LMTA's Open Road Issue 2, 2022 featuring Karl Mears, Razorback Rentals

OPEN

ROAD

ISSUE 2 2022

DiesKeal irnlHMiseVaeirnss

Razorback Rentals

Spotlight on Safety: Meet LMTA SMC's chair Jeff Beam & vice chair Brian Koretzky
The Insurance Environment | LA's Weigh Stations | The Mongoose Method | LMTA's Annual Convention

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE LOUISIANA MOTOR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION 





TRUCKING

NEEDS

OPEN COVER STORY
20 Diesel in His Veins
ROAD
Karl Mears, owner of Razorback Rentals
ISSUE 2 2022 and LMTA’s immediate-past president
of the board, shares stories of wearing
Table of Contents every hat in the company

FEATURES BY STEVE BRAWNER
10 Spotlight on Safety
IMAGES ON COVER AND THIS PAGE OF KARL MEAR BY PATRICK DENNIS
Get to know LMTA's Safety Management Council
chair & vice chair. |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 5

13 Insurance Rates High, Choices
Few in Louisiana

Carriers and insurance agents weigh in on the
many layers of issues making Louisiana’s insurance
environment challenging

BY STEVE BRAWNER

19 Changes to Louisiana’s
Weigh Stations

BY DAN CALABRESE

27 Defeating the Reptile:
A Neurocognitive Analysis
and Solution

BY BILL KANASKY, JR. SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COURTROOM SCIENCES, INC.

32 ELDT: Who’s in the Driver’s Seat?

BY DAN CALABRESE

33 The DRIVE-Safe Act
Ths Solution to a Regulatory Faux Pas?

BY DAN CALABRESE

34 LMTA’s Annual Convention

36 NTDC’s Louisiana Winners

DEPARTMENTS

7 President’s Message:

BY CULLY FRISARD

9 From the Executive Director's Desk:

BY RENEE AMAR

38 Calendar of Events
38 LMTA New Members
38 Advertising Resource Index

WWW.LMTA.LA

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OPEN LMTA President’s Message

ROAD Truckers Stronger Together
The Official Magazine of the
Louisiana Motor Transport Association As president, my motto for the LMTA this year has been "Truckers stronger together."
In the past, ours was a unified industry. Truck drivers would stop and help each other on
Open Road is owned by the Louisiana Motor Transport the road because even though we might be competitors, we’re also friends and allies.
Association and is published by Matthews Publishing Group. We need to recapture that spirit, especially since we may be entering a difficult time for
To request additional copies, order reprints of individual articles trucking. The spot market is slowing. Frisard’s Trucking’s loads coming out of Ohio are paying
or to become a subscriber to Open Road, please contact Allison $600 to $800 less than they were a couple of months ago. Meanwhile, expenses for drivers
Strahan at [email protected] or call 225-928-5684. To inquire about are rising, and insurance is going through the roof.
advertising, please contact the publisher at (501) 690-9393. That combination of lower rates and higher costs is a challenging situation for trucking
companies, particularly smaller ones with 25 or fewer trucks who are the backbone of
Publisher our industry.
Jennifer Matthews-Drake The situation makes having a strong camaraderie even more important, but that won’t
Matthews Publishing Group happen by accident. It only happens by design. I’ve always said the leader sets the standard
[email protected] for their employees. If business owners and executives act like our industry is stronger
together, then employees and drivers will follow our lead.
Executive Editor One area where we can come together is in the legislative arena. The LMTA should bring
Renee Amar members who are in the back of the room up to the front. Those members may have a
golden nugget idea but not realize how valuable it is. To help facilitate that, the LMTA has
Managing Editor created a legislative education committee that will help smaller and inexperienced carriers
Allison Strahan discuss issues with their representatives.
Also, let's all work together to reduce our industry's exposure to plaintiffs lawyers who use
Creative Director unscrupulous practices to pressure us into huge settlements and manipulate the emotions of
Fran Sherman the jury into granting huge nuclear verdicts.
[email protected] We can do this by learning from the experts. Earlier this year, the LMTA hosted a seminar
on the “mongoose method,” which is an effective legal strategy that counteracts the plaintiffs
Graphic Designer lawyers’ “reptile theory.” It was one of the best seminars I’ve seen the LMTA provide.
Bárbara Negrón Another seminar is planned for Nov. 8-9. I encourage you to be there so you can learn
what to say – and what not to say – in a deposition or trial. The right words can keep you out
Ad Production of trouble, while the wrong ones can put you out of business.
Douglas Benjamin I don’t want to see your company get hit by a big verdict for two reasons. First, it hurts you.
And second, if your rates go up, there’s a good chance mine will too. That’s the way liability
Photographers insurance works.
John Ballance Whether it’s on the road, in the Legislature, or in the legal arena, what’s been true in the
Patrick Dennis past is still true today. We might be competitors, but we’re also friends and allies.
We’re stronger together. So, let’s stay together.
Daniel Gray
Lawrence Kuzniewski Cully Frisard
President, Frisard Companies
Contributing Writers LMTA Board President
Steve Brawner
Dan Calabrese
Kevin Jones
Renee Miller
David Monteith
Jack Roberts
John D. Schulz
Lacey C. Thacker

Louisiana Motor Transport Association

Staff

Executive Director
Renee Amar
[email protected]

Sponsorship Coordinator Communications Director
Hailey Austin Allison Strahan
[email protected] [email protected]

Accounting Director Communications Assistant
Burton Comeaux Emelie Tovar
[email protected]
[email protected]

For more information, contact LMTA at:
Louisiana Motor Transport Association

Office: 4838 Bennington Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70708

Mailing: PO Box 80278
Baton Rouge, LA 70798
Phone 225-928-5682 www.lmta.la

WWW.LMTA.LA |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 7



Louisiana Motor Transport Association From the Executive Director's Desk

LMTA's 2022-2023 Letter to President Biden
Officers of the Board RE: Fuel Costs

Chair of the Board August 24, 2022
Karl Mears
Ms. Kelly Hammerle
Razorback Rentals, LLC Chief, National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program
Board President Development and Coordination Branch
Cully Frisard Leasing Division, Office of Strategic Resources
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (VAM-LD)
Frisard Companies 45600 Woodland Road
1st Vice President Sterling, VA 20166-9216
Nataly Madden
Signature Transport, LLC Submitted via: regulations.gov
2nd Vice President
RE: Request for comments on the 2023–2028 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and
Brad Nelson Gas Leasing Proposed Program (Docket ID: BOEM–2022–0031)
Freedom Trucks of America
Dear Ms. Hammerle:
Secretary
Judy Smart On behalf of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association, I am writing today to ask the Biden
Roadrunner Towing & Recovery Administration to encourage more oil and gas lease sales on federal lands to lower the cost
of energy.
Treasurer
Nicole Otillio We urge support for the proposed 2023-2028 National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
Bengal Cranee Importantly, offshore oil and gas lease sales will increase global energy supply from within our
ATA Vice President own borders that will bring down energy prices and create jobs across the U.S.
Shaun Fontenot
A & B Transport Since the Biden Administration halted offshore oil and gas lease sales, gasoline and diesel
ATA VP Alternate prices have risen drastically since January 2021. They have remained over $4 per gallon since
Mitch Guillot March of this year, reaching a record of over $5 per gallon this summer. This is untenable for
Triple G Express the trucking industry – particularly for the 90% of companies with 20 trucks or less. With each
passing day of historically high fuel prices, these small businesses that drive our country’s
LMTA Foundation Board economy by connecting every industry face the prospect of going out of business.

Chair Greg Stewart As inflation hits a 40-year high, the cost of energy and wholesale goods rises in tandem. The
Tom O'Neal Safeway trucking industry is painfully aware of this, as we are forced to pass on the added costs of
Hercules Transport delivering essential goods to consumers. Therefore, we encourage re-opening the oil and gas
Larry Terrel leasing program on federal lands and waters to increase the supply of affordable, reliable U.S.
Treasurer Northlake Moving energy resources to ease the burden of high energy prices.
Mike Beck
McGriff Insurance Ellis Vliet Respectfully submitted,
Retired, Turner

Industries

www.lmta.foundation

Louisiana Motor Transport Association is an affiliate C. Renee Amar
of the American Trucking Associations. LMTA is a Executive Director
Louisiana corporation of trucking companies, private Louisiana Motor Transport Association
carrier fleets and businesses which serve or supply the
trucking industry. LMTA serves these companies as a |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 9
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, education
services, operational services and serves as a forum for
industry meetings and membership relations.

WWW.LMTA.LA

Spotlight on Safety

Get to know LMTA's Safety Management Council chair & vice chair.

JEFF BEAM TELL US ONE THING THAT YOU THINK OUR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR
READERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU: CURRENT POSITION?
SAFETY SUPERVISOR
ERGON TRUCKING, INC. I donated a kidney to a friend. 13 years.
LMTA SAFETY MANAGEMENT
COUNCIL'S CHAIR WHY DO YOU THINK CREATING A CULTURE
OF SAFETY IS IMPORTANT?
PERSONAL
Hometown: Lake Charles, La. So we can all return home in the same
Current town: Grand Lake, La. shape we left and because it’s the right thing
to do.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
I love boiled crawfish. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR
MANAGEMENT STYLE?
WHAT’S THE LAST MOVIE THAT YOU SAW
AND LOVED, AND WHY? Firm but fair.

