash,
People are predictable, so Sikora tells he always made a good living. I lived a according to Coolidge.
students, “If you saw it yesterday, it comfortable life as a child, so when the
will probably happen again today. So, bottom fell out of the real estate mar- “We really impress upon them that
expect it.” ket, I felt driving was a good option,” they should turn off their cell phones
Coolidge said. while they’re in their vehicles,” Coolidge
He also tells students to yield to said.
others even if they have the right of way Technology is, on one hand, a
and to reduce the risk, by being mindful bonus for Coolidge. She shares from her experiences as
not to position their trucks where oth- a professional driver. From her position
ers could come into contact with them. “We use the USA Truck Driver Hub in the truck, it’s not difficult to spot a
app. It has all the information we need, distracted driver, she said.
Lastly, because all drivers can from where to pick up loads and when
become distracted, he trains his stu- to report to work, to safety information “You can tell who’s distracted
dents to prepare to drive. and pay information. And it’s all avail- because they’re swerving. Often it’s
able on our tablets and smart phones. because they’re using a phone. I’ve even
Sikora said, “We can do practical Technology has allowed us to be free seen people with laptops at the wheel.
things to facilitate cabin alertness. For from the truck. If we’re home enjoying It amazes me that someone would be
instance, do you need caffeine? Loosen time with our families, we no longer so careless as to have their laptop open
the lid on your soda beforehand, so you have to stop everything and go out to while driving,” Coolidge said.
only have to use one hand to open it.” the truck to the computer to get this
information.” Coolidge said there are, of
Sikora also warns students of course, other distractions, such as
outside distractions, such as other Technology is, on the other hand, a the technology built in the cars — GPS
vehicles, other drivers who are dis- challenge. systems, satellite radios, navigation
tracted, billboards, especially electronic systems and more.
billboards, road construction, and even Coolidge said she feels all drivers, as
scenery. a whole, are more distracted than ever. “Passengers, eating food on-the-go,
smoking … every time I see accidents
“One of the perks of driving for a “Every driver has the potential to on the highway, I can’t help but think
living is the opportunity to see other be distracted. People are addicted to they’re often a result of distracted
parts of the country, however, being their cell phones and social media. We driving.”
safe is our first priority. It’s better to sit up high in the cabin, so sometimes
pull over to look around,” Sikora said. we can’t help but see what people are She said USA Truck addresses the
doing in their cars,” she said. “Many issue often. “We receive daily safety
times, I can see drivers on their phones, messages from the company, and each
month we review safety modules, some

40 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

of which address the issue of distracted Arkansas will eventually institute that text and drive.”
driving,” she said. policy as well. With Paul’s Law, there will be a

Further, the company is imple- “Arkansas has had the largest spike price to pay for the hypocrisy that we
menting dash cams and video cameras in car accidents since 1964 [with the can handle a quick glance at that news
for their trucks, a move that is taking increased popularity and use of cell alert or text message, but if someone else
place industrywide. phones]. Research indicates that cell does, it’s dangerous and irresponsible.
phone use contributes significantly to
“The cameras will not record at accidents and fatalities,” Bond said. So, do drivers put their phones away
all times. They’re triggered by actions “We all think we can text or read and when Coolidge honks? “Not always,” she
like hard braking or swerves. This will drive, but the other drivers shouldn’t said, laughing. “But if just one person
allow them to see what going on that do it, but the truth is no one can safely realizes what they’re doing and puts the
attributed to the driver’s actions,” phone down, it’s worth it.” ATR
Coolidge said.

As a member of the road team,
Coolidge is well aware of how dan-
gerous distracted driving can be. She
believes people know in concept how
dangerous texting and driving and dis-
tracted driving is however, they don’t
believe it applies to them.

“People simply don’t realize they’re
taking their focus off the road that
long. A few seconds doesn’t seem like a
great amount of time,” she said.

