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IN THIS ISSUE TYSON FOODS LOOKS TO SHARPEN
LOGISTICS, TRANSPORTATION TO

POSITION FOR GROWTH
VOLUME 28 | ISSUE 4 2023







FEATURES


COVER STORY
WINNER, WINNER 32
Tyson Foods looks to sharpen logistics,
transportation to position for growth
By Dwain Hebda


CAPITOL WATCH
MAYBE NEXT YEAR 18
Analysts predict 2024 should be
better for freight economy
By Steve Brawner

CREATING PLACE 22
How the Port of Little Rock
became a logistics hub
By Lacey Thacker

TRADE SECRETS
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE 28
Special series on entering trucking’s
workforce: First Mile
By Bethany May




DEPARTMENTS


Up Front: by Shannon Newton 7
They Said It 9
News in Brief 10
Calendar of Events 14
New Members 16
Scene Around 42
Council Quarterly 55
Insider Trucking 57
Advertiser Resource Index 59
Stat View 60
The Last Word: James Reed 62



PHOTOGRAPHY ON THIS PAGE AND COVER BY JACOB SLATON

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 5

UP FRONT



Award-Winning Magazine of the Arkansas Trucking Association
Arkansas Trucking Report is owned by the Arkansas Trucking Association,
Inc. and is published bimonthly. For additional copies, to order reprints
of individual articles or to become a subscriber to ATR, contact us at
[email protected] or at 501.372.3462.
executive editor
SHANNON SAMPLES NEWTON
managing editor
BETHANY MAY
contributing writers HOUSEHOLD NAMES
STEVE BRAWNER DEANA NALL
[email protected] [email protected] Over my 20-year career, I’ve had the honor of meeting dozens of industry titans:
DWAIN HEBDA TODD TRAUB J.B. Hunt, Sheridan Garrison, Dan England, Jerry Moyes, Robert Low and other
[email protected] [email protected]
DAVID MONTEITH WERNER TRIESCHMANN recognizable figures. But some of the most rewarding and impactful conversations I’ve
[email protected] [email protected]
had were with less recognizable individuals: Gary Mars, Loren Hatfield, Danny Fuller,
art director
JON D. KENNEDY
The Freelance Co. LLC, [email protected] Dave Hall, Jessie King and more.
production editors
KELLY CARGILL CROW, SARAH NEWMAN, KELCIE SONNIER, KATIE THOMASON Who are they? You’ve likely seen them within the pages of this magazine. The work
illustrator
BRENT BENNETT
[email protected] they do impacts communities across our state, but they aren’t household names. If the
photographers
JON D. KENNEDY, JACOB SLATON Arkansas Trucking Association is the voice of the Arkansas trucking industry, these
individuals, Arkansas Road Team Captains, are the trucking industry.
In 2015, we launched the Arkansas Road Team to deliver the Share the Road program
to schools, festivals and civic groups throughout the Natural State. Each Captain is a
www.arkansastrucking.com
president current professional truck driver, nominated by their employer. The nominees undergo
SHANNON SAMPLES NEWTON
[email protected] a rigorous interview and are asked to deliver a presentation to a panel of experts about
vice president
KELLY CARGILL CROW their personal passion and commitment to safety over the road.
[email protected]
director of operations
SARAH NEWMAN As a result of this process, we recently selected eight new Captains. These drivers will
[email protected]
director of corporate services join the 12 others and use their firsthand experiences to promote safe driving practices
KATIE THOMASON
[email protected] and heighten awareness about our industry. We recently invited all 20 Arkansas Road
communications director
BETHANY MAY Team Captains to our office for a two-day training workshop. Each Captain showed up
[email protected]
director of safety and loss prevention with a willingness to learn, to get uncomfortable, to hone their presentation skills and
MIKE BRUST
[email protected] tighten their talking points, all so they will be better equipped to share their knowledge
administrative assistant
KELCIE SONNIER
[email protected] and experiences with audiences of every age, size and situation.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As I sat in the back of the room waiting to address them before their training, I listened
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
JEFF LOGGINS
Loggins Logistics, Inc. to them introduce themselves to their peers. Some boasted of millions of safe-driving
President & CEO
MICHAEL BARR MARK MORRIS miles. Others’ voices cracked as they spoke to the group for the first time. Four drivers
JM Bozeman Enterprises Morris Transportation Services, LLC
CEO President
GREG CARMAN JOHN PIERRON had just returned from representing Team Arkansas at the National Truck Driving
Carman, Inc. McGriff
President Senior Vice President Championship. Several mentioned their roles as company-appointed driver trainers and
NEIL CORDER G.E. “BUTCH” RICE III
Wayne Smith Trucking Stallion Transportation Group peer coaches. Each has an endearing and impressive story to tell.
President President
JOHN CULP ALAN RIELS
Maverick USA Dedicated Logistics
President President & CEO From our youngest Captain with only two years of driving under his belt to our most
GEORGE HENRY SETH RUNSER
DB Schenker ABF Freight senior drivers with 30-plus years behind the wheel, they each spoke passionately about
COO President
AL HERINGER IV PATRICK SIMMONS what our industry has done for them — the places they had gone, the lifestyles afforded
Star Transportation, LLC Tyson Foods
President Vice President Transportation
BRAD HICKS GABE STEPHENS to them — as well as how they want to ensure the safety of every motorist on the road.
J.B. Hunt Transport C.C. Jones, Inc.
EVP & President of Highway Services Vice President
Ryan McDaniel TODD VENABLE These Captains, who already forego time at home with their families to deliver
Walmart Transportation LLC MHC Kenworth – Little Rock
Vice President Fleet Operations Branch Manager our freight, willingly volunteered to spend hours at crowded festivals or talking to
MIKE MCNUTT JOE VITIRITTO
Distribution Solutions, Inc. PAM Transport
CEO, Owner President & CEO disinterested tweens in some of our state’s most rural schools because, as one Captain
LANCE MOLL DOUG VOSS
FedEx Freight University of Central Arkansas said, if they can get through to one person, to save one life, then it’s all worth it.
President & CEO Professor of Logistics & Supply
Chain Management
I am so proud to send these ambassadors to every corner of the state. They embody
An affiliate of the
American Trucking Associations everything that is good, professional and safe about our industry. Their faces, their
Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) is an Arkansas corporation of trucking names, their stories, their value should be known.
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 If you are interested in hosting the Arkansas Road Team in your community, visit
provides public relations services, workers’ compensation insurance, operational
services and serves as a forum for industry meetings and membership relations. arkroadteam.com for more information.
For information, contact ATA at:
1401 West Capitol, Suite 185
Post Office Box 3476 (72203)
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
Phone 501.372.3462 Fax 501.376.1810
www.arkansastrucking.com Drivers Legal Plan
Shannon Newton
President, Arkansas Trucking Association
Drivers Legal Plan
ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 7

TRUCK SA LES | P ARTS | SER VICE | BOD Y SHO P
LEASING & RENTAL | F INANCE | CARRIER





125+ LOCATIONS IN 18 STATES










































TO VIEW OUR FULL LIST OF LOCATIONS & SERVICES, VISIT MHC.COM





Jonesboro Fort Smith

MHC Kenworth MHC Truck Leasing
35
25 (855) 239-3593 (866) 804-7860
Little Rock Springdale
80 70
70 44
MHC Kenworth MHC Kenworth/Volvo
70
35
40
25 (866) 342-0951 (866) 231-8055
MHC Truck Leasing
40 40 95
55
20 65 (866) 862-5283 Van Buren
20 75
MHC Carrier Transicold MHC Kenworth
Dealership 35 10
Leasing & Rental (866) 243-9660 (866) 364-4898
Carrier
RoadReady
TRP

TRUCK SA LES | P ARTS | SER VICE | BOD Y SHO P THEY SAID IT
LEASING & RENTAL | F INANCE | CARRIER





125+ LOCATIONS IN 18 STATES





“I think it’s time


for an accountant


in the White House.”