Top Gun: Maverick because it’s very well WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT
done and reminds me of my time on an aircraft YOUR WORK?
carrier.
The travel and helping others stay safe.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Ford Pinto. WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE
FACED IN YOUR CAREER THAT YOU’VE
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY: OVERCOME?
Wife Jackie, daughter Alex and son-in-law
The transition from automatic on-board
Mason. recording devices to electronic logging devices.

WHAT HOBBY DO YOU MOST ENJOY? THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF: WHAT IS THE GREATEST BENEFIT OF BEING
Going to concerts. Pretty easy going. AN LMTA MEMBER?

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND? PROFESSIONAL Networking and learning from others in the
ZZ Top. same industry.
HOW DID YOU COME TO YOUR CAREER
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE VACATION IN TRUCKING? WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE
SPOT: RECEIVED AND FROM WHOM?
My parents were in the business, and it
Anywhere with water nearby. seemed interesting. Boy was I right! From my supervisor: If you have to start
a conversation by saying, “I probably
shouldn’t say this…” you probably shouldn’t
say it.

BRIAN KORETZKY AND LOVED, AND WHY? Brayden playing baseball and football
Nothing specific, with two little ones it’s with myself as his coach. Brianna is very
SAFETY SPECIALIST busy in dance and attends ballet, jazz, tap,
C & S WHOLESALE GROCERS hard to watch TV, I watch the Disney movies hip-hop and tumbling dance classes three
LMTA SAFETY MANAGEMENT with them and football on weekends. days a week. So needless to say we stay
COUNCIL'S VICE CHAIR very busy.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
PERSONAL Oldsmobile, Grand Prix. WHAT HOBBY DO YOU MOST ENJOY?
Hometown: Kenner, La. My hobbies are fishing, golf and
Current town: Ponchatoula, La. TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY:
I am married to Shannon Koretzky coaching youth football and baseball.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
I love boiled crawfish or anything boiled. and we currently have three children, WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND?
Tayler (16), Brayden (7) and Brianna (5). None, I like a lot of different genres
WHAT’S THE LAST MOVIE THAT YOU SAW We stay very busy in our household
with Tayler in travel softball, volleyball, of music.
|10 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022
WWW.LMTA.LA

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE keep America moving. YOU’VE OVERCOME?
VACATION SPOT: I was tasked with putting together
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR
It has to be Disney World, been 35 times MANAGEMENT STYLE? training for all of the new transportation
since I was a young boy and continue to go safety specialists in our company. This
with my wife and kids. Very stern with drivers and their was a huge challenge ensuring the training
behaviors when a driver shows unsafe was complete and very informative so all
TELL US ONE THING THAT YOU THINK driving, remember unsafe driving will have of the safety specialists were practicing
OUR READERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT repercussions on the company. I always the same way of doing their job. There
YOU: were many challenges I could list which
all have the same bearing on our industry,
I am a retired sheriff’s deputy after 25 however each challenge was accepted
years and continue to work with the reserve and completed.
division at Ponchatoula Police Department.
I began my law enforcement career in WHAT IS THE GREATEST BENEFIT OF
the mid 90s and after 25 years decided it BEING AN LMTA MEMBER?
was time for a change as our society has
changed drastically. Being the vice chair of the Safety
Management Council is definitely a great
THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF: benefit. Working with all types of trucking
Loving, caring and giving. I will always go companies and being able to work
together to build a better and safer trucking
out of my way to help someone if needed. industry. Networking is also a huge benefit,
we always learn from each other and can
PROFESSIONAL use others ideas and information to build a
better safety program.
HOW DID YOU COME TO YOUR CAREER look at metrics and numbers then work on
IN TRUCKING? a plan to resolve any trending issues with WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE
driver behavior. Much of the time I choose YOU’VE RECEIVED AND FROM WHOM?
I have always wanted a job in the a coaching or learning approach with the
safety field and had pursued this for drivers and not a “punishment” approach. The best advice I received was from
several years prior to retiring. I applied This will always help with moral and the former general manager, Gregg Miles.
for the transportation safety job at driver’s attitude. Also good, safe drivers are He would come into my office and give
C&S and actually forgot about it. Then hard to come by these days, so I always treat me words of encouragement and talk to
approx. 6mths later, they called me asking them the way I would want to be treated. me about the trucking business. He was
if I was still interested, I told them yes and a great mentor for me moving from law
now I am here and couldn’t be happier WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT enforcement, public sector to the private
with the decision I made to change YOUR WORK? sector working for C&S. He always took
professions. I had DOT experience the time to help me in my transition and
from working in the traffic division while The challenge of ensuring our drivers are had given me so many different words
employed as a deputy which sparked my always practicing safe driving behaviors, of encouragement throughout our time
interest in the trucking field. doing my part to make sure the drivers and working together, which has helped me
motoring public gets to where they are tremendously. I owe a lot to him and will
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR going in a safe manner. Interacting with forever be grateful for him, as he always
CURRENT POSITION? drivers and getting to know everyone, I guided me in the right direction.
managed approximately 135 drivers and
4.5 years. know each one by first name. Building trust IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO
with them and other co-workers is a must in SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
WHY DO YOU THINK CREATING A the workplace which creates a better
CULTURE OF SAFETY IS IMPORTANT? work environment. I am honored to be able to conduct
this interview and being able to share
Trucking safety looks different for each WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE my thoughts. Together, as a trucking
fleet, but it ensures all employees behave FACED IN YOUR CAREER THAT industry we can all work together to
safely, understand why and help others make our highways much safer, for not
adopt safe behaviors. Poor safety culture just our drivers, but for everyone sharing
has repercussions for the company, its the roadways with our trucks. Safety is a
employees and the people they share huge part of our trucking industry and
the highways with. Just by inspecting the without our safety professional doing
condition of your truck can save lives and what they do, day in and day out, our
in the trucking industry which is always trucking industry would not be what it is
under scrutiny, practicing safe behaviors will today. Always keep safety one of your top
always improve a company’s safety record. priorities, ALWAYS!!!!
Trucking drives America and we need to
adopt the best safety measures possible to

WWW.LMTA.LA |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 11

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Insurance Rates High,
Choices Few

Carriers & insurance agents weigh in on
Louisiana’s challenging insurance environment

BY STEVE BRAWNER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Cully Frisard has seen a 24 percent where choices are limited, and costs have minor incidents and accidents that
increase in his company’s commercial are high. turn into major lawsuits.”
auto liability rates this year. Karl Mears is
paying $59,000 to insure each of his eight Frisard is chief executive officer of “You’ve got to make a business decision
trucks. Randy Guillot has seen a decline in Gramercy-based Frisard Companies, a whether you choose settling for 50, 60
his insurance rates since joining a captive 125-tractor general commodities dry van grand to fight a $100,000 lawsuit, or go
insurance group in 2019, but he had been carrier. He said that while his commercial to court, which will cost a lot of time and
rejected the previous year because he’s auto liability rates rose this year, his cargo money with the possibility of a much higher
based in Louisiana. insurance rates stayed the same and his verdict in the end."
workers’ compensation rates fell.
All of them are trying to navigate the Mike Beck, vice president with McGriff
state’s challenging insurance environment, Frisard said the explanation for the rising
auto liability rates is simple, “Because we CONTINUES 
WWW.LMTA.LA
|OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 13

“THERE’S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY IN IT
FOR EVERYONE AND AT THE VERY BOTTOM END OF IT IS

THE TRUCKER WHO ENDS UP FOOTING THE BILL.”

—JAMEY SATAWA, AGENT, MARSH MCLENNAN AGENCY

Insurance Services, said insurance options traded companies,” Beck says, “and so "I HAD A DRIVER BACK INTO
are especially limited for entry level when they can’t make a return on their ANOTHER TRUCK ON A JOB SITE,
truckers. He explained that those who have investment, or when there’s so much fraud
been in business for a while can obtain associated with everything, they just AND $75,000 LATER, WE GOT
coverage through Clear Blue Insurance or pull out.” THAT TAKEN CARE OF, AND ALL
Progressive online, or on the open market IT ENDED UP BEING WAS A $200
through Berkshire Hathaway. Larger carriers Jamey Satawa, an agent with the Marsh
can get involved in a loss-sensitive captive McLennan Agency, said the insurance BENT BUMPER. THAT’S OUR
program where selected motor carriers market in plaintiff-friendly Louisiana is LITIGIOUS SOCIETY."
share risks and costs with perhaps 50-100 “extraordinarily disrupted.” Billboards
fleets that have similar interests. Captive advertising an attorney’s services for truck- —KARL MEARS, OWNER,
members have more of a say and can pick involved accidents are pervasive. Some RAZORBACK RENTALS
the attorney who will represent them. even involve endorsements by LSU athletes.
away, or fight it, often at greater expense,
The limited choices are the result of Attorneys typically receive a 33 percent and risk a bigger verdict. As a result, what
Louisiana’s litigation climate. The state has contingency fee of any award. Theoretically, should be small, inconsequential claims
more claims than other states, and the the fact they won’t get paid for losing a result in big checks for the plaintiff, the
claims are higher. Until 2021, its laws did case is supposed to incentivize them to take attorney, doctors, pain management clinics
not prevent unscrupulous motorists from only strong ones, Satawa said. But in reality, and physical therapists.
staging accidents in search of a payoff from there are few disincentives for attorneys to
motor carriers. Rates are higher in New accept even cases that may be fraudulent. “There’s a tremendous amount of money
Orleans and southern Louisiana, where the Plaintiffs’ lawyers spend little time litigating. in it for everyone and at the very bottom
staged accidents were occurring as part of Instead, they send threatening letters in end of it is the trucker who ends up footing
an organized criminal ring. hopes of producing a settlement check. the bill,” Satawa said.