PAUL’S LAW screen 41
simulation
Nearly every state has banned tex-
ting while driving, and 14 have banned TAKE ON THE FSMA
drivers from all handheld phone use.
WITH THE NEW
Arkansas recently amended Paul’s
Law, which addresses the issue of dis- STANDARD OF
tracted driving, specifically texting
while driving. The law now prohibits CLEAN
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Sen. Will Bond sponsored the bill; Learn more at
he said it provides clarity to Paul’s Law, GreatDaneTrailers.com/Everest
which was passed in 2009.
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gerous it is to text while driving. This is
a step forward for Arkansas as we try to
deter texting and driving. This amend-
ment is just short of a law mandating
hands-free phone use,” Bond said.

He said every military installation
has hands-free rules and that as more
data become available, he believes,

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017

Gold Medals for TDC’s
Golden Anniversary

2017 Arkansas Trucking Championship Recap

By ATR Staff Police. On Friday, the 14th annual and technician competition represented
Arkansas Technician Champion kicked 28 companies with FedEx Freight claim-
The Arkansas Trucking Association off. While drivers competed in a pre- ing the biggest team of 32 competitors.
celebrated the 50th anniversary of the trip inspection and written exam, To qualify, the truck driving competi-
Arkansas Trucking Championship on technicians completed a written exam tors must hold an accident-free record
July 13–15 at the John Q. Hammons and visited 14 hands-on stations for of at least 12 months prior to the
Center in Rogers, Ark. truck technicians and 8 hands-on sta- championship, with some participants
tions for trailer technicians, including boasting no-accident records for over 20
The event, originally named the air conditioning, brakes, tire & wheel years.
Arkansas Truck Roadeo, first took place analysis, FMCSA regulations, engines,
at the Park Plaza Shopping Center in and other skills technicians use every Larry Rhein of FedEx Freight took
Little Rock in 1967 with 21 competi- day on the job. home the 2017 Grand Champion title.
tors. Since then, it has grown to three Rhein’s other 2017 championship
days and over 1,000 drivers, techni- During Friday’s events, vendors accomplishments include highest writ-
cians, safety professionals, friends and exhibited the hottest trucks and prod- ten exam score and first place in the
families coming together to celebrate ucts for competitors and maintenance twin trailers class. Last year, he was
the professional skills required to keep and safety professionals. And while named the grand champion runner-up.
roadways safe. drivers hit the course throughout the Rhein has competed in the Arkansas
morning and afternoon on Saturday, Truck Driving Championship 11 times.
This year, 165 drivers and 62 tech- fans were invited to explore the Be He is a familiar name at the awards
nicians showed up to prove themselves Pro Be Proud trailer or test out their banquet and has placed 5 times and
worthy of the title “Grand Champion.” own driving skills at the College of the qualified to represent Arkansas at the
Ouachitas mobile driving simulator. national competition in 2013 and 2016.
Thursday’s activities included
a Technician Training Fair and the Competitors in both the trucking 
Commercial Vehicle Inspection
Competition for Arkansas Highway

 Runner up and Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
Grand Champion truck

technicians Jesse
Elmore from USA
Truck and Eric Rusk
from McKee Foods

Transportation

 FedEx Freight’s Larry Rhein accepts the Grand
Champion trophy from Katie Thomason, ATA.

42

 Team Arkansas

 FedEx Freight’s Robin
Sams shows off his

3-axle first place and
grand champion runner-

up trophies

 Arkansas Highway Police Chief Ron
Burks presents the inspection grand
champion trophy to James Hamrick

 Three generations of competitors: Gary Mars with his  ATA’s David
uncle Leonard Mars (both Walmart Transportation) and O’Neal and son
his son Weston Mars (FedEx Freight) Collin stand at
attention for the
National Anthem