—Presidential Candidate and Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley during the first GOP primary debate on the need to
address the national debt ceiling



“This has been one of the “Our message to former

healthiest, really best weeks that
I’ve been in the Legislature that Yellow employees is that
I can remember. …We listened to

the people, not only back from our we want them to remain
districts by email and calling and

texting us, but we listened to the a part of the industry
TO VIEW OUR FULL LIST OF LOCATIONS & SERVICES, VISIT MHC.COM
people that came and spoke, and that they have done
we made adjustments. I think it’s

been a really healthy, good process so much to build and
Jonesboro Fort Smith for the state of Arkansas.”

MHC Kenworth MHC Truck Leasing strengthen.”
35 —Arkansas Senate leader Bart Hester (R-33rd)
25 (855) 239-3593 (866) 804-7860 on the process of revising the Freedom of
Information Act proposals to address opposition’s —Chris Spear, CEO and president of American Trucking Associations, on
Little Rock Springdale concerns the closure of Yellow and the impact on the bankrupt carrier’s drivers
80 70
70 44
MHC Kenworth MHC Kenworth/Volvo
70
35
40
25 (866) 342-0951 (866) 231-8055
MHC Truck Leasing
40 40 95
55 “He got the point of all this. Thank you @jimmybuffett
20 65 (866) 862-5283 Van Buren
20 75
MHC Carrier Transicold MHC Kenworth
Dealership 35 10 for being the soundtrack to the best in life. Heartbroken.
Leasing & Rental (866) 243-9660 (866) 364-4898
Carrier
RoadReady But thankful for you. Sail towards that distant horizon.”
TRP
—Country music star Brad Paisley on the passing of Jimmy Buffett
ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 9

NEWS IN BRIEF






















ARKANSAS TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION SELECTS EIGHT
NEW CAPTAINS FOR ARKANSAS
ROAD TEAM
The Arkansas Trucking Association
is pleased to announce it has selected
eight new members to join the Arkansas
Road Team, a group of professional driv-
ers chosen for their commitment to
highway safety, communication skills
and interest in improving the image of
the trucking industry. This complimen-
tary outreach program of the ATA serves
as a public education service to address
highway safety and to educate the  Arkansas Road Team
motoring public on safe driving, espe-
cially around large commercial vehicles.
The professional drivers listed to safety, overall safe driving record and know they will be wonderful ambassa-
below were selected as new members ability to communicate the trucking dors for our industry and look forward
of the Arkansas Road Team. They join industry’s message. to opportunities to share their stories
12 reigning Captains; together the 20 “There were several strong can- and experiences with communities
Captains will bring the Share the Road didates, making this a particularly across the state.”
program to every corner of the state. competitive year. These eight drivers The Arkansas Road Team and its
Candidates for the Road Team impressed the selection panel with their Share the Road program are made
competed in the final stage of the selec- professionalism, engaging personalities possible by grants awarded by the
tion process on Aug. 28 in Little Rock, and dedication to safety,” said Shannon Arkansas Highway Commission with
Ark. Nominees appeared before a panel Newton, president of the Arkansas funds from the Arkansas Commercial
of experts from trucking, law enforce- Trucking Association. “We believe Truck Safety and Education Program.
ment, education and the media express- these qualities will serve them well Since its formation in 2015, the
ing their industry knowledge, dedication as Arkansas Road Team Captains. We Arkansas Road Team has taken the
Share the Road safe-driving program
Jose Ara of Texarkana, Ark. – Old Dominion Freight Line to hundreds of schools, festivals and
Nathan Evans of Rudy, Ark. – Tyson Foods other events throughout the state. The
Jona Jordan of Conway, Ark. – FedEx Freight Arkansas Road Team’s Share the Road
Bret McBain of Bella Vista, Ark. – Walmart Transportation presentations are offered at no cost and
Michael Robertson of Texarkana, Ark. – Old Dominion Freight Line can be scheduled by contacting ATA at
Isaiah Rodrigues of Van Buren, Ark. – J.B. Hunt Transport 501-372-3462 or visiting arkroadteam.
DeAndre Taylor of Jonesboro, Ark. – Star Transportation com.
Daniel Workman of Hensley, Ark. – Old Dominion Freight Line


10 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

as well as from the American Trucking
Associations.
The study confirmed that among
the three carrier groups, current mem-
bers have fewer overall crashes and
violations than former members, who
also had fewer crashes and violations
than never members. Almost all results
were significant at the 95% or 99% con-
fidence levels. Due to the rarity of fatal
truck crashes among all carriers, this
specific crash type was not significant
for either state or national membership.





NOW SHOWING: ‘Our goal is to build 100 of these
A PLACE TO PARK facilities with 450 stops to start in areas “THIS NEW ATRI
Old drive-in theaters could be the where the congestion is the worst and RESEARCH CONFIRMS
next site for truck parking, according to there is the least amount of truck park- THAT ASSOCIATION
investment firm, ConTrade Holdings. ing,’ he said. ‘We are already searching
Still fundraising, the project would out the locations we can buy. We are MEMBERSHIP IS
identify real estate from former drive-in going to do this in a rapid format.’” ANOTHER IMPORTANT
theaters and add security and amenities If his strategy is successful, it would AND PROVEN SAFETY
like showers and food for new truck address about 20% of the parking TOOL FOR TRUCKING
parking facilities. The 14-15 acres, shortage.
access to utilities and zoning make the COMPANIES.”
out-of-use properties ideal for dedicated RESEARCH CONFIRMS,
truck parking. According to American ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP —DR. BRENDA LANTZ,
Transportation Research Institute data, LINKED TO MOTOR CARRIER ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF
truck drivers can spend almost an hour SAFETY THE UPPER GREAT PLAINS
looking for available parking at the end The American Transportation TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE
of their shift. Hours-of-service rules Research Institute released foundational
require drivers to drive no more than new research that statistically cor-
14 hours a day before going off duty. If roborates that motor carriers who are
they haven’t found parking along their active in state and national membership “All safety stakeholders in the
route, they can be forced to park in associations are safer than both former trucking industry are looking for strate-
unsafe places like off-ramps. The search association members and carriers who gies and solutions for improving large-
costs drivers about $5,500 a year. have never been association members. truck safety,” noted Dr. Brenda Lantz,
ConTrade Holdings’ chief corporate This new empirical research associate director of the Upper Great
development officer Frank Sonzala’s processed public safety data from Plains Transportation Institute. “This
idea for finding new parking places the Motor Carrier Management new ATRI research confirms that asso-
could help drivers reclaim some of that Information System through a series of ciation membership is another impor-
compensation they are forfeiting. He statistical tools to confirm the relation- tant and proven safety tool for trucking
estimates the industry needs another ship between association membership companies.”
three million parking spots to host all and safety performance. The ATRI association safety
the trucks on the road each day. More specifically, the research research also provides some guidance
According to Transport Topics, compared motor carrier MCMIS on how the findings might be applicable
“Sonzala says his company wants to crash and violation data for trucking to commercial transportation insurers,
establish a coast-to-coast network of fleets that held a membership status enforcement agencies and academic
parking locations, with a fixed top price of either current, former or never researchers. See more in Stat View on
of $26 per day near major cargo hubs, members. Carrier status data came page 60.
and he says the old drive-in movie loca- from a geographically representative
tions are a starting point. sample of state trucking associations 

12 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

You manage your business.





We’ll manage your risks.