“These insurance companies are publicly Motor carriers must make a business WWW.LMTA.LA
decision: Write the check to make it go
|14 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022

The New Orleans area made national Guillot said the procedures still need company ultimately pays the premium.
news because of a series of fraudulent to be fleshed out. He said he recently Karl Mears, owner of Razorback Rentals
staged accidents that have netted dozens approached a Louisiana State Police major
of guilty pleas. Guillot, president of New asking how to file a complaint about a and LMTA’s immediate-past president of
Orleans-based Triple G Express and staged accident. The officer didn’t know. the board, said his eight-truck aggregate
Southeastern Motor Freight, has been a hauler recently received its renewal notice
victim as well as a national spokesman Renee Amar, LMTA’s executive director, for its commercial liability insurance. The
regarding the issue. He said the accidents said smaller companies, the backbone of cost was $59,000 per year per truck. "You
are happening less frequently and don’t the Louisiana trucking industry, do not have can compare that to last year's coverage
seem to be coordinated. Instead of an the buying power that larger companies which was $42,000, or seven years ago
organized criminal group, it’s now small- do and must buy the product off the shelf. when it was at $15,000 per truck, or when I
time actors trying to make a quick buck. Those insurance carriers do a calculation bought the company back in 2004 when it
when a claim is filed, often finding it was just shy of $5,000 per truck." He noted
Staging a motor vehicle accident became cheaper to settle than to fight the claim that his company is especially vulnerable
illegal under Louisiana law in 2021, but in court. When that happens, the smaller to accidents and high rates because of the
type of hauls it does on crowded, unpaved
6,000 job sites.

READERS STRONG "I had a driver back into another truck on
a job site, and $75,000 later, we got that
LMTA’s Open Road reaches more than 6,000 leaders in transportation throughout Louisiana taken care of, and all it ended up being
and beyond. at makes advertising in Open Road an excellent business decision. was a $200 bent bumper," he said. “And
that’s our litigious society. … That’s what my
If you want to reach this highly targeted and in uential group of industry decision- insurance paid out. We bent a bumper on
makers and ask them to consider purchasing your products or services, then you’ll want a customer’s truck, and $75,000 later it was
settled.”
to place an ad in every edition of Open Road.
Please contact our publisher, Jennifer Matthews, at [email protected] Guillot said his companies have been
in a captive group since 2019 after being
or call (501) 690-9393 -- if she doesn’t call you rst! rejected the previous year by another
captive because he is based in Louisiana.
His agency approached the second captive.
The agency represents about 20 carriers,
most of them based in Louisiana. The
captive has grown from a total of 50 carriers
from all states when he joined to about 80.
His rates have declined since joining it.

“It took the agent getting a relationship
with the captive, its principals, and we
basically had to prove ourselves one carrier
at a time,” he said.

Guillot noted that in his captive, the
Louisiana-based carriers’ premiums were
twice as much per unit as members from
other states. In the last renewal in March
2022, Louisiana members’ premiums
remained the same while premiums for
other members increased.

Carriers can take steps to protect
themselves. Satawa said they can leverage
their workers’ compensation insurance,
which can be profitable for insurance
carriers, to obtain better rates for
commercial auto liability. Companies that
successfully keep down their rates should
partner with an insurance provider that
understands what they face and doesn’t
simply treat it as a transaction.

Satawa strongly recommended that
motor carriers install cameras in their trucks,
saying they are “the best attorney you can

CONTINUES 

WWW.LMTA.LA |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 15

hire first and foremost.” Not only can they
protect a trucking company that’s involved
in an accident, but they also can help
monitor driver behavior for areas that need
coaching or perhaps make it clear when
they need to be terminated.

Guillot has cameras in all of his trucks.
“If we get involved in an accident
and we’ve done wrong, and we see it
on camera, let’s rectify the problem,” he
said. “If we get involved in an accident
and we’re doing all the right things
and didn’t do anything wrong, let’s
defend ourselves. And I am not bashful
to defend ourselves.”
In one accident, his driver was holding
steady in the right-hand lane and
completely following the law when a
car approached from the on-ramp on
the passenger side and hit the truck.
Fortunately in this case, the Guillot’s
company had video evidence from the cab
of the truck making their driver’s innocence
clear. Without that evidence, these false
claims would have resulted in an enormous
settlement to be paid out even though in
truth they weren’t at fault, or, if not settled
beforehand, an even larger judgement
resulting from a jury trial.

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|16 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022

“You know what that means,” Guillot asks. "IT’S JUST, WITH THAT ENVIRONMENT, THOSE BAD ACTOR PLAINTIFF
“It basically means that I’m going to sue you ATTORNEYS ARE ENCOURAGING BAD ACTOR PLAINTIFFS TO FILE A
no matter what, and I’m going to bank on
that either my insurance company or the PROCESSION OF FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS. WE’VE GOT TO BREAK
motor carrier’s going to pay me off because THAT CYCLE.”
it’s going to cost more to defend it than
it does to pay him off. And I’m under the -- RANDY GUILLOT, PRESIDENT, OF NEW ORLEANS-BASED
mindset, take a hike. I don’t care how much TRIPLE G EXPRESS & SOUTHEASTERN MOTOR FREIGHT
it costs to defend it. I’m going to defend it
to no end. It’s just, with that environment, to answer a series of questions asked by has required a change in participants’
those bad actor plaintiff attorneys are plaintiff lawyers in a deposition. Those mindsets. The LMTA is bringing Kanasky
encouraging bad actor plaintiffs to file a questions typically start with “Is safety back for a second seminar Nov. 8 – 9 at
procession of frivolous lawsuits. We’ve got your top priority?” The trucking company the Membership & Management Forum in
to break that cycle.” official’s “yes” answer is followed by more Covington, La.
“yes” answers to questions, until the trucker
Meanwhile, the trucking industry as has all but admitted liability. To counter Beck said the legal situation isn’t
a whole is fighting back. The LMTA has those questions, the Mongoose Method hopeless. He pointed to workers’
hosted its first seminar regarding the teaches officials how to appropriately compensation reforms that were
“Mongoose Method.” The term was coined respond to that hypothetical first question. spearheaded in the early 1990s by then-
by Nevada Trucking Association CEO Paul The truth is safety is one of many priorities Senator Mike Foster, who later became
Enos based on the work of Dr. Bill Kanasky, for any trucking company. governor.
senior vice president with Courtroom
Sciences. The Mongoose Method is a “That was probably one of the best “Louisiana had the most screwed up
method of counteracting the Reptile seminars I’ve seen the LMTA put on since workers’ comp system anywhere in the
Theory, which is a legal practice used by I’ve been a member for the past 20 years” country, and Mike Foster, a businessman,
plaintiff lawyers designed to encourage Frisard said. got involved in it,” he said. “He cleaned it
juries to make huge awards. (See related up. We can do it. We just have to have the
story on page 27.) Amar said the mongoose method political will to do it.”

A key part of the Mongoose Method
is preparing trucking company officials

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WWW.LMTA.LA |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 17

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF ATRITHE NATION’S TOP TRUCK

This year ATRI celebrates 20 years of leadership in critical data and analysis to improve the

BOTTLENECKS 2021trucking industry’s safety and productivity. From the truck stop to the executive suite, to the
ANALYSsItSate house and Capitol Hill, ATRI’s reputation for providing objective industry analyses means

data-driven decision making on the industry’s biggest issues.ince 2002, the American Transportation Research Institute

S(ATRI) has collected and processed truck GPS data in support
truck GPS dataset, ATRI found average truck speeds at some of the
worst truck bottlenecks improve by 100% or more as car drivers
of numerous U.S. DOT freight mobility initiatives. Using truck GPS sheltered in place and trucks kept moving to deliver essential goods.
data from over 1 million freight trucks, ATRI develops and monitors In a separate analysis in April 2020, ATRI found state-level truck
a series of key performance measures on the nation’s freight activity increased in early February as panic-buying drove consumer
transportation system. Among many GPS analyses, ATRI converts demand, followed by a decrease in truck activity as more businesses
its truck GPS dataset into an ongoing truck bottleneck analysis that were closed. However, by April and into May, ATRI’s Truck Activity
is used to quantify the impact of traffic congestion on truck-borne Index began to improve across the states analyzed, signaling a
freight at over 300 specific locations. While other datasets may return to pre-pandemic freight demand.
identify congested corridors, no dataset available today specifically
identifies granular chokepoints in the nation’s truck freight An additional impact on traffic congestion in 2020 was the number IMPROVING SAFETY
transportation system. of roadway construction projects that were able to commence and/ AND LOWERING RISK
or advance at a faster pace due to fewer vehicles on the road during
ATRI’s annual Top Truck Bottleneck Analysis uses a full year of the pandemic. Once traffic levels increased in the second half of
truck GPS data to calculate the top chokepoints. However, 2020 2020, those construction projects became even more congested.
was by all definitions a different year with pandemic-related impacts As such, this year’s Top Truck Bottleneck list reflects a rise in
intersecting with traffic patterns. In a March 2020 analysis using its ranking in a number of locations impacted by roadway construction.