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 43

Rhein also received the sportsmanship served the industry for over eight years. for having the best overall team aver-
award in 2014. Technician Eric Rusk also of McKee age score. Rusk and Frye will represent
Arkansas in the National Technician
“For 50 years, this competition Foods Transportation earned the high- Skills Competition, SuperTech 2017, in
has challenged truck drivers to take est score and the Grand Champion Orlando, Fla.
pride in their dedication to safety,” said title in the truck technician division.
David O’Neal, ATA’s director of safety Rusk, who competes in the truck divi- Not all the accolades for this mile-
services. “This year’s competition was sion of the competition, is familiar stone event went to the competitors.
incredibly challenging, but the driv- with a win. He has been named Grand The companies and fans take part in
ers were up to the task. The winners Champion four times (2017, 2014, the competitive spirit as well. Stallion
should be proud of their display of pro- 2010 and 2007). He was runner up to Transportation Group earned the
fessionalism and skill.” the Grand Champion title in 2016 and “Best Decorated Tent” spirit stick. The
2012. He is also an ASE Master Tech “Loudest Group” was FedEx Freight.
Steven Frye of McKee Foods WL2. Rusk’s technical skills were tested Tyson Foods took home the bragging
Transportation won the top prizes and in 14 challenging categories (includ- rights and spirit stick for “Best Dressed
was named Grand Champion in the ing drive train, electrical, fifth wheel Team”. And J.B. Hunt won the “Biggest
trailer technician competition. Frye, and engines) as well as a written exam. Group” and “Best Overall” awards. ATR
who earned the most cumulative points, This year he was one of 42 technicians
was one of 20 trailer technicians to from across the state to compete in the
compete in the eight technical classes truck division.
and a written exam. Frye, a master
ASE Truck and Advanced ASE L2 tech- Rusk led the team of five techni-
nician, has worked for McKee Foods cians from McKee Foods Transportation
Transportation for six years and has to win the best overall team award

 FedEx drivers
 Walmart Transportation’s Todd
Huff accepts the Rookie of the Year
award from ATA’s Katie Thomason

 Tyson Foods’ Mike Alvey presents the
Trailer Grand Champion trophy to McKee
Foods Transportation technician Steven Frye

 Technician
John Smillie
from Travel
Centers of
America

 This year’s TDC chairman Scott Stewart (Distribution 
Solutions, Inc.) and Larry Bizzell (FedEx Ground)