Little Rock Birmingham Fayetteville
500 President Clinton Ave., 2211 7th Ave S. 2828 N Mansfield Ave.,
Ste. 400, Little Rock, AR 72201 Birmingham, AL 35233 Fayetteville, AR 72704
501-661-4800 | 800-542-0226 205-252-9871 | 800-476-2211 479-718-6471 | 800-542-0226
















© 2023 McGriff Insurance Services, LLC. All rights reserved. McGriff Insurance Services, LLC is a subsidiary of Truist Insurance Holdings, LLC.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVING
CHAMPIONSHIPS NAMES THE
SAFEST DRIVERS
Arkansas sent nine drivers
representing six different carriers to
OCTOBER OCTOBER 25-27 compete at the 2023 National Truck
NATMI CSME & CDME FLEET Driving Championships in Columbus,
OCTOBER 2-4 MAINTENANCE CERTIFICATION
AMERICAN TRUCKING Virtual Course Ohio, Aug. 15-20.
ASSOCIATIONS SAFETY The American Trucking
MANAGEMENT COUNCIL POLICY NOVEMBER Associations sponsors the annual
CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 2-3 championships, known as the “Super
Washington, D.C. ATA SAFETY SUMMIT Bowl of Safety,” to recognize industry
OCTOBER 5 ALOFT leadership in safety and to promote
ATA-PAC BOWLING TOURNAMENT Little Rock, Ark. professionalism among truck drivers.
Dust Bowl Lanes & Lounge NOVEMBER 6-10
Little Rock, Ark. NATMI CSS/CDS SAFETY The best drivers from all around
OCTOBER 14-17 CERTIFICATION the country competed in nine
AMERICAN TRUCKING The Victory Building competition classes in Columbus after
ASSOCIATIONS’ MANAGEMENT Little Rock, Ark. qualifying in their state championships.
CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION NOVEMBER 8
Austin, Texas MAINTENANCE & TECHNOLOGY
OCTOBER 19 COUNCIL MEETING
OEM PANEL–CARB COMPLIANCE Courtyard Marriott
Little Rock, Ark. Rogers, Ark.
NOVEMBER 14-16
For calendar information, visit CALL ON WASHINGTON
arkansastrucking.com
`
HEALTH OFFICIALS RECOMMEND reschedule a drug under the Controlled
MOVING MARIJUANA TO LOWER- Substances Act. DEA will now initiate
RISK DRUG CATEGORY its review,” a DEA spokesperson said.
The U.S. Department of Health and Businesses in the marijuana indus-
Human Services has recommended that try are not currently able to deduct
the Drug Enforcement Administration business expenses or be listed in stock
ease restrictions on marijuana, follow- exchanges. The reclassification could
ing a review request from the Biden be a first step to legalization. In a study
Administration last year. released this summer, the American  Mike Brust (Arkansas Trucking
Nearly 40 U.S. states have legal- Transportation Research Institute con- Association) and Steve Wilhelms ( TVC
ized marijuana use in some form, but cluded that it’s possible a shift toward Pro-Driver) prepare driver for his pre-trip
it remains completely illegal at the federal legalization could ease pressure inspection at NTDC
federal level. Reclassifying marijuana on the industry’s driver shortage, but  National Truck Driving Championship
from Schedule I to a Schedule III drug, it also presents issues for the trucking competitors and family from Arkansas
it would eliminate an IRS code that industry. A nationally
prevents drug dealers from claiming tax recognized marijuana
deductions for business purposes. impairment test and
Marijuana is currently classified as impairment stan-
a schedule I drug under the Controlled dards are needed, and
Substances Act, meaning it has a high employers’ right to
potential for abuse and no accepted screen for marijuana
medical use, along with drugs like hero- would need to be pro-
in and LSD. tected. Much more
“As part of this process, HHS con- data is needed to pre-
ducted a scientific and medical evalu- dict and react to high-
ation for consideration by DEA. DEA way safety outcomes
has the final authority to schedule or as well.

14 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

NTDC 2023 VEHICLE CLASS WINNERS experiences. UA-PTC has worked closely

3-Axle BARRY KRAEMER XPO Wisconsin with the ASE Foundation, which is
4-Axle MARTIN MCMAHON RIST Transport New York affiliated with the National Institute for
5-Axle JOHN GREENE FedEx Freight Connecticut Automotive Service Excellence, to deter-
Flatbed DARYL MILLER The Cope Co. Salt Pennsylvania mine the supports necessary to provide
the highest quality instruction.
Sleeper Berth ROLAND BOLDUC FedEx Express Massachusetts “Our overall goal at UA-PTC is to
Step Van JEROME DE LA CRUZ FedEx Express Alaska offer the highest quality education pos-
Straight Truck DAVID COFFEL FedEx Express Arizona sible,” said UA-PTC Chancellor Summer
Tank Truck GRAGG WILSON UPS Nevada DeProw. “We are grateful for the finan-
Twins ROBERT FAIR FedEx Freight New Hampshire cial support from the Office of Skills
Development and for the encouragement
From Nevada, UPS professional in this high-wage, high-skill, and in- from our industry partners. I am partic-
driver Gragg Wilson won the top demand career.” ularly proud of our faculty for their dedi-
national title after competing in the In response to local industry cation to this program and our students.
tanker division. demand for truck service technicians, The new equipment and curriculum will
Winning rookie of the year was UA-PTC is modernizing its program serve our students and community well,
Wyoming’s Myron Means with Old in Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Service and we look forward to expanding our
Dominion Freight Line in the flatbed Technology and will offer accreditation recently-earned ASE accreditation from
class. The vehicle condition award for in ASE Medium/Heavy Duty Inspection, our Automobile Technology program to
the tournament’s best pre-trip inspec- Maintenance, and Minor Repair, to be the Diesel Technology program. The ASE
tion performance went to Tennessee’s followed by accreditation in ASE Truck accreditations will compel us to focus on
Timothy Blair with FedEx Freight, who Service Technology. new and emerging technologies such as
competed in the 5-axle class. This new programming requires spe- alternative power sources for medium
cialized equipment, trainers, and tools and heavy-duty trucks.”
UA-PULASKI TECH DIESEL for classroom activities and hands-on 
PROGRAM AWARDED
$692,000 GRANT TO ATTAIN
Program has received a $692,000 grant DIGITAL MAGAZINE NOW AVAILABLE!
ACCREDITATION
UA-Pulaski Tech’s Diesel Technology

to enable the college to equip graduates
with skills in utilizing emerging tech-
nologies in the transportation field.
The grant funding from the Office
of Skills Development would allow the
diesel technology program to purchase
equipment, hire trainers, and access
tools required to attain Automotive
Service Excellence Accreditation in
Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Service
Technology.
“We are proud of the guidance and
support given from the Office of Skills
Development and industry partners to
position the Diesel Technology program
to be one of the best in the state,” said You may view Arkansas Trucking Report—complete with sound effects—online within a
Dr. Angela Kremers, dean of technical week of distribution.
and professional studies at UA-PTC. Another awesome feature of this great new technology is that websites in the digital
“The grant will provide the advanced magazine are “live.” So, viewers may click on a site featured in an ad and be transported
equipment and resources necessary to directly to an advertiser’s website.
not only achieve ASE accreditation, but Check it out: www.arkansastrucking.com
to meet industry needs by providing This is just one more service that we’re happy to offer on behalf of our ATR advertisers.
a talent pipeline that’s ready to work