2021 TOP TRUCK BOTTLENECKS • BY THE NUMBERS On topics as wide-ranging as predicting future crash
involvement to safety technology cost-benefit analyses to

AVERAGE PEAK 33.9%up year-over-year TOP 100 BOTTLENECKS 25% 29NUMBER OF STATES obstructive sleep apnea, ATRI’s research provides a blueprint
WITH AVERAGE TRUCK for managing risk and improving roadway safety.
43.0HOUR TRUCK WITH AT LEAST ONE
mphSPEED: SPEEDS <45 MPH: TOP 100 BOTTLENECK:

WA

9# Rye, NY OPERATIONAL DATA
1-95 at I-287 YOU CAN COUNT ON

NY Whether you’re looking to route your drivers around congestion or
CT benchmark your costs against your peers in the industry, ATRI’s
analyses combine real-world data with a deep understanding of
6# Chicago, IL PA industry operations.
I-290 at I-90/I-94
LEADING WITH DATA,
1# Fort Lee, NJ NOT EMOTION
1-95 at SR 4
ATRI’s research uses data and analyses to dissect the true
CA 2# Cincinnati, OH impacts of policies and regulations across a range of critical
I-71 at I-75 topics including Hours-of-Service, autonomous vehicles, CSA,
8# St. Louis, MO tolling, and nuclear verdicts.
I-64/I-55 at I-44

10# San Bernardino, CA 7 TN
I-10 at I-15 # Chattanooga, TN 3# Atlanta, GA
I-75 at I-24 I-285 at I-85 (North)

GA

STATES WITH THE 4# Atlanta, GA
HIGHEST NUMBER OF I-20 at I-285 (West)
TOP 100 BOTTLENECKS: TX

Texas.................. 12 Georgia ................ 7 5# Houston, TX
California ............. 8 Pennsylvania....... 7 I-45 at I-69/US 59
Washington ......... 8 New York .............. 6
Connecticut......... 7 Tennessee ........... 6

For more information on ATRI’s Top Truck Bottleneck analysis, including a detailed description of the methodology, visit www.TruckingResearch.org.

WHERE THE RUBBER
MEETS THE ROAD

ATRI has a long history of research focused on the issues and
concerns of professional truck drivers. From involvement in over
40 national, state, and regional truck parking studies to quantifying
the impacts of detention, ATRI’s analyses provide a key input to
advancing the safety and productivity of the industry’s workforce.

We rely on YOU to make our research successful. Help secure ATRI’s future for
the next 20 years with a charitable contribution from you or your organization!

Visit us today online at TruckingResearch.org
to learn more about our research and commit to
supporting ATRI through a charitable contribution.

Changes to Louisiana’s
Weigh Stations

BY DAN CALABRESE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

While the difference Normal freightloads need to be under have one there called the
will not be obvious to 80,000 pounds. Baptist Weigh Station,
over-the-road carriers, and in the month of
weigh stations on Normal freightloads need to have their axle May more than 200,000
Louisiana highways tandems under 34,000 pounds. (To be clear, trucks tipped those scales
have been under new that’s the weight of both axles combined.) both eastbound and
management since westbound. That amount
July 1, 2022. All credentials need to be up to date, of traffic for that type of
including IFTA tags (which facilitate payment facility, which doesn’t have
That was the date of the fuel tax), PrePass and Drivewyze. Expired a modern footprint, is
when control of the credentials can lead to an unexpected stop for virtually impossible.”
weigh stations was many truckers.
transferred from the One strategy to deal
Louisiana State Police “A lot of guys think, ‘I’m empty. Why am with this issue is to find
to the Louisiana I being called in?’” Smith said. “Well, the ways to screen trucks as
Department of PrePass or Drivewyze might have needed a much as possible so it
Transportation and registration check. Or high scores (reflecting won’t be necessary to
Development. The the driver rating) that tend to have to call for bring them in to
change is the fulfillment an inspection.” the scales.
of legislation signed
June 30, 2021, following Smith also clarified that only a green signal All the while, Smith is
an agreement by both means the driver is free to exit. A red signal or focused on rebuilding his
departments that DOTD no signal at all means drivers have to come in. department, so DOTD
was better positioned to manage the But even a green signal doesn’t mean an exit has the staff necessary to
weigh stations. for permit loads. All permit loads must come handle the needs of the industry.
to scale, Smith emphasized, regardless of the “We’re trying to build from the ground up,”
But the facilities will still be under police signal they see. Smith said. “It’s a very slow process. But we’re
control in a sense. DOTD has its own police going to try to accommodate the industry
Another priority for DOTD is to improve its as much as we can. I’m all about speaking to
force, and DOTD Chief of Police Jerry Smith aging facilities as much as possible. the industry and cooperating with them. But
explained that he will try to hit the right I do have to enforce the laws of the State of
balance between working with industry and “The most modern facility we have was built Louisiana concerning weigh stations.”
enforcing the law. in 1971,” Smith said. “Just as a for-instance, “Just as a for-instance, I-12 is the corridor
I-12 is the corridor that links from Baton Rouge that links from Baton Rouge all the way to
“I want to be firm, but I also want to be all the way to the Mississippi state line. We the Mississippi state line. We have one there
friendly, so to speak,” Smith said. “I would called the Baptist Weigh Station, and in the
rather educate a company on how to safely month of May more than 200,000 trucks
go through Louisiana highways. It’s not tipped those scales both eastbound and
about the fines. It’s about the public and westbound. That amount of traffic for that
safe transportation.” type of facility, which doesn’t have a modern
footprint, is virtually impossible.”
The role is not a new one for Smith, who
was executive officer over the stationary scales "WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD
FROM THE GROUND UP. IT'S
starting in 2012. But with DOTD now in charge
of the entire operation, he hopes to expand A VERY SLOW PROCESS.
the hours the scales are open. BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY
TO ACCOMMODATE THE
“We have very limited hours because we
have very limited people,” said Smith, who INDUSTRY AS MUCH
AS WE CAN."
explained that 89 DOTD positions have been
sent to other agencies since 2010, with only |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 19
18 coming back to DOTD. He is working to
rebuild the department’s team.

In the meantime, truckers who want to move

through the scales quickly and not get pulled
aside can remember simple guidelines:

WWW.LMTA.LA

Diesel
in
His
Veins

|20 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 WWW.LMTA.LA

Karl Mears, owner of Razorback Rentals and
LMTA’s chair (and immediate-past president)
of the board, shares his experience of wearing

every hat in the company

BY STEVE BRAWNER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK DENNIS

Why does a trucking company sitting squarely in LSU but its roots reach back a generation earlier to Ray’s father,
country share the same name as the Tigers’ competing SEC Herbert, who founded the family’s sand and gravel operation.
school north of the border? When the cyclical oil industry ran into hard times in the
1980s and it was hard to hire trucks, Ray and Linda founded
“My mom’s a pig person,” said Karl Mears, owner of Razorback Rentals. They also bought the aggregate business
Watson-based Razorback Rentals and this year’s LMTA chair from him.
of the board. “You go into their house, they’ve
got pigs everywhere. That’s where the ‘Razorback’ comes When they retired from the company in 2004, it was split
from. She wanted to use a pig name, so she called it in two. Karl bought Razorback Rentals. His younger brother,
‘Razorback,’ and she didn’t call it ‘Razorback Trucking’ Craig, bought Mears Sand and Gravel.
because that didn’t sound good together to her, so she
called it ‘Razorback Rentals.’” “My brother bought the mining business, and I bought the

The company was started by Ray and Linda Mears in 1988, CONTINUES 

WWW.LMTA.LA |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 21

trucking business, and I tell everybody, just Louisiana University in 1986. He paid his manager, which he did for several years.
like the old song, he got the gold mine and way through college by working at a Taco He then worked in a mall-based shoe store
I got the shaft,” Karl joked. Bell, excelling in his position and when he before finally getting to lead a classroom at
graduated, he was offered a position as a his alma mater.
Karl, 58, and his three siblings grew
up in Watson in the family-run business,
where they learned a strong work ethic
from their parents. Ray would already be at
work by the time the kids were awake and
getting ready for school. He came home for
suppertime, and then it was time for bed.
Linda was a stay-at-home mom who did
office and book work for the business.

Their family’s values were clear. On time
for work meant being 15 minutes early. If
you do not know how to do something,
say so. Own your mistakes. There’s always
a hierarchy, so respect the person in
charge. And do not say anything that you
do not mean or cannot back up. Karl’s first
job was working for his dad in the mine
on weekends and during the summer
months for 25 cents an hour. By the time he
graduated high school, he could operate all
the equipment.