44 Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

2017 Arkansas Trucking Championship Awards

TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP Tank Service Information
1st Danny Fuller – XPO Logistics 1st Ryan DeLeon – Summit Truck Group
2017 Grand Champion 2nd Mark Akin – Walmart Transportation 2nd Jesse Elmore – USA Truck
Larry Rhein – FedEx Freight 3rd Jeffrey Helmick – J.B. Hunt Transport Steering & Suspension
Grand Champion Runner-Up Twins 1st Thomas Pianalto – Summit Truck Group
Robin Sams – FedEx Freight 1st Larry Rhein – FedEx Freight 2nd Adam Harkness – TravelCenters of
Large Team Award 2nd Kirk Haggard – ABF Freight America
Walmart Transportation 3rd Jeff Cochran – FedEx Freight Tires & Wheel Analysis
Small Team Award 1st Jesse Elmore – USA Truck
ABF Freight TRUCK TECHNICIAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2nd Patrick McGinley – McKee Foods
Rookie of the Year Transportation
Todd Huff – Walmart Transportation Grand Champion Wheel End
Sportsmanship Award Eric Rusk – McKee Foods Transportation 1st Bill Brown – Tyson Foods
Gary Mars – Walmart Transportation Grand Champion Runner-Up 2nd Jesse Elmore – USA Truck
Pre-Trip Inspection (tie) Jesse Elmore – USA Truck Written Exam
Chris Parker – FedEx Freight Team Award 1st Michael Lee – Truck Centers of Arkansas
David Giacobbe – J.B. Hunt Transport McKee Foods Transportation 2nd Eric Rusk – McKee Foods Transportation
Highest Score on the Written Exam
Larry Rhein – FedEx Freight INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BY CLASS TRAILER TECHNICIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Aftertreatment
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BY CLASS 1st Michael Lee – Trucks Center of Arkansas Grand Champion
3-Axle 2nd Thomas Pianalto – Summit Truck Group Steven Frye – McKee Foods Transportation
1st Robin Sams – FedEx Freight Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Grand Champion Runner-Up
2nd Loren Hatfield – ABF Freight 1st Ryan DeLeon – Summit Truck Group Randall Shults – Walmart Transportation
3rd David Tucker – YRC Freight 2nd Thomas Pianalto – Summit Truck Group
4-Axle Air Systems & Brakes INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BY CLASS
1st Todd Huff – Walmart Transportation 1st Jesse Elmore – USA Truck Alignment
2nd David Hall – ABF Freight 2nd Jonathan Beeks – Trucks Centers of 1st Greg Sammons – Walmart Transportation
3rd Clark Welch – Walmart Transportation Arkansas 2nd Randall Shults – Walmart Transportation
5-Axle Drive Train Brakes
1st Wayne Odum – Walmart Transportation 1st Jonathan Beeks – Trucks Centers of 1st Steven Frye – McKee Foods Transportation
2nd Ronnie Cotton – FedEx Freight Arkansas 2nd JD Flippo – Tyson Foods
3rd David Giacobbe – J.B. Hunt Transport 2nd Anderson Weeks – Tyson Foods Electrical
Flatbed Electrical 1st Steven Frye – McKee Foods Transportation
1st Randy Lovell – Walmart Transportation 1st Ryan DeLeon – Summit Truck Group 2nd Alex Marcum – TravelCenters of America
2nd Paul Pierce – FedEx Freight 2nd Jesse Elmore – USA Truck Fasteners & Fittings
3rd Matthew Freas – Walmart Transportation Engines & Associated 1st Greg Sammons – Walmart Transportation
Sleeper 1st Jonathan Beeks – Trucks Centers of 2nd Randall Shults – Walmart Transportation
1st Gary Mars – Walmart Transportation Arkansas FMCSA Regulations
2nd Bryan Wilson – Tyson Foods 2nd Clint Bearden – MHC Kenworth/Volvo 1st Richard Holt – Tyson Foods
3rd Brian Williamson – Walmart Fasteners & Fittings 2nd Randall Shults – Walmart Transportation
Transportation 1st Eric Rusk – McKee Foods Transportation PMI
Step Van 2nd Rex Wren – Distribution Solutions, Inc. 1st Alex Marcum – TravelCenters of America
1st Louie Brooks – J.B. Hunt Transport Fifth Wheel 2nd John Smilie – TravelCenters of America
2nd Tyler Brown – FedEx Ground 1st Patrick McGinley – McKee Foods Tire & Wheel Analysis
3rd Timothy Geary – FedEx Ground Transportation 1st JD Flippo – Tyson Foods
Straight Truck 2nd Bill Brown – Tyson Foods 2nd Matthew Newton – TravelCenters of
1st Melvin Andrews – YRC Freight FMCSA Regulations America
2nd Ronnie Worring – ABF Freight 1st Ryan DeLeon – Summit Truck Group Wheel End
3rd Darren Tyler – J.B. Hunt Transport 2nd Derek Castle – Summit Truck Group 1st Kade Bring – Tyson Foods
PMI 2nd Richard Holt – Tyson Foods
1st Patrick McGinley – McKee Foods Written Exam
Transportation 1st JD Flippo – Tyson Foods
2nd Jesse Elmore – USA Truck 2nd Kade Bring – Tyson Foods

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 45

TShpaonnksoYorsu

GOLD SPONSORS  J.B. Hunt Transport driver Angel Cedillo

ABF Freight ShVoewndcoasre
CalArk International
Fontaine Fifth Wheel  J. B. Hunt Transport driver MHC Kenworth-Volvo
J.B. Hunt Transport Arthur Dancer and Maverick NanoMech
MHC Kenworth/Volvo Transportation driver Dale Dunn
Summit Truck Group
NanoMech The Larson Group
Summit Truck Group
 Rookie Walmart Transportation driver
Tyson Foods Wayne Odum with his daughter Cali
Utility Tri-State, Inc.
Walmart Transportation