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 15

“If you’re a business owner looking
WELCOME, NEW ATA MEMBERS! to relocate or a young family looking
for a new place to settle down, mov-
ing to Arkansas has never been better,”
Together, We Are the Power of Association Sanders said at the bill signing.
In addition to banning vaccine
We welcome the following new members. Each new member mandates and correcting some gaps
adds to the Arkansas trucking industry’s collective strength to in the LEARNS Act, the Governor also
promote, protect and serve with a unified voice. asked the Legislature to update the
ALLIED MEMBERS US BEACON state’s FOIA laws to restrict access to a
variety of executive communications.
ACRISURE Little Rock, Ark. Bipartisan opposition of the initial
Paragould, Ark. 501-690-8015 legislation led to a compromised final
acrisure.com us-beacon.com bill that narrowed the scope to security
870-236-8744 Medical and prescription review for detail for the Governor and other
Insurance provider workers compensation constitutional officers.
E-SMART VERTICAL ALLIANCE GROUP INFINIT-I
Saint-Laurent, Quebec Texarkana, Ark. VIRTUALLY TRUCKING
esmartcontrol.com 903-792-3866 THROUGH ARKANSAS
479-301-5986 infinitiworkforce.com
Intelligent speed adaption technology Safety learning management system
PETERSON MANUFACTURING CARRIER MEMBERS
Grandview, Mo.
816-765-2000 ANOTHER MILE
pmlights.com Morrilton, Ark.
Design and manufacture safety lighting 501-477-3023
and wiring harness systems anothermiletrucking.com
PRIMACY RISK SERVICES Number of trucks: 30
Willoughby, Ohio BARRETT DIRECTLINE DELIVERY
440-536-8544 SERVICES
24x7primacy.com Rogers, Ark.
Claim administration barrettdirectline.com
479-271-9360
REPOWR Number of trucks: 14
Chattanooga, Tenn.
423-799-3640 CATALYST LOGISTICS
repowr.com Conway, Ark.
Platform to connect idle/underutilized 501-425-9848
trailers with carriers, shippers, brokers Number of trucks: 2
UA – PULASKI TECHNICAL COLLEGE Image: scssoft.com
Little Rock, Ark. For membership information,
501-812-2336 visit arkansastrucking.com American Truck Simulator, a video
uaptc.edu game by SCS Software that puts players
Education in the seat of real trucks visiting real
U.S. cities as an owner-operators, will
ARKANSAS SPECIAL SESSION from 4.7% to 4.4% and the corporate include some familiar virtual roads.
LEADS TO TAX CUTS AND MORE tax rate from 5.1% to 4.8%, beginning The company announced it is in-devel-
On Sept. 8, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Jan. 1, 2024. Together, the cuts will opment to add Arkansas to the game
Sanders announced that she would call reduce state revenue by $185 million. routes. Players will take the challenge of
the Arkansas State Legislature to the The state closed out fiscal year 2023 preventing accidents, delivering on time
Capitol for a special session to address with a budget surplus of $1.161 billion. and building their businesses through
income tax cuts, changes to the state’s Additionally, the law allows for an the Natural State.
Freedom of Information Act, prohibi- “inflationary relief” income tax credit The expansion follows the new-
tion of vaccine mandates and more. of $150 to Arkansans making less than est additions Kansas and Nebraska.
Lawmakers approved proposals to $89,600 a year. The bills passed with The Arkansas release date was not
lower the individual income tax rate wide support. announced at time of print. ATR

16 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

tlgtrucks.com



































































We’re all about your success. The programs and services we offer are grounded in providing solutions
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Maybe Next Year




Analysts predict 2024 should be better for freight economy















By Steve Brawner
Contributing Writer

The overall economy continues
to do well, while trucking remains in
a freight recession as consumers with
cabin fever spend on services rather
than goods. But there are signs that
cycle is hitting the bottom, and next
year could be better.
Those were the outlooks of Bob
Costello, chief economist of the
American Trucking Associations, and
Jack Atkins, a managing director and
transportation equity research analyst
for Stephens Inc.
In an online interview with
Transport Topics June 29, Costello said
the economy will slow to about 1.5%
growth next year, while the freight
economy could do better because it HAVE WE HIT BOTTOM? forward depending on what happens
slowed earlier. Freight won’t boom, “It is still in a recession, has been in the economy, and could be pushed
but it will return to something more in a recession, and it’s giving signals back, depending on what happens in
normal. of hitting a bottom, but I don’t see any the economy.”
“I think again, if we can get back to indicators that suggest that the freight’s Atkins said the freight economy
the seasonality that we haven’t seen in a going to surge anytime soon,” Costello is beginning to stabilize. It reached a
long time, things will start to pick up a said. “So essentially, we’ll probably trough in April or May of this year and
little bit for the trucking industry — not bounce around the bottom, but then saw some improvement in the back
great, but a little bit,” he said in June. hopefully not erode much more from half of June, with better than normal
“And next year what I would love to see where we are on the terms of the freight seasonal performance in July and into
for trucking is, let’s just get back to old, economy.” August.
boring normal, right? Two, two-and-a- Atkins predicted 2024 will offer a “I think what it tells us is that
half percent growth in volumes, that better operating environment for motor we’ve kind of seen the worst of it, and
would be fantastic. And that’s what carriers. While the first part of the the market’s beginning to firm up as
I’m, at this point, is what I’m kind of year may not start out that way, by the some of that excess capacity has come
expecting for next year.” second half the outlook will be better. out over the last couple of quarters,” he
In an interview with Arkansas “We think that the freight markets said.
Trucking Report Aug. 18, Costello said in ’24 will be better than ’23, and we Atkins said the trucking industry
the freight economy is “in a completely think the second half of the year will be has been in a freight recession since
different cycle” than the broader stronger than the first half of the year,” the first part of last year. That recession
economy. Atkins said. “But it could be pulled has been driven by too much capacity

18 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

added during 2020-22, a pivot from
consumption of goods to consumption
of services as the economy reopened
from the COVID-19 pandemic, and too
much inventory. “AND NEXT YEAR WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FOR
In the interview with Arkansas TRUCKING IS, LET’S JUST GET BACK TO OLD,
Trucking Report Aug. 18, Costello
described the overall economy as “resil- BORING NORMAL, RIGHT?”
ient.” Third quarter gross domestic
product numbers could be above normal —BOB COSTELLO,
growth. AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS’ CHIEF ECONOMIST
“This expected recession just hasn’t
materialized,” he said. “It appears that
the Fed may have orchestrated the
so-called soft landing that everybody
thought was impossible.” was a good month, but with high government sent them during the
Costello expects gross domestic building costs and interest rates at 7%, pandemic. That’s OK, Costello said,
product to grow by 2.2% this year after it won’t surge anytime soon. Factory because they were supposed to spend it,
growing 2.1% last year and almost 6% output is down. not save it. Others have some money
in 2021, which was three times the Atkins said the markets were left over, but they are spending it on
long-term trend of 1.9%. Growth will dislocated by COVID. Shippers were services instead of goods. Eventually,
slow to 1.5% next year as consumers scrambling to keep goods on shelves. the excess savings will be gone, and the
return to their normal travel and Freight that was supposed to arrive in result will be a return to normal levels
service patterns. He expects a couple of the Port of Los Angeles instead was of savings and income.
years below trend. arriving in Savannah, Ga. The only way
“At this juncture where we are in to transport it from there was to pay FALLING RATES,
August of 2023, I think 2025 is probably higher rates, which led carriers to add CLOSING DOORS
a repeat of ’24, right? Slightly below capacity. Once the last wave of COVID Costello said inflation has slowed
trend growth,” he said. abated and import activity normalized, from 9% year over year to 3%. He
retailers had too much inventory expects it to tick back to close to 4% in
KEEP BLAMING THE PANDEMIC and the supply chain became more the months ahead before coming back
Costello traces the roots of the balanced. At that point, the trucking closer to 3%. He expects it to remain at
misalignment between the overall industry moved to overcapacity. about 3% over the next 12-18 months,
and freight economies to the COVID- Inventories are not where Costello which is more than the 2% the Federal
19 pandemic. Seventy percent of the would like to see them, leading him Reserve prefers. That being the case,
economy is based on services. During to believe the typical pre-holiday fall he doesn’t expect the Fed to decrease
the lockdowns, Americans stuck at surge will be muted. They are rising interest rates. He does expect it to stop
home bought goods transported by at the merchant wholesale level but increasing rates, although one more rate
trucks. As the pandemic abated, they’ve have fallen relative to sales at the retail increase is possible.
been spending it on experiences such as level. Inventories there are almost in The spot market has fallen far
concerts and restaurants that depend “no-man’s land,” he said. There’s not a more than the contract market. Second
less on trucks. Personal consumption lot of destocking that needs to occur, quarter spot load postings were down
of travel is up nearly 40% from pre- but restocking is not happening. Last 63%, while contract load postings were
pandemic levels and is up 1,200% from year, there was almost no fall freight off 3%. Spot market rates were not as
the bottom in March and April of 2020 season. This year will be slightly better bad as volumes. For the second quarter,
when the pandemic had just begun. than last year but still below normal. they were down 21-22%. Less-than-
Consumption of goods has been on Overall, household finances are truckload shipments and tonnage were
an opposite path. During the pandemic, still in decent shape, although certain down about 10-11%.
after inflation in 2020 through midyear income groups are struggling with Costello believes the spot market is
2021, consumption of goods grew more higher inflation rates. Costello expects probably near the bottom. Times remain
than 12%. That number is slowing to the growth in spending will slow down hard for small carriers that depend on
1.5%. Generally speaking, consumers through the rest of the year, but it that market, and some may go under.
have purchased their big ticket items. still will grow. Some households have
Housing is near the bottom and July blown through the money the federal 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 19

it ended up closing, but it’s been in a
tough spot for about 15 years.”
Atkins expects some of Yellow’s
“IT’S BEEN A COMPANY WITH A VERY CHALLENGED former employees will work for two
BALANCE SHEET AND BUSINESS CASE FOR QUITE other unionized LTL carriers: Arkansas-
SOME TIME,” ATKINS SAID. “IT’S OBVIOUSLY based ABF Freight, a subsidiary of

EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE FOR THE FOLKS THAT ArcBest; and TForce Freight, a subsidiary
of TFI International. Both recently
WORKED THERE THAT IT ENDED UP CLOSING, BUT came to agreement with the Teamsters.
IT’S BEEN IN A TOUGH SPOT FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS.” ArcBest’s agreement included a $3.50
hourly raise with a total of $6.50 in
—JACK ATKINS, STEPHENS INC. MANAGING DIRECTOR AND raises implemented over the five-
year contract. The TForce agreement
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY RESEARCH ANALYST
included mileage rate increases ending
at 82.57 cents per mile by January
2028. Another agreement between
Volumes and rates are down while costs market or cause significant supply the Teamsters and UPS ended before
are increasing. They can’t take back the chain disruption. Yellow was a 9% a strike occurred, resulting in UPS
increases they have made in driver pay. player in terms of revenues in the LTL Teamsters receiving a $2.75 per hour
They may have bought an expensive market in 2022, but the freight is going wage increase in 2023 and $7.50
used truck in 2021 or 2022 when the to other carriers who will have more wage increases over the length of the
supply was limited but rates were high pricing power. Demand is lower in the contract.
because consumers were buying goods. underlying LTL market, but rates are Other long-term trends are both
Lower fuel costs in the spring may have still solid. Carriers have seen margin good and bad for trucking. On the
saved a few of them, but now fuel prices and profit improvements over the past down side, the driver shortage remains
are increasing. For some, the excess five to seven years and have not given a problem. Drivers are more plentiful
savings they may have accumulated are up rate gains they made in 2020-22. thanks to the contracting freight
gone. Yellow’s bankruptcy doesn’t reflect economy, but there still aren’t enough
With all of those factors coming broader problems in the LTL sector, and the long-term issues such as an
into play, Costello expects the supply of he said. Instead, it’s the result of one aging workforce haven’t gone away.
trucking companies to erode as small company’s unfortunate structure and On the plus side, the Infrastructure
companies go out of business. Those its own bad decisions. Of the 30,000 Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 will
remaining this year and into next will Yellow employees, 22,000 were part of result in billions of dollars available
have fewer competitors. the Teamsters union, which brought for construction. Costello said he tells
The smaller companies that go out challenges. The company had a higher flatbed companies whose housing-
of business probably won’t generate a cost structure for which it couldn’t related freight is soft to look instead to
lot of headlines. The opposite was the charge enough to cover. Its downfall infrastructure opportunities.
case with Yellow, the huge but troubled started in the early 2000s when it Also, Costello expects more
less-than-truckload carrier that recently undertook several larger acquisitions opportunities to be available as a result
declared bankruptcy, putting 30,000 of other unionized LTL carriers that it of “reshoring” and “nearshoring”
employees out of work. paid for using debt. When the Great trends that are bringing manufacturing
Costello said Yellow’s closure Recession hit, it lost a lot of business. back to North America. Those trends
is unfortunate for those employees. Then it became the subject of a pricing are occurring because the pandemic
However, there are many job openings war that resulted in lost market share, exposed the dangers of manufacturers
in a tight labor market with a low from which it never recovered. Its relying too much on long, overseas
3.6% unemployment rate, and there is equipment was old, and it couldn’t supply chains, and also because
plenty of capacity to make up for the reinvest. It almost went bankrupt both Republican and Democratic
company’s loss. several times. Two bailouts by the administrations have pushed policies for
“If this had happened during 2021, federal government didn’t save it. North American production through
it would have been a totally different “It’s been a company with a very tariffs and the United States-Mexico-
story,” Costello said. “There would be challenged balance sheet and business Canada agreement.
freight sitting around, but not in 2023.” case for quite some time,” Atkins said. “I’m bullish on North America in
Atkins also doesn’t expect Yellow’s “It’s obviously extremely unfortunate the long run,” he said. ATR
failure to affect the broader freight for the folks that worked there that

20 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

Knowledge is Power




Not All Trucking Companies Are Alike


Trucking is all we do. When you choose Great West Casualty Company to insure
your trucking business, you are getting over 60 years of experience serving the
trucking industry.

800.228.8602 Our agents work with you. We selectively choose agents with a keen focus on

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Creating Place




How the Port of Little Rock became a logistics hub




















By Lacey Thacker
Contributing Writer

In his roughly thirty years working
with the City of Little Rock, first with
the state parks, followed by twelve years
as the City’s parks director and then
a decade as assistant manager, Bryan
Day has focused on “creating place.”
In other words, Day gets to know the
population that will be using an area to
ensure it’s developed in accordance with
their needs. That experience led him “[MAYBE] 65% OF EVERY PRODUCT THAT ENTERS OR
on a path to the Port Authority in July LEAVES THE PORT DOES SO ON A TRUCK.”
of 2014, where he currently serves as
executive director. In collaboration with
a “great team and fantastic board,” Day —BRYAN DAY,
has had an incredibly successful recent PORT AUTHORITY OF LITTLE ROCK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
few years, due in part to the “stars
aligning” with logistics, distribution
and reshoring. At the same time, in the ’50s immediate economic impact. Though
and early ’60s, the Corps of Engineers some Port Authorities across the coun-
MORE THAN THE RIVER decided the moment had come to take try do require use of the river, the Port
Seventy years ago, the Arkansas action. They provided funding of a bil- Authority of Little Rock decided at its
River did not exist the way we know lion dollars to build a navigable river inception that it was more important
it today. It dried up enough in the from Mississippi to Tulsa. The benefits to be an industrial park attracting busi-
summers that Day’s father recalled of a navigable river weren’t limited to nesses and creating jobs than to insist
digging in the riverbed as a child. In the commerce, but also included flood con- all companies in the Port used the river.
spring and fall, the river flooded due to trol, irrigation and hydropower. Today, the Port Authority’s footprint
seasonal rains. As such, the Arkansas During this period, the cities of is about 5,000 acres, and it consists of
River was not really navigable through Pine Bluff, Fort Smith, Muskogee and fifty businesses from around the world.
the Little Rock stretch, Day explains. Tulsa also decided to build ports. At the Some of those industries sit on five to
The Corps of Engineers had been time, the major interstates we enjoy ten acres, while a few sit on more than
considering what action to take with today had not been built—though they 800. The role of the Port is complex
the river since the large flood in 1927, were in progress—and building a navi- and necessary: buy and sell land to
but it wasn’t until 1959 that the Port gable river that allowed for the direct attract industry, operate warehouses,
Authority of Little Rock was created on transportation of goods meant an load and unload barges, run the rail
paper. 