From there, he would take a roundabout
route to the trucking business. After
graduating Live Oak High School in Watson
in 1982, he earned a math and physics
education degree from Southeastern

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He had gone into teaching because “There are kids who could be in your trailers and seven drivers, all company
he wanted to be a coach, particularly class who are going to be smarter than you employees.
basketball, but he mostly coached track and one day or may be smarter than you at the
cross country and taught in the classroom. time that they’re in class,” he said. “And then Most of his hauls involve truck-trailer
He said he liked the teaching aspect of the there are the other kids who have a harder end dumps – mostly aggregates like sand,
job but not the “politics and the other stuff” time catching on to the topic and the gravel and limestone. He does mostly short-
that went along with it. Starting in 1998, he subject matter. So, what I got out of that was haul routes between 300 and 500 miles a
started doing his parents’ books and taking the patience, maybe, if you will, to handle day and some regional overnight flatbed
care of more of the day-to-day operations different skill sets, to handle different ways work. For local aggregates, his trucks will
while still teaching. of thinking. A lot of what I gained from travel as far as Lake Charles, Lafayette,
teaching was I learned different ways to Baton Rouge and Jackson, Mississippi. He
He finally decided he needed to devote explain the same thing because different has some specialty customers that require
his full attention to trucking. When his people learn different ways.” trips to Oklahoma and Texas. His brother
parents decided to retire, he bought the Craig’s company, Mears Sand and Gravel,
trucking side from them. He had, he said, In the 1990s, the company had owned was his biggest customer until about a
“diesel in the veins.” about five trucks that mostly hauled what decade ago.
Mears Sand and Gravel was mining. By the
“I loved it,” he said. “I loved driving the time he had Razorback Rentals, its assets Even though he’s grown, he’s still a small
truck. I loved the day-to-day operations had shrunk to one truck, two trailers and businessman at heart. He still drives 50,000
of it. It brought enjoyment to go to work, an employee. miles a year, down from 90,000 to 100,000,
so it was kind of why I took it over. That, but he loves the independence of driving
and I didn’t want it to end. I mean, it was a Karl began building the business his the truck and being in charge of the task
family-run business, and the choices were, parents had started. He terminated the at hand.
my mom and dad were just going to sell off company’s one employee, drove the truck
the equipment and let the company die, or and did everything else himself. After a “I do everything,” he said. “I wear every
I was going to buy it.” couple of years, he had enough customers hat in the company. I have no office
that he could buy another truck and trailer workers. It’s just me. I have no compliance
Karl’s years in the classroom had taught and hire a driver. After his accountant told officer. It’s me. I have no mechanic. It’s me.
him valuable lessons he would take with him to purchase more equipment for tax I am all of those things. And so it allows me
him to trucking, such as dealing with a reasons, he bought his first new truck in to step into each hat and see the situation
wide variety of people and helping them 2011. He now has eight trucks with 12
all succeed. CONTINUES 

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|OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 23

through that hat.” “You’re not doing the same thing day in
As is the case with many carriers, finding and day out,” Karl said. “We may go to a
concrete plant for a couple of days. We may
drivers can be a challenge. They need haul specialty sand to a golf course. We
to know how to operate his specialty hauled the special sand [to the] women’s
equipment. There’s not much long-distance volleyball courts at LSU.”
driving, so they’re usually home every 24-
hour period, but they don’t keep bankers’ Like other trucking company owners,
hours. Most routes start between midnight Mears is working to make sure his company
and 3 a.m. and end between noon and 3 is safe while also tending to its other
p.m. Because the business is construction priorities. He said the LMTA provides
based, there can be ebbs and flows in the smaller operators with resources on
workload, and the weather can affect it. training, regulation, and compliance.
Sometimes drivers can be on call when the
work slows down. It takes an even-keeled “We really don’t do anything different
personality – someone who has patience, than the big companies, just do it on a
which comes from experience. much smaller scale,” he said. “We have
our weekly safety meetings. When we

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INFLUENCE improve driving habits. We have forward-
THE INDUSTRY facing cameras to help us … with the
same thing, one to protect us, but two to
by making your voice be able to use when we’re coaching and
heard on policy issues training. Safety is one of those important
components of being a successful business,
Register Today @ MAKE especially in what we do on the road.”
CONNECTIONS
mce.trucking.org Karl is LMTA’s current chair and
with thousands of immediate-past president of the board. As
Hotel Deadline: September 23 trucking leaders president, he led the association's executive
committee meetings, led the volunteer
DISCOVER NEW committees that drive membership,
INNOVATIONS events, and legislation and helped steer
the direction of the association. His year
from our 200+ as president was eventful, and not what
exhibitors he had planned. He had intended to
focus on increasing the membership, but
EXPERIENCE & as he noted, “You have to go where the
ENTERTAINMENT association leads you.” It became obvious
that the by-laws, written in the 1930s,
including a performance needed to be updated. They seemed to
by GRAMMY-nominated contradict themselves, and they divided
the association’s members in ways that
country music star no longer made sense. A couple of the
Walker Hayes members at a board meeting questioned
how the problem could be addressed,
|24 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 which evolved into a time-consuming but
necessary rewrite.

“It was making things cumbersome trying

WWW.LMTA.LA

to get from point A to point B with the of it. The information he has gathered and I have with our safety professionals, with the
association,” he said. the relationships he has strengthened have Louisiana State Police. Those contacts have
made his company even more safe, and helped out a lot because it helps ease out
His role also included working with more efficient. problems that may happen day in and day
Renee Amar, executive director, who had out from what we do.”
joined the association eight months later “It’s the intangible things,” he said. “Yeah,
when it was under the leadership of Todd there’s a tire program that helps us out and Karl’s wife, Tasha, is chief operating
Ruple, president of Preferred Materials. some other things, but it’s the relationships officer of a major medical practice, so she
Karl served as first vice president that year. that I’ve formed with other motor carriers, also runs a business. She said Karl enjoys
When he was president, they spent a lot of with other allied members, with the legal being his own boss, mentoring employees,
time communicating with each other. people that I’ve met through this, the and serving his customers. As an LMTA
lawyers. It’s education that I normally leader, he’s able to see issues from different
“I think we were able to start Renee off in wouldn’t get. I don’t have to go to a class perspectives.
a really good position,” Karl said. “I’m not an on courtroom methodology, which is one
overly extroverted style of leadership, so it of the things we’ve been tackling here the “I think that what makes him and what
was rather quiet and laid back, which I think last year. … I wouldn’t have the relationship
helped her out, not having to deal with CONTINUES 
any other issues. She didn’t have to worry
about stepping on my toes. If it happened, key resource to transportation companies throughout
it didn’t bother me.” Louisiana in matters that are unique to the industry.
clients with their legal needs during a crisis.
Amar said Karl was “the right leader at
the right time when we needed it.” The BATON ROUGE • NEW ORLEANS • MONROE
association has been through a lot of Douglas K. Williams • www.bswllp.com
changes the past few years with a new
executive director and also the pandemic. |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 25
It needed a steady hand, and that’s what he
has provided.

“Karl is an even-keeled person,” she said.
“He’s smart, knows what’s going on, but
he doesn’t come across as pretentious so
that always helps people feel at ease.
That’s a good characteristic of a leader
when you feel like you’ve got somebody
rowing on the side of you willing to help
you do the work.”

As immediate-past president, he hopes
to lead the board of directors in having
productive meetings. He’s still interested in
growing the membership and trying to get
truckers involved.

“I see the association growing,” he said.
“We have lots of young leadership and
lots of really strong leadership coming in
behind me. We have an executive director
now working on her second full year. As
she gets a better understanding of the day
to day, how things happen, and gets into
that rhythm of how things work within the
association, I really see us growing as far
as membership. I see us growing in our
reach. We’ve always had a strong voice at
the Capitol. I don’t see that going away. We
have lots of battles ahead of us from the
legislative end.”

Those legislative priorities include the
state’s troublesome insurance environment
that is described elsewhere in this
magazine, with lawsuit reform being a
critical part of it. Louisiana’s roads and
bridges need a lot of work.

Karl’s work as LMTA’s president was time
consuming. He poured a lot of himself into
the association, but he also got a lot out

WWW.LMTA.LA

sets him apart, he’s got a passion for the the owner of a small company was put be thoughtful and balanced in his comments
small business owner, and a passion for in a position of leadership, but Karl has and positions throughout the organization,
looking at regulations and policies and succeeded in that role. and I think that they’ve listened to him.”
process as how not only do they impact the
general public and the bigger players in the “Aside from the fact that I’m certainly very The Mears’ three children are grown and
market … but also the small mom-and-pops proud of him for being able to do all of that, out of the house, and none are involved in
that are out there, the American dream, the I think that it shows how well-rounded he is,” the business. Karl and Tasha spend plenty of
people that are out there trying to make a she said. “I think that he has really put himself time with their six-year-old grandson. They
living with one or two trucks,” she said. in a position to be professionally outspoken, own a small motor home and like to travel and
and what he has said resonates with other camp. He’s also a partner in the Bayou Sports
Tasha said the couple was surprised that members of the community. He has tried to Network, an internet provider that streams
high school and middle school sports. His
involvement started when he provided radio
color commentary before moving to the
internet in partnership with a former student.

“Now I just do the books and mostly say
yes whenever my partner says we’re going to
pick somebody else up,” he said. “I think the
IRS calls it a hobby because I don’t make any
money at it. I mean, like, probably not more
than a couple of thousand dollars over the last
10 years.”

He’ll eventually retire from trucking, and
then he’ll have more time for outside activities.
For now, he’ll continue doing what he loves
doing: managing a trucking operation pretty
much by himself as the company’s owner,
payroll and billing clerk, head mechanic, and
one of its drivers.