SILVER SPONSORS

AAA Cooper Transportation
Aon

Cummins Sales & Service
Drivers Legal Plan
FedEx Freight
FedEx Ground

J. J. Keller & Associates
Maverick Transportation
McKee Foods Transportation

PAM Transport
Southern Tire Mart

Stephens
The Larson Group
Truck Centers of Arkansas

Truck Lite Co.
USA Truck

Wayne Smith Trucking

BRONZE SPONSORS  Team AAA Cooper Transportation 
Bridgestone Commercial Solutions
Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
College of the Ouachitas
FlowBelow Aero

JOST International
Loggins Logistics

PSI
SAF-Holland USA

46

“Spot On!”

“I want to let everyone know that the articles in the Arkansas Trucking Report
are spot on! The photos and in-depth coverage are excellent. You get it and it
shows! Keep up the good work that you do for our industry!”

Kevin Burch
Kevin Burch
President, Jet Express, Inc.
Chairman, ATA
Past Chairman, TCA

For advertising information, contact Amanda Lamb at
(501) 372-3462 or [email protected]

 Julian Becker, driver Bobby  J.B. Hunt
Martin, driver Daniel Sweat, and Tom Transport driver
Finley (all Tyson Foods) David Brown feeling
confident before pre-
 PFC Josh Graves, First Lt. Scott trip inspections
Fraley, and Joseph Beggs with the
Arkansas Highway Police  A yearbook to commemorate
the 50th anniversary of the TDC
compiled by Gary and Tonya Mars

 XPO Logistics driver Danny
Fuller with his wife Betty

More drivers prefer PrePass. Call 866-228-1424 and
mention promo code ARTA or visit
The original weigh station bypass and electronic tolling solution. prepass.com/ar to try risk free.*

*Offer good for first-time PrePass customers only and does not include the tolling payment service. Service HELP Inc. is proud to support ATA and its members
contingent upon application approval. Carriers and operators must meet the minimum Inspection Selection
System safety score to qualify for PrePass. Qualified applicants will receive service transponder and one month Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
of service at no up-front cost. Service may be cancelled at any time. At the end of the trial period, service will
automatically renew at regular PrePass rates. Upon conclusion of service, transponder must be returned
within 30 days to PrePass or a $100 hardware fee will be assessed.

48

 Tech competing
in skills competition

 ABF drivers Loren Hatfield and Kirk Haggard
 Bryan White and Heath Thompson of MHC
Kenworth/Volvo at the booth are ready to show off
their trucks and meet drivers

 Larry & Carolyn Parrish

 Tyson Foods’ Billy Stark calls time
for the outdoor technician stations

ATR

truck driver

appreciation week

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2017 49

Insider Trucking

A look at the latest products, services and news from ATR advertisers

TA/PETRO TO RECOGNIZE There are already fied to offer DOT-compliant testing
DRIVERS 24 TA and Petro loca- with all the required components. We
tions named for our make sure your company, its employees
We at TA and Petro believe profes- honorees. This is a and your drug and alcohol program stay
sional drivers deserve nothing but the great way to recognize in compliance at all times, so you can
utmost respect, care and comfort. them — and the carri- focus on your business.
ers they drive for. We
That’s why we’re proud to look forward to meet- • DOT Consortium
announce the fifth annual Citizen ing your nominees, and • DOT approved Random Selection
Driver program. This program recog- honoring the profes-
nizes drivers who earn public respect sionals who drive our Drug Screening Services
for the trucking industry through good livelihoods. And our • Mobile Screening
citizenship, safety, community involve- country. • Nationwide network of over 5000
ment, health and wellness, and leader-
ship. We’re asking you to help us find Visit www.ta-petro. collections sites
our next Citizen Driver honorees. com/citizendriver to • Drug and Alcohol test results are
submit your nomina-
Anyone can nominate a driver: tions and meet past honorees. available in less than 24 hours
husbands, wives, sons, daughters or
friends. We also urge trucking organiza- DOT EMPLOYERS & OWNER No long term contracts or set up
tion members, carriers and employees OPERATORS fees are required. No program manage-
to nominate worthy drivers within their ment fees or consortium fees for your
organizations.
  DOT testing.