22 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

Navigating the

FUTURE OF TRUCKING

















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Some of the more than 40 companies operating at the Port of Little Rock
that comes through the property and
generally support businesses in the
Port. That includes helping businesses
get incentives or expansion credits and
assisting with workforce development
and infrastructure issues. If the Port
were a city, someone recently told Day, it
would be the forty-eighth largest city in
Arkansas, based on the number of people
who come to work there each day.
POSITIONED FOR PEANUTS
The fifty businesses at the Port
employ about 10,000 people from 40
counties across Arkansas. In other
words, well over half the state sends
people to the Port Authority every day.
One of the businesses to which
people commute is Skippy Peanut Butter,
a well-known peanut butter brand in the
United States. What is less well known
is the fact that Skippy makes and ships
every jar of their peanut butter sold in
the United States and Canada from Little
Rock. Their manufacturing business
takes place on fifteen acres of land in
the Port Authority. To do that, they bring
in twelve railcars a week of raw peanuts
and ship out thousands and thousands of
pounds of the processed nuts each week.
One of the largest companies at the struggling to keep up with demand. Add dollars to provide $10,000 stipends to
Port, as far as land, is Welspun Inc. The to that the perpetual driver shortage in those who apply, qualify and end up
company sits on 800 acres of land, to combination with an increasing con- making the move to Arkansas.
which they’re able to bring in raw mate- sumption rate, and you have an indus- Amazon saw the draw when they
rial by train via the two railroads in the try that needs support from riverways decided to develop a presence at the Port
Port and ship out via truck. and the railroad. Authority only a couple of years ago.
These companies are able to oper- Their facility, a four million square foot
ate at this scale due in large part to BIG SMALL TOWN IN facility on five floors, is what Day says
the location of the Port. Little Rock is RIGHT-TO-WORK STATE Amazon calls a “first mile distribution
well known among those in the truck- Little Rock has many attractive facility.” Their “last mile” distribution
ing industry as a logistics hub. The city features for a business considering a center is in Southwest Little Rock, and
is directly on a major interstate, two move. The Port Authority provides sup- that’s where the blue trucks dispatch
hours from Memphis, and only five port to developing a workforce in the from. “They store stuff here [at the Port
hours from Dallas. To take it a step community, including participating in facility]. If someone orders a pair of
further, barges can have a shipment to the Ford NGL program in local high glasses today, it’s probably in this ware-
New Orleans in four days, and from schools. That program is designed to house. Amazon receives that order and
there, shipments can be taken anywhere show high school students that a col- delivers it to the last mile facility this
in the world. lege education isn’t required to get a afternoon, and a driver will deliver it in
“[Maybe] 65% of every product job in manufacturing that provides a the morning.”
that enters or leaves the port does so on good living. Lexicon, a company at the Amazon chose Little Rock because
a truck,” Day explains, adding that he Port, built a welding lab at Mills to help of one primary reason: its location.
estimates about 25% comes by rail and provide training to students, and the According to Day, Amazon’s goal at the
10% by barge. With America’s rate of Chamber of Commerce recently had an time was for 80% of their deliveries to
consumption, the trucking industry is anonymous donor set aside one million 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 25

be made on the same day, or the next ness, but it turned out that Amazon did cost of water is some of the cheapest in
day at the latest, by 2025. With that not want incentives, a deal on the land the country. The corporate income tax
goal in mind, the company was looking or even tax credits. Their only require- rate is being lowered, thanks in part
for a central location for the new hub – ment was that the Port provide good to the current and previous governors,
but they were doing so quietly. infrastructure to get trucks in and out, both of whom were responsible for per-
Day received a call one day from along with solid utilities. petuating a business-friendly environ-
a friend and real estate broker, Jason Once the paperwork was signed, ment. Arkansas is a right-to-work state,
Parker. “He said, I’ve got a client that Amazon’s contractors got to work and meaning we have minimal labor pres-
would like to be at the port. And I said, built that four million square foot ence. Little Rock is also making great
well, that’s really cool. That’s what we facility in only thirteen months. The strides in the area of workforce develop-
do. Do they use the river? Do they use five-floor facility brought in about one ment, including a program through the
the railroad? ‘No.’ I said, Jason, we’re million packages per day in the weeks University of Arkansas at Pulaski Tech.
just really short on real estate. I don’t before Christmas last year, which were Though the Port Authority of Little
know, I just don’t know. And he said, delivered at about the same rate to Rock is designed and run to meet the
okay, that’s fair.” households in the area. needs of businesses, Little Rock isn’t
But when Parker called back two According to Day, Amazon noted necessarily the first place businesses
weeks later, he told Day that this that Little Rock was the easiest commu- think of when considering where to
business really wanted to be at the nity they’ve ever worked with. Because locate. Day points out that Arkansas
Port — and the Port really wanted his Little Rock is, in many ways, a big in general, and Little Rock specifically,
client. small town, it’s relatively simple (and need to do a better job of “fighting in
Fast forward through the signing less expensive) to get permitting done. their own class.” In other words, the
of nondisclosure agreements. When There’s also land still available to a city and state could do a better job of
the Port realized Parker represented degree that simply isn’t the case in larg- telling their stories. The lack of knowl-
Amazon, their excitement went through er metro areas like Dallas or Atlanta. edge about living, working and build-
the roof. They were willing to jump Additionally, the cost of electricity is ing businesses in the state is one of
through hoops to get Amazon’s busi- some of the lowest in Arkansas, and the the area’s most significant hurdles to






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26 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

“IF WE CAN GET THEM
HERE, THEY WILL
CHOOSE TO LOCATE

HERE.”

—BRYAN DAY, PORT
AUTHORITY OF LITTLE ROCK
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR





overcome when it comes to attracting the entire state, so convincing com- move further inward. And with that
businesses. panies we have a sufficient labor pool migration will come decisions about
Arkansas also has a relatively low to meet their needs is an additional where to relocate for both businesses
population, and thus labor pool, but obstacle. and people. But as long as Arkansas
because miles still equal minutes in A burgeoning challenge to consider tells its story well enough, Day believes
most of the state, Arkansas still has a is how climate change will impact the that “If we can get them here, they will
1.5 million-person labor pool within an labor force, but Day believes Arkansas choose to locate here.” After all, he’s
hour of the port. That said, Memphis, has an advantage in that arena. Day seen that proven true time and time
for example, has nearly as many people posits that in the future, as coastal cit- again. ATR
in an hour’s drive as Arkansas does in ies become less habitable, people will














































ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 27

— — — SPECIAL SERIES ON ENTERING TRUCKING’S WORKFORCE: FIRST MILE — — —

Required Experience





















By Bethany May
Managing Editor

Ed. note: The American Trucking
Associations estimates that the trucking
industry needs almost 80,000 more driv-
ers to meet the economy’s current freight
demands. Based on demographic trends
and projected growth in freight demand,
the shortage could swell to more than
160,000 by 2031. In this First Mile series,
we’re examining the on ramp to a career
in truck driving. In the first three issues,
we looked at a prospective driver’s educa-
tion, the CDL exam experience and first
year on the road. In this final installment,
we look at the employers who take on the
responsibility of being new drivers’ first
driving job.

It’s a rite of career passage to  Former members of the J.B. Hunt Driver Apprenticeship Program
encounter the experience paradox. For
novice jobseekers starting their search
on Indeed.com or another job board, • Company only hires experienced, Research Institute in “The Impact of
half the ‘help wanted’ ads are a remind- professional drivers or Rising Insurance Costs on the Trucking
er that graduating or passing some test • Valid Class A CDL license with 2 Industry,” 90% of the respondents
was actually just the first test. To get a years of recent CDL-A tractor trailer said their premiums increased from
good job, you need 3-5 years of experi- experience. 2018 to 2020, even though only 12.5%
ence; to get the experience, you need to increased their insurance coverage.
get a job. TWO-YEAR MINIMUM The minimum requirement is often
A commercial truck driver hitting To address the driver shortage, the a condition set by insurance companies.
the job market today might encounter industry has to keep recruiting new An experienced workforce cor-
these requirements: people to earn CDLs, and then employ- relates to a safer workforce and lower
ers have to give those new drivers their insurance premiums, and most insur-
• 12 months recent and verifiable
tractor/trailer experience, first job. Insurance is a hurdle though. ance providers require carriers to hire
Carriers are operating in an drivers with a minimum of two years of
• At least 1 year or 50,000 verifiable increasingly costly insurance environ- driving experience.
miles of tractor trailer driving expe- ment. According to survey data col- Great West Casualty Company’s
rience, lected by the American Transportation Mike Metzger says insurance coverage