What else could he do? He’s got diesel in
his veins.

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Defeating the Reptile: A
Neurocognitive Analysis

and Solution

BY BILL KANASKY JR., PHD
GUEST WRITER

The well-known “Reptile Revolution” and transportation. While the Reptile damage the defendant’s credibility. Witnesses
spearheaded by attorney Don Keenan, Esq. theory has been shown to be invalid, the cannot be faulted for damaging testimony
and jury consultant David Ball, PhD is now a specific Reptile tactics have proven deadly, because Reptile tactics employ emotional
ubiquitous threat to defendants across the particularly during defendant depositions. and psychological tactics to manipulate
nation. Keenan and Ball advertise their tactics witnesses into admitting fault. Witnesses’
as the most powerful approaches available Generating damaging witness deposition mistakes are caused by inadequate pre-
for plaintiff attorneys seeking to attain testimony creates the foundation for Reptile deposition witness preparation that focuses
favorable verdicts and high damage awards attorneys. Reptile attorneys accomplish exclusively on substance and ignores the
in the age of tort reform, and they boast more high value settlements by manipulating intricacies of the Reptile strategy.
than $8 billion in jury awards and settlements. defendants into providing damaging
deposition testimony, specifically by In other words, if defendants are not
Ball and Keenan’s tactics have been called cajoling them into agreement with multiple specifically trained to deal with Reptile
“the greatest development in litigation safety rules. questions and tactics, the odds of them
theory in the past 100 years.” Although delivering damaging testimony are high.
the theory developed within medical Once these admissions are on the record, Preventing Reptile attorneys from gaining
malpractice cases, Ball’s and Keenan’s and often on video, the defense must leverage through damaging witness
seminars, held nationwide, now cover either settle the case for an amount over
specific topics related to products liability its likely value or go to trial with dangerous CONTINUES 
impeachment vulnerabilities that can severely

WWW.LMTA.LA |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 27

deposition testimony is the critical first step in BY REPEATEDLY INTRODUCING CASE FACTS THAT
combatting reptile tactics. CONTRADICT THE DEFENDANT WITNESS’ PREVIOUS
TESTIMONY REGARDING SAFETY AND/OR DANGER,
Most papers and presentations from THE REPTILE ATTORNEY INTENSIFIES THE AMOUNT OF
defense attorneys and jury consultants PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS THE WITNESS EXPERIENCES.
about the plaintiff Reptile theory
merely describe the theory and provide inflexible cognitive schemas about safety. These repeated agreements lock the
rudimentary suggestions to defense counsel Therefore, when Reptile attorneys ask defendant witnesses into an inflexible stance,
who may face a Reptile attorney. While these allowing the Reptile attorney to move to
efforts provide basic descriptions of the witnesses about safety issues during Phase Two of the attack—linking safety and/or
Reptile Theory, they fall woefully short on deposition, automatic agreement occurs as danger issues to specific conduct, decisions,
providing in-depth analysis and scientifically a function of the brain working to confirm its and interpretations.
based solutions. cognitive safety schema. Reptile attorneys
have discovered that they can use a PHASE TWO: ANCHORING BIAS – LINKING
Suggestions such as “better prepare witness’ confirmation bias tendency to their SAFETY AND/OR DANGER TO CONDUCT
your witnesses” and “tell a better story advantage, because it virtually guarantees
during opening” do not provide defense agreement to safety and danger questions. Anchoring bias refers to the cognitive
attorneys with the neuropsychological tendency to rely too heavily on early
weaponry needed to defeat the plaintiff Here is how it works. The Reptile information that is offered (the “anchor”)
Reptile approach. The Reptile attack during attorney illuminates the defendant witness’ when making decisions. Anchoring bias
deposition is specifically designed to cognitive safety schema regarding safety occurs during depositions when witnesses
exploit the defendant witness’ cognitive within their question, relying on the use an initial piece of information to answer
and emotional vulnerabilities. As such, a psychological principle of confirmation bias subsequent questions.
neurocognitively-based training system to ensure agreement.
and counter-attack strategy is necessary if Various studies have shown that anchoring
defendant witnesses are to defeat the Reptile The defendant witness has no choice but bias is very powerful and difficult to avoid.
attorney during deposition. to agree to safety questions, as cognitive In fact, even when research subjects are
schemas are strongly related to an individual’s expressly aware of anchoring bias and its
There are four phases to the anatomy of self-value and identity. In other words, effect on decision-making, they are still
the Reptile cross-examination method. disagreement with a cognitive schema is unable to avoid it. The Reptile attorney
burdensome, if not impossible, as deviating cleverly uses the initial agreement to general
PHASE ONE from their internal value system proves safety and/or danger rule questions to form
Confirmation Bias – Forcing Agreement to uncomfortable for witnesses—no one likes to an “anchor” that forces defendant witnesses
view themselves or their actions as anything to continue to agree to subsequent questions
General Safety Rule Questions but “safe.” that are designed to link safety and/or
Confirmation biases are errors in witness’ danger to specific conduct, decisions, or
The Reptile attorney asks additional general interpretations.
information processing and decision-making. safety and/or danger rule questions to the
The brain is wired to interpret information in defendant witness, which forces further This sophisticated psychological approach
a way that “confirms” an existing cognitive agreement and momentum. manipulates the defendant witness by
schema (i.e., preconceptions or beliefs), forcing them to repeatedly focus on their
rather than disconfirming information. EXAMPLES OF GENERAL SAFETY AND cognitive schema alignment, rather than
DANGER RULE QUESTIONS effectively processing the true substance (and
This means that during testimony, most motivation) of the question.
witnesses quickly accept information which Safety
confirms their existing attitudes and beliefs • “Safety is your top priority, correct?” EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC SAFETY AND
rather than considering possible exceptions • “You have an obligation to ensure DANGER QUESTIONS
and alternative explanations. Essentially,
witnesses struggle to say “no,” to, or disagree safety, right?” Safety
with a line of questioning because of • “You have a duty to put safety • “To ensure safety, as a commercial truck
emotional and psychological challenges.
Reptile attorneys rely on these cognitive first, correct?” driver, you must follow the federal rules
challenges to entice defendant witnesses into governing hours of service, correct?”
a dangerous agreement pattern. Danger • “Another safety rule requires daily
• “It would be wrong to needlessly inspection of the truck and trailer, such as
Cognitive schemas, the mental brakes, correct?”
organization of knowledge about a particular endanger someone, right?” • “And you agree that if someone violates
concept, are powerful because they often • “You would agree that exposing those safety rules and causes an accident,
relate to our identity as people. The safety
movement in many industries (healthcare, someone to an unnecessary risk is WWW.LMTA.LA
trucking, products, etc.) has strongly dangerous, correct?”
conditioned witnesses to automatically • You always have a duty to decrease
accept any safety principle as absolute and risk, right?”
necessary, while simultaneously rejecting
danger and risk. Specifically, years of
repeated safety seminars, safety publications,
and continuing education classes provided
by employers have created powerful and

|28 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022

then they should be held responsible for REGARDLESS OF HOW THE DEFENDANT WITNESS
their actions, correct?” DECIDES TO DECREASE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL

Danger DISTRESS CREATED FROM THE HYPOCRISY PARADIGM
• “Commercial drivers must maintain daily QUESTIONS, THEY BOTH RESULT IN THE REPTILE
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY GAINING EXTRAORDINARY
logbooks, to ensure other drivers on the
road are not put in danger, right?” STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC LEVERAGE IN THE CASE.
• “You would agree with me that when a
commercial driver has exceeded the present case facts that do not align with the sense of integrity. Hypocrisy is an intense
speed limit, other drivers on the road are safety and danger rule answers. Here is how threat to one’s identity and self-esteem and
put in danger, right?” the question sequence works: creates intense psychological discomfort.
• “A commercial driver who places others Therefore, the Reptile attorney, as a form
in danger should be held responsible • General Safety Rule Question of manipulation, repeatedly points out that
for the harms and losses caused, right?” • General Safety Rule Question the defendant witness has failed to live up
These subsequent agreements to • General Danger Rule Question to his or her own professional standards.
specific safety and/or danger rule questions • General Danger Rule Question The hypocrisy fuels further cognitive
accomplish two key Reptile attorney goals: • Specific Safety Rule Question dissonance, often generating feelings of
a) it forces the defendant witness to become • Specific Safety Rule Question shame and embarrassment.
deeply entrenched in an inflexible stance • Specific Danger Rule Question
on safety issues and b) it sets the stage to • Specific Danger Rule Question EXAMPLES OF HYPOCRISY PARADIGM
introduce case facts in a powerful manner to • Case Fact Question QUESTIONS
create psychological discomfort. • Case Fact Question
• Case Fact Question • “Failing to perform a complete vehicle
PHASE THREE: COGNITIVE DISSONANCE – As you can see, the Reptile plaintiff attorney inspection prior to your travel was a
CREATING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS strategically places the case fact questions safety rule violation, correct?”
directly behind several safety and danger
Cognitive dissonance is the mental rule questions. As the case fact questions are • “It endangered my client and other
discomfort people experience whenever delivered to the defendant witness, his or drivers, correct?”
beliefs or attitudes they hold about reality are her brain senses the contradiction between
inconsistent with their conduct, decisions, the case facts and their previous testimony, • “If you would have performed a vehicle
or interpretations. Cognitive dissonance can leading to cognitive dissonance. The ordering inspection, it would have prevented
occur in many areas of life, but it is particularly of the questions is crucial, as presenting case my client’s injury, right?”
evident in situations where an individual’s fact questions too early in the sequence will
behavior conflicts with beliefs that are integral not produce cognitive dissonance. Therefore, • “By failing to perform a vehicle
to his or her self-identity and profession. the Reptile attorney will purposely delay the inspection prior to your travel, a
delivery of case questions to ensure that the violation of the safety rule, and
The Reptile attorney purposely generates safety and danger rule questions have been endangering other drivers, including
cognitive dissonance by highlighting case agreed to first. my client, you were negligent,
facts which show the defendant witness’ weren’t you?”
conduct, decisions or interpretations PHASE FOUR: THE HYPOCRISY PARADIGM
contradict his or her cognitive schema – FORCING AN ADMISSION OF FAULT After fostering shame and embarrassment
regarding safety and danger. Repeated through hypocritical behavior, the Reptile
contradictions result in the defendant By repeatedly introducing case facts that attorney has emotionally battered the
witness experiencing psychological distress. contradict the defendant witness’ previous defendant witness to a point in which he or
Importantly, the amount of cognitive testimony regarding safety and/or danger, she understandably concedes defeat and
dissonance produced depends on the the Reptile attorney intensifies the amount admits negligence. While some defendant
importance of the belief: the more personal of psychological distress the witness witnesses attempt to fight and defend
value, the greater the magnitude of the experiences. The final and most powerful their conduct, the Reptile attorney often
cognitive dissonance. Additionally, the Reptile attack is the use of the hypocrisy aggressively reminds them of their previous
pressure to reduce cognitive dissonance is a paradigm. By getting people to advocate testimony about safety and danger rules,
function of the magnitude of said dissonance. positions they support but do not always typically forcing the witness into submission.
Hence, the Reptile attorney purposely lays live up to maximizes the level of cognitive
out multiple safety and/or danger questions dissonance an individual will experience. Witnesses generally attempt to
in an effort to increase the magnitude of decrease intense cognitive dissonance by
dissonance between the safety and/or During a Reptile deposition, when the either admitting to fault or attempting to
danger admissions and the witness’ conduct, reptile attorney directly accuses the witness change previous testimony, neither of which
decisions, or interpretations in the actual case. of putting someone else in danger and prove successful when a video camera
causing harm, the attorney’s questioning captures a clear admission, or credibility
During a deposition, there is a clear generates shame and threatens the witness’ eroding back-pedaling.
transition from general and specific safety
and/or danger questions to case specific Admitting fault reduces cognitive
questions. Once the defendant witness
has agreed to the safety and danger rule CONTINUES 
questions, the Reptile attorney starts to
|OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 29
WWW.LMTA.LA

Table 1: Effective Responses to General and Specific Safety and/or Danger Rule Questions

dissonance and relieves psychological exposure to an aggressive negative the defendant witness can try to explain to
pressure. When the defendant witness stimulus (i.e., a Reptile attorney). While this the Reptile plaintiff attorney that they were
realizes that he or she is trapped and has flight response may relieve psychological mistaken on their previous answers in an
no chance at escape, admitting fault is a discomfort within the defendant witness, effort to escape the safety and/or danger
fast way to decrease the intense cognitive it obviously increases psychological rule trap. However, this is rarely effective as
discomfort that has been created by the discomfort within the defense attorney since any attempt to reverse previous testimony is
Reptile attorney. Admitting fault is a low- both strategic and economic leverage in the characterized as dishonesty by the Reptile
road cognitive processing survival response case have been severely compromised. plaintiff attorney, who will remind the
that represents a flight (vs. fight) reaction. defendant witness that he or she was under
Specifically, admitting fault is a version of Some witnesses attempt to back up and oath during the previous safety and danger
“playing dead” in an effort to decrease try to change the conflicting belief so that it rule questions. Even though the defendant
is consistent with their behaviors. Specifically,
|30 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 WWW.LMTA.LA

witness may never admit fault in this PROPERLY TRAINING A WITNESS TO WITHSTAND
circumstance, his or her credibility becomes REPTILE ATTACKS REQUIRES A SOPHISTICATED
severely damaged. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL COGNITIVE
SCHEMA, FOLLOWED BY A REBUILDING OF A NEW,
Regardless of how the defendant witness ADJUSTED SCHEMA BUILT UPON AN UNDERSTANDING
decides to decrease the psychological OF THE ROLE OF CIRCUMSTANCE AND JUDGMENT.
distress created from the hypocrisy paradigm
questions, they both result in the Reptile 8. Operant Conditioning: punishment them towards admissions to negligence
plaintiff attorney gaining extraordinary (criticism) of incorrect agreement and causation. The problem is that merely
strategic and economic leverage in the case. warning a defendant witness about these
9. Repeated Simulation: attempt to force sophisticated tactics is grossly inadequate.
The foundation of the Reptile attack cognitive dissonance and agreement Well-prepared defendant witnesses have
during testimony is to take advantage of from varying angles repeatedly failed at deposition because
the defendant witness’ distorted cognitive the preparation program did not include
schema related to safety and danger issues. 10. Solidify New Cognitive Schema: training to diagnose and repair the
Again, the witness’ flawed cognitive schema repeat simulation until cognitive neurocognitive vulnerabilities where the
results from years of conditioning and regression is minimal to none Reptile attorney attacks.
reinforcement regarding workplace safety
rules, which foster powerful and inflexible The ultimate goal of the Reptile attorney Proper training can not only protect the
preconceptions absent circumstance and is simple: create economic leverage. They defendant witness from Reptile attorney
judgment. The Reptile attorney preys upon have no interest in truth, justice, or even safety rule attacks at deposition, but it can
these cognitive flaws. prestige in the courtroom. Rather, the substantially decrease the economic value
Reptile attorney is only interested in fast of the case. To no surprise, many corporate
Properly training a witness to withstand cash. They strive to force clients to settle clients, particularly insurance companies,
Reptile attacks requires a sophisticated a case for far more than the realistic case put great emphasis on decreasing annual
reconstruction of the original cognitive value by manipulating the defendant legal costs and expenses. Claims specialists
schema, followed by a rebuilding of a witness into delivering damaging and corporate counsel routinely question
new, adjusted schema built upon an testimony. The economic impact of being whether they can afford the cost of advanced
understanding of the role of circumstance “Reptiled” is staggering, resulting in deposition training for their defendant
and judgment. Once the new cognitive millions of dollars of unnecessary payouts witnesses. However, as Reptile settlements
schema is firmly in place with no signs of to undeserving plaintiffs and their attorneys. and damages continue to mount into the
regression, the defendant witness will be The plaintiff Reptile methodology is pure billions, the real question becomes: Can they
immune from the Reptile attorney’s safety and psychological warfare designed to attain afford the cost of NOT training witnesses?
danger rule attacks (see Table 1). the plaintiff attorney’s economic goals. As
such, defense counsel and clients need Bill Kanasky, Jr., PhD is senior vice
Table 1: Effective Responses to General to supplement their traditional witness president with Courtroom Sciences, Inc., a
and Specific Safety and/or Danger preparation efforts with sophisticated litigation support and consulting firm. He is
Rule Questions psychological training to specifically derail recognized as a national expert, author and
the perilous Reptile attacks. speaker in the areas of witness preparation
THE MONGOOSE METHOD – 10 STEPS TO and jury psychology. Ryan Malphurs, PhD
REBUILDING THE COGNITIVE SCHEMA Advanced neurocognitive witness contributed to this article. Reprinted with
training can completely stymie a savvy permission. All rights reserved.
1. Education: scientifically define Reptile attorney from controlling a
cognitive schemas and how they work defendant witness’ answers and steering

2. Identification: identify and discuss |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 31
the witness’ personal safety and
risk schemas

3. Demonstration: demonstrate cognitive
flaws regarding safety and danger
(live, video, written)

4. Education: scientifically define
confirmation bias and anchoring bias

5. Education: scientifically define
cognitive dissonance and
hypocrisy paradigm

6. Simulation: create cognitive
dissonance and force failure (i.e., the
witness must fail repeatedly, proving
that their current cognitive schema
is flawed and ineffective, in order to
ingrain successful communication
patterns and behavior)

7. Operant Conditioning: positive
reinforcement of correct answer
(see Table 1)

WWW.LMTA.LA

ELDT: Who’s in the
Driver’s Seat?