Nominations are being accepted
  Contact us for a quote: 877-750-
until Sept. 30, 2017, at which time a 3660 or www.courthouseconcepts.com
panel of distinguished trucking industry
  Courthouse Concepts are special-
professionals will review the nominees. MHC EXPANDS FOOTPRINT
In 2018, at a special ceremony, we will Courthouse
 Concepts
 is
 a
 consumer
 reporting
 agency,
 as
 well
 as
 a
 member
 of
 the
 National
 Association
  ALONG I-44 CORRIDOR
announce our new Citizen Drivers.
Among other honors, they will have a ists at establishing and administeringof
 Professional
 Background
 Screeners
 and
 the
 Public
 Record
 Retriever’s
 Network.
 Our
 core
 business
 is
  MHC has expanded operations,
TA or Petro location named for them. that
 of
 providing
 Pre-­‐Employment
 Background
 and
 Drug
 Screening.
 
 
  opening a new leasing facility in
Springfield, Mo., to fill immediate needs
DOT-compliant drug testing programsBackground
 Checks
  in the Ozark market. This is another
Turnaround
 times
 vary
 depending
 on
 the
 type
 of
 search
 being
 requested.
 Social
 Security
 Trace,
  step forward in MHC’s short and long-
range growth plans for the region.
for any business in the transportationNationwide
 Criminal
 Searches,
 Credit
 Reports,
 some
 State
 Criminal
 and
 Motor
 Vehicle
 History
 Reports
 
are
 instant.
 County
 Circuit
 Courts
 may
 take
 24
 to
 48
 hours,
 and
 County
 District
 Courts
 may
 take
 longer
  This is one of seven MHC Truck
than
 48
 hours.
 
 The
 average
 turnaround
 time
 for
 a
 basic
 background
 check
 including
 Social
 Security
  Leasing locations along the I-44 cor-
ridor. The Springfield leasing team will
industr y.Trace,
 Nationwide
 Criminal
 Search,
 7
 Year
 County
 Criminal
 Check
 is
 two
 days.
 Most
 felony
 records
 are
  operate in a standalone facility, which
obtained
 by
 our
 researchers.
 
 The
 turnaround
 time
 averages
 24
 hours.
 
 Misdemeanor
 records
 must
 be
  is conveniently seated along highway 65
obtained
 from
 the
 District
 Court
 Clerk,
 and
 although
 we
 maintain
 a
 good
 relationship
 with
 the
 District
  and Division Street, a heavy traffic area
If you are a DOT-regulated com-Courts,
 we
 are
 served
 at
 their
 discretion.
 
 Many
 District
 Courts
 have
 a
 limited
 staff.
 
 We
 keep
 our
 clients
  within the Springfield metropolitan.
apprised
 of
 any
 delays
 beyond
 48
 hours.
  The facility features six service bays, a

pany requiredDrug
 Testing
  to have a DOT compliant Issue 4 2017 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
Drug
 and
 Alcohol
 test
 results
 are
 available
 in
 less
 than
 24
 hours.
 
 SAMHSA
 Lab
 confirmation
 of
 non-­‐

drug and alcohol program in place, wenegative
 results
 with
 MRO
 may
 take
 24-­‐48
 hours.
 
 Courthouse
 Concepts
 has
 a
 nationwide
 network
 of
 
over
 5000
 collection
 sites
 to
 choose
 from.
 
 

can provide your business with com-No
 long
 term
 contracts
 or
 set
 up
 fees
 are
 required.
 No
 program
 management
 fees
 or
 consortium
 fees
 
when
 using
 Courthouse
 Concepts
 for
 your
 DOT
 testing.
 

plete testing and program services.
We strictly adhere to DOT compli-

ance standards in all of our testing,
which means when you use Courthouse
Concepts, you can be confident that
your program will pass a DOT audit
anytime.

Unlike other medical facilities that
simply offer drug testing, we are quali-

50


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