28 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

— — — SPECIAL SERIES ON ENTERING TRUCKING’S WORKFORCE: FIRST MILE — — —



is about the person behind the wheel will be a place of opportunity — a place that last-mile training and earn-as-you-
more than the equipment or freight in where a person can come for a good learn programs play in the economy.
the policy. Small and mid-sized carriers job and end up building a great career,” There are fewer apprenticeships in the
can’t hire inexperienced drivers because Nicholas wrote. “And in addition to U.S. today than there were after World
they can’t insure them. That leaves large War II. In a recent Forbes op-ed, “Why
carriers who are self-insured access to America Needs More Apprenticeship,”
the new grads from CDL programs. Craig noted that because apprentice
Metzger says the largest carriers programs require a lot of resources for
may have their own finishing schools one-on-one training and mentorship,
and robust trainer programs that allow well-meaning educational institutions,
them to overcome the insurance risk. think tanks, nonprofits and govern-
“AS OF TODAY, 191 ments can offer other training oppor-
EARN WHILE YOU LEARN ASSOCIATES HAVE tunities, but because “apprenticeships
Last year, ATR reported on the are jobs, only employers are capable of
world largest retailer’s program to COMPLETED THE creating them.”
grow its own driving workforce. In ASSOCIATE-TO-DRIVER Similar to Walmart, FedEx Freight
spring 2022, Walmart Transportation PROGRAM. NOW AS has an apprenticeship system that
launched an internal CDL driver train- recruits from within the company to
ing program, the first in the company’s PROUD HOLDERS OF A create their own pipeline of road-ready
history. CLASS A COMMERCIAL drivers. Rodney Myers, vice president
Walmart’s 12-week private fleet DRIVER’S LICENSE of human resources, says the hands-on
development program targets associates AND AS MEMBERS OF program has been around for 20 years.
already working for the company, helps “It’s continued to grow. It’s not
them earn the CDL and gives them WALMART’S PRIVATE 50/50. Probably 40% of what I’m hiring
instruction from successful Walmart FLEET, THEY’RE ON annually is going through our appren-
drivers-turned-trainers who immerse THEIR WAY TO MAKING tice program. They may have gone to
the new drivers in the company’s safety a school or they may not have, but I’m
culture. AS MUCH $110,000 IN still running them through our appren-
This summer, Walmart graduated THEIR FIRST YEAR AS A tice program,” Myers says.
72 new CDL-holders, the largest class WALMART DRIVER.” If they don’t have prior CDL educa-
to date, from its Associate-to-Driver tion, the company helps the employees
program and will be expanding from its —CHRIS NICHOLAS, get their learner’s permit, pass the state
seven training facilities to any associate exam and earn one year of road expe-
within 250 miles of a transportation WALMART U.S. EXECUTIVE rience. FedEx gives drivers their first
office. VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF lessons as professional truck drivers.
In a July 28 blog, Chris Nicholas, OPERATING OFFICER There’s a benefit to being first because
Walmart’s executive vice president the driver that comes out the other side
and chief operating officer, wrote, “As has been trained to be a FedEx driver,
of today, 191 associates have com- with the values of FedEx and aware-
pleted the Associate-to-Driver program. ness of the company’s Purple Promise.
Now as proud holders of a Class A Though it’s possible a driver might leave
Commercial Driver’s License and as being a source of pride, Walmart’s after he or she has driven for the com-
members of Walmart’s Private Fleet, Private Fleet has always been a competi- pany for the contracted first-year, the
they’re on their way to making as tive advantage, enabling us to deliver goal is to enrich the company’s talent
much $110,000 in their first year as a Every Day Low Costs in order to make pool, not the industry’s.
Walmart driver.” good on our commitment to Every Day “If we’re going to invest that money
As the success stories pile up, indi- Low Prices.” in developing them, we’re not wanting
viduals are getting the skills for a new Forbes contributor Ryan Craig says to do it to develop drivers for the indus-
career without college debt or probing this kind of approach is the answer try. Now, that happens in some cases,
the job boards because the opportunity to a skills and experience gap in the but we’re really trying to develop them
is coming from their current employer. workforce. Craig, whose upcoming book to be a career FedEx driver, getting them
“Walmart has been and always Apprentice Nation, writes on the role 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 29

— — — SPECIAL SERIES ON ENTERING TRUCKING’S WORKFORCE: FIRST MILE — — —



Last March, American Trucking
Associations earned its registered
apprenticeship program and partnered
with FASTPORT to provide apprentice-
ship opportunities to its member com-
panies.
“WHEN I LOOK AT OUR OVERALL DRIVER RETENTION, Arkansas-based carrier, J.B. Hunt
IT’S PRETTY GOOD. WHEN I LOOK AT SOMEBODY Transport, along with several other car-
I HIRED OFF THE STREET VERSUS SOMEBODY WE riers, also became a registered appren-
ticeship program provider.
TRAINED, IT’S EVEN BETTER.” “J.B. Hunt is approaching 1,000
Department of Labor registered appren-
—RODNEY MYERS, tices since May 2021, with more than
FEDEX FREIGHT VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES 640 having a tenure greater than
one year in the program,” said Greer
Woodruff, senior vice president of
corporate safety, security and driver
personnel for J.B. Hunt Transport.
“The program offers quality training
embedded into our culture, what FedEx try knowledge throughout the nation’s at a high standard that goes above and
is about, the flexibility, the customer history. The last three presidential beyond industry standards and has pro-
service focus of it.” administrations have addressed how to vided an entryway for those candidates
The strategy is a good one. Myers leverage earn-as-you-learn options to who may not have considered a career
says the apprentice graduates are usu- grow the workforce. as a driver to find a home with J.B.
ally loyal. In 2015, President Obama awarded Hunt.”
“When I look at our overall driver $175 million in federal public-private Being qualified and being expe-
retention, it’s pretty good. When I look partnership grants and invested another rienced can feel so far apart for new
at somebody I hired off the street versus $90 million in 2016 to grow industry drivers who have earned a CDL but no
somebody we trained, it’s even better.” partnerships and support state- miles on the job. Every carrier can’t
Of course, some drivers move on if strategies. provide jobs to drivers early in their
the lifestyle, earnings, shifts available No stranger to apprenticeships careers because of the additional train-
don’t match their needs, but the com- having served as host of the famed ing workforce needed or the insurance
pany’s investment in training its own reality show The Apprentice, President challenges, but the opportunity to
safe drivers is worthwhile. Trump signed an executive order to watch someone begin a life in trucking
“It really does start to pay off “create apprenticeships for millions of from the very first mile is rewarding for
very quickly because of the design of our citizens.” The Industry-Recognized the employers who can hire ambitious
our program. It’s that one-on-one Apprenticeship Program, or IRAP, would rookies.
structure. We get them to the point support third parties like industry “There’s the gratitude we hear from
that they have completed their training, groups, corporations, nonprofits, educa- drivers: ‘These are the folks who helped
they passed their test, they’ve got their tional institutions and labor unions to me establish my career,’” FedEx’s Myers
final check, we’re able to put them to develop apprenticeship programs. says. “Particularly if they were work-
work. Within three to four months, However, last year, the Biden ing on our dock because they hired on
we’re already starting to see them be Administration rescinded IRAP to when they weren’t old enough or hired
productive for us.” redirect the funds back to registered on just looking for a job and then decid-
apprenticeship programs. ed to make it a career.”
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED In the 2021 Trucking Action Plan, Myers says the success stories for
AND REGISTERED President Biden addressed truck driv- him are the men and women hired 15,
The Department of Labor has regu- ing training specifically, kicking off a 20 years ago as part-time dock workers,
lated official apprenticeship programs 90-day challenge to recruit employers that are now married, sending kids to
since the Fitzgerald Act in 1937, and interested in developing new registered college, and enjoying the fruits of the
skilled trades have relied on the practice apprenticeship programs and expanding labor they started as young apprentices.
to nurture talent and pass down indus- existing programs. ATR

30 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

TA-5494 - TA Fleet Universal Card Print Ad.indd 1 6/16/22 11:32 AM

“WHETHER YOU’RE
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JOB TO DO.



































TYSON FOODS LOOKS

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACOB SLATON

32 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

By Dwain Hebda
Contributing Writer

It would be a stretch to say Tyson Foods is turning a corner from being a food company that leans on
technology to a technology company that happens to deal in food, but not nearly the stretch it once was.
No matter where you look within the Springdale-based food giant, technology is playing a leading role
in transforming the global company. Nowhere is the technology push more pronounced than in logistics
where the company has its hand in everything from a first-of-its-kind autonomous vehicle collaboration to
transport Tyson products to implementing a streamlined, integrated system tracking drivers and product
from coast to coast.






ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 33

who served a decade in the U.S. Army’s
75th Ranger Regiment and 5th Special
Forces Group. “I think Gen. Omar
“WE DO ABOUT 540 MILLION MILES IN THE U.S. Bradley said, ‘Amateurs talk tactics.
Professionals talk logistics.’ If a tank
A YEAR TO DELIVER OUR PRODUCT TO OUR runs out of ammo or fuel or mainte-
CUSTOMERS. IF WE CAN CUT 10 MILLION MILES A nance, you’re in trouble.
“In special operations, as I was get-
YEAR, 20 MILLION MILES A YEAR, OR 30 MILLION ting ready to get out, I was the service
MILES A YEAR OFF OF THAT BY GETTING RID OF detachment commander. That’s all
THE WASTEFUL MILES, THAT’S MONEY BACK TO logistics and supply chain stuff that a
THE COMPANY’S BOTTOM LINE. PLUS, THAT’S A BIG special operations unit needs for train-
IMPROVEMENT ENVIRONMENTALLY, ing or when they get deployed.”
Simmons, an Ohio native, would
EXPENDITURES.”
REDUCING CO 2 build upon this experience upon join-
ing Walmart after leaving the Army.
He’d spend more than two decades with
the world’s largest retailer, landing in
Patrick Simmons, Tyson Foods’ vice he doesn’t scare from a challenge, easily Arkansas in 2002. He joined Tyson two
president of transportation, is tasked having cut his teeth on missions of con- years ago.
with knitting together the company’s siderably high duress when he was in “I had never worked with truck
vast network of production and ware- the military that ultimately routed him drivers at all, never even thought about
housing facilities and connecting them to the career he has today. it as a career, but what [Walmart] was
to each other to better serve consumers. “In the military I didn’t start off looking for was leadership,” he said.
Simmons has a grand vision, so ambi- with logistics at all, other than you have “Whether you’re leading a tank platoon
tious it borders on the intimidating, but to understand logistics,” said Simmons, or people jumping out of airplanes or



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34 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

whatever it is in the military, you have one was clear—to modernize and inte- and making the painful choice to close
a job to do. You’re responsible for those grate multiple tracking systems into one some processing facilities.
people, motivating them, making sure all-encompassing logistical stream. As the company continues to
that the mission gets accomplished. “The baseline operations for trans- transform, it recently established seven
“In my opinion, it’s very much the portation when I got here were solid, distribution centers known as the
same when you get out of the military really good,” Simmons said. “But from a Distribution Network of the Future,
and get a job. You still have to work supply chain and transportation stand- allowing the company to capitalize on
through people to make sure the job point, we’re not nearly as mature as we the strengths of existing networks while
gets done safely, shows up on time and could be. That has a lot to do with how driving new efficiencies such as reduced
nothing’s damaged.” Tyson has grown up. We’ve acquired mileage, labor, outside cold storage fees
a ton of different companies who all and handling charges. According to the
BECOMING THE BEST AND operated well, so they allowed those company, what would have previously
MOST EFFICIENT plants to just keep running with things. been a four- or five-day haul will now
Entering the civilian workforce The challenge now is to take all these only take about a day or two to reach
when he did, Simmons had a front-row different systems and get them to talk the customer.
seat to technology playing a role in to each other.” “In years past, there’s really been
logistics. He saw the gradual elimina- The push to modernize logistics a northern fleet and a southern fleet,”
tion of paper in favor of email and the is part of a company-wide effort to Simmons said. “The fresh meats
introduction of handheld digital tools help position it optimally for sustained division was up in South Dakota,
to help manage truckloads and track growth. Under the banner “OneTyson,” Nebraska and Iowa where that all
movement. Helping to build a tech- the company has examined a variety of come together. They dispatched and
powered infrastructure in his role at operational structures over the past few did their own thing and there wasn’t
Walmart made him uniquely qualified years, which led to changes in structure synergy with the southern fleet here
to take on the role of transforming and footprint, including recently relo- in Springdale, Ark. I think in the past,
Tyson’s logistics, leveraging technology. cating executives from Illinois and the the focus has been on having the best
at Tyson Foods, his mission from day Dakotas to the Arkansas headquarters














































ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 35

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chicken, the best beef, the best bacon
and not as much about talking to each
other in a way that benefits everyone
and saves the whole company money.
That’s all changing now.” “ANOTHER THING I LEARNED FROM BEING A SECOND
Simmons says his role is at the LIEUTENANT LEADING A 40-YEAR-OLD FIRST
center of the company’s transformation SERGEANT IS TO UNDERSTAND WHO HAS MORE
into the most efficient food company
on the planet. One of the first projects EXPERIENCE THAN I DO. I’VE ALWAYS TRIED TO HEAR
he undertook to achieve this goal was WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY AND TO MAKE THEM
to create a central transportation com- FEEL THEY’RE PART OF THE PROCESS AND TO LEARN
mand center which will have a compre-
hensive view of inbound and outbound FROM THEM. YOU HAVE TO BE COLLABORATIVE AND
loads and drivers with general visibility THAT STARTS WITH KNOWING YOU HAVE TO
up and down the entire supply chain. LISTEN TO PEOPLE.”
Once completed and fully implemented,
the command center will have unparal-
leled access to logistical data down to
the individual truck level.
“One of Tyson’s big tenets right ens and a staggering 73 million pounds ing the latest technology, aggres-
now is digital enablement,” he said. of prepared foods. The $53 billion com- sively investing in new tools in every
“In my world, that means something pany includes award-winning brands aspect of operations to the tune of
like, for example, unproductive miles. Hillshire Farms, IBP, Jimmy Dean hundreds of millions of dollars. In
Without the kind of visibility we’re and BallPark among others, as well as 2019, it even christened its own Tyson
talking about through a command the Tyson label, all produced at more Manufacturing Automation Center,
center, you could have an empty trailer than 200 facilities across the US. Any designed specifically to help the compa-
chasing a loaded trailer down the road widespread system changes have to be ny develop more automation and robot-
going to the same spot. We hate that, phased in systematically and with great ics for its food production plants.
but if you can’t see your network and care so as to not disrupt production. As the company gets ready for its
understand what’s going on, that’s a “Changing Tyson’s business layout, 2024 fiscal year start on Oct. 1, it also
problem that happens. There’s a lot of we’re looking to eat the elephant one recently created a new enterprise sup-
technology now that will allow us to see bite at a time instead of trying to do all ply chain center and appointed its head
where the waste is and allow us to go dispatch at once,” Simmons said. “There of fresh meats to lead it—Brady Stewart
address it. are companies that have tried to just took on the additional role of chief sup-
“We do about 540 million miles in flip the switch and it usually doesn’t ply chain officer. Stewart came to Tyson
the U.S. a year to deliver our product to work out well. We’re deploying a lot of from Smithfield in 2022, assuming the
our customers. If we can cut 10 million people to communicate to our internal role of group president, fresh meats.
miles a year, 20 million miles a year, or customers and plants, to our drivers, to He will continue in this role with his
30 million miles a year off of that by our third-party carriers. new full title being president, beef, pork
getting rid of the wasteful miles, that’s “We call it go slow to go fast. We’re and chief supply chain officer. The new
money back to the company’s bottom right now in the process of changing role will ensure greater collaboration
line. Plus, that’s a big improvement foundational things, making sure and speed (and comes on the heels of
environmentally, reducing CO 2 expen- that an old Hillshire Farm facility, for the company moving to just one HQ in
ditures.” instance, can talk to the new modern Springdale where all ELT members sit).
transportation system in what’s called a The new center will ensure the com-
GO SLOW TO GO FAST test box, before they