BY DAN CALABRESE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Who should decide entry-level drivers to training providers who could impose heavy and
how to train entry-level meet the standards. unreasonable burdens
truck drivers? The trucking on that remaining 15
industry itself? State The standards apply to any driver seeking percent of existing driver
regulators, with an eye to obtain a Class A or Class B CDL for the training programs whose
toward the individual needs first time, or seeking to upgrade from a Class implementers want to obtain
of each state? B to a Class A. They also apply to any driver the same endorsements
looking to obtain a hazardous materials, under the new standards.
Or should Congress passenger or school bus endorsement for the
establish one set of rules first time. “For experienced drivers,
that everyone has to follow? having to go back through a
The most significant change in driver training cycle with a school
In 2012, Congress training policy involves the requirement of and add an endorsement,
decided that it should do “theory” courses. In order to obtain a CDL, now they have to go through
the latter, and empowered drivers must receive at least an 80 percent an accredited school to
the federal bureaucracy to score in courses on five areas of theory, get an endorsement, even
establish one set of rules for including basic operation (control systems, though they already possess everything but
the entire country. dashboard, pre- and post-trip inspections, this endorsement,” Mears said.
backing and docking, etc.), safe operating Although his company is not likely
On the surface, it seems like a textbook procedures (communication, distracted to be significantly affected by the new
situation for Congress to regulate on a driving rules, speed management, etc.), requirements, since his drivers don’t
national basis. The Constitution gives advanced operating procedures (hazard require any special endorsements, Mears
Congress the power to regulate interstate perception, skid control, jackknifing, etc.), believes such a requirement will most hurt
commerce, and trucking is the definition of vehicle systems and reporting malfunctions the remaining 15 percent of the driver
interstate commerce. (roadside inspections, maintenance, etc.), and training population that American Trucking
non-driving activities (handling cargo, fatigue Associations referred to. This population is
But just because Congress has the power and wellness, etc.). mostly comprised of small companies and
to regulate it doesn’t mean it’s required to set independent operators who may not have
inflexible national standards that must apply Karl Mears, owner of Denham Springs- the resources to meet the requirement.
regardless of each state’s individual situation. based Razorback Rentals, said the regulations “The method we had before, for those who
Congress could regulate training for entry-level
truck drivers by establishing broad parameters already possessed a CDL license, I did not
and allow states to make their own specific think was flawed,” Mears said. “You had to
policies within those broad parameters. pass the written test, and if you were doing
something such as going to get your doubles
That is not what Congress did when it and triples, you would have to get some
developed current policy on this issue. driving in for that.”

In 2012, Congress passed a law directing By requiring certified trainers, and thus
the establishment of a single federal standard eliminating the option of being trained
to govern all entry-level training for drivers
seeking a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). in-house for many drivers, Mears believes
It took 10 years for federal regulators to work the new requirements will hurt that smaller
through the rulemaking process and issue the population of smaller-sized carrier by making
details of the national standard, which took it harder for experienced drivers to branch
effect on February 7, 2022. out into new areas.

According to the American Trucking ANYONE CURRENTLY OFFERING TRAINING WILL HAVE TO REGISTER
Associations, the new standards should have WITH A NEW NATIONAL TRAINING REGISTRY, WHICH WILL THEN BE
little effect on organizations that already had USED TO DIRECT ENTRY-LEVEL DRIVERS TO TRAINING PROVIDERS
their own training regimens, as 85 percent of
existing programs were already in compliance WHO MEET THE STANDARDS.
with the new national standards. That leaves
15 percent of the industry’s training operations WWW.LMTA.LA
that might be impacted negatively.

But anyone currently offering training will
have to register with a new National Training
Registry, which will then be used to direct

|32 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022

The DRIVE-Safe Act:

The Solution to a Regulatory Faux Pas?

BY DAN CALABRESE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Which is likely to be more challenging for an Driving from Beaumont to San Antonio is an “HOW DO YOU GET
inexperienced truckdriver. . . A one-hour drive intrastate journey, so it’s allowed. EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU’RE IN
or a 12-hour drive? SCHOOL IF YOU DON’T HAVE
But what if a trucking company had to haul THE OPTION OF WORKING FOR
It’s not a trick question. Obviously the a load from Beaumont to Lake Charles in
12-hour drive is more challenging. So, one Louisiana? That is a quick jaunt of barely an SOMEONE?”
might expect training standards to reflect hour – arguably the perfect length to provide a
that basic reality. training experience for a young driver but not —DAVID NEWMAN, PRESIDENT,
so much that he or she is likely to get in trouble NEWMAN TRANSPORT
But when training regulations for entry-level along the way.
drivers are set by the federal government and Mississippi every day. If a company in the same
standardized for the entire nation regardless Sorry. Entry-level drivers are not permitted market was hauling non-hazardous loads and
of the situation that might exist in different to drive trucks from Beaumont to Lake Charles could hire 18-year-olds, it would not be able
states, the result is likely to be some real because that would require them to cross to send them on some of the shortest runs the
incongruencies. While the industry is actively the state line. As far as we know, the state line company has.
seeking to bring in and train truck drivers as doesn’t contain any spike strips, sink holes or
young as 18, federal regulations do not allow wild animals waiting to attack. It’s just a road, “We’re looking for experienced people, but
18-year-olds to drive across state lines. like all the rest of the road. we’ll take a high school guy,” Newman said of
the industry. “But how do you get experience
A bi-partisan congressional coalition has But this is what Congress decided should be when you’re in school if you don’t have the
recently introduced the DRIVE-Safe Act, the standard for entry-level drivers, and there is option of working for someone?”
which is supported by the American Trucking no flexibility for exceedingly short journeys, like
Associations, in an attempt to eliminate this the one being contemplated here. And it’s hard for the industry to hire young
restriction. Until such a measure passes, drivers when they can’t haul the loads the
however, the industry deals with bizarre For David Newman, owner of Slidell, industry needs hauled – all because of an
anomalies like this one: Louisiana-based Newman Transport, the imaginary line.
national standard concerning 18-year-olds has
A trip from Beaumont to San Antonio takes minimal impact on his business, which hauls “We are going to prevent our young drivers
12 hours. An 18-year-old truck driver can hazardous waste and cannot hire 18-year-olds from crossing that imaginary line, which is
make that drive because the whole thing is for those hauls. But for the industry, he says, it ludicrous and stupid to me,” Newman said.
contained within the state of Texas. Federal creates multiple headaches.
regulations ban entry-level drivers from |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 33
engaging in interstate journeys behind the For example, Newman Transport is 15
wheel of a truck. minutes from the Mississippi state line in
two directions and makes multiple trips into
WWW.LMTA.LA

2 ANNUAL CONVENTI ON
202
FL Programming began Friday
PENSACOLA BEACH, monring with speakers from
ATRI & OMV sharing the latest
updates with members. Rep.
Thomas Pressly later shared
legal defense experience to
attendees. The morning ended
with the Women in Trucking
Panel, featuring members from
across the trucking industry.

THURSDAY FRIDAY

LMTA’s 2022 Convention kicked off early Thursday morning with
the Bill Clark Memorial Golf Tournament. Later that evening
families gathered for the poolside Family Welcome Reception
hosted over a beautiful sunset dinner.

|34 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 WWW.LMTA.LA

All-American

SUMMER

LMTA’s 2022 Annual Convention was held Thursday,
July 21 - Saturday July 23 at the Hilton Pensacola
Beach. The venue overlooked the beautiful Gulf of
Mexico and this year’s theme was “All-American
Summer,” paying tribute to the best America has
to offer. This year attendees enjoyed insightful
speakers, panels and membership meetings as well
as free time with their families! The Association also
hosted the annual Officers Installation Banquet
where membership recognized this year’s award
winners and welcomed the LMTA’s newly elected
leadership and officers.
PHOTOS BY JOHN BALLANCE

SATURDAY

The elected Officers of the Board were sworn in during |OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 35
the Installation Banquet. LMTA’s 2022-2023 Officers of
the Board are as follows:
- Chair of the Board: Karl Mears (Razorback Rentals)
- President of the Board: Cully Frisard (Frisard Companies)
- 1st Vice President: Nataly Madden (Signature Transport)
- 2nd Vice President: Brad Nelson (FreedomTrucks of America)
- Vice President at Large: Mike Beck (McGriff Insurance)
- Secretary: Judy Smart (Roadrunner Towing & Recovery)
- Treasurer: Nicole Otillio (Bengal Logisitics)
- ATA Vice President: Shaun Fontenot (A&B Transportation)
- ATA Vice President, Alt: Mitch Guillot (Triple G Express)

WWW.LMTA.LA

Congratulations

2022 TRUCK DRIVING

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING LOUISIANA

DAMIEN HEBERT

1ST PLACE - TWINS DIVISION

XPO LOGISTICS

ERIC COURVILLE

2ND PLACE - SLEEPER BERTH

FEDEX FREIGHT

|36 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 WWW.LMTA.LA

Getting Down to Brass Tacks...

Enjoy a little lagniappe of services, products and
noteworthy news from your Open Road advertisers.

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|OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 37

NEW LMTA MEMBERS OPEN

DMC Insurance Inc. ROAD
EROAD ISSUE 2 2022

Lindsey Garrett ADVERTISER
Marty Frisard RESOURCE INDEX

Pelican Trucking Insurance American Transportation Research Institute
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Ryder Truck Rental Beazeale Sachse & Wilson........................ 25
Stephen Holiday Certified Medical Examiner...................... 17
Cobbs Allen & Hall ................. Inside front +
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Drivers Legal Plan..................................... 23
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This publication was made possible
January LOUISIANA TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE with the support of these corporate
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|38 OPEN ROAD ISSUE 2 2022 provide this publication to its members,
prospective members, elected officials
and the business community at large.
They deserve your consideration and
patronage when making your corporate
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Please visit www.lmta.la to see the
digital version of Open Road with live
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WWW.LMTA.LA

RAPID RESPONSE
TO CATASTROPHIC INCIDENTS
PERKINSFIRM.COM/RAPID-RESPONSE

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401 Market Street Suite 900 • Shreveport, LA 71101 • (318) 222-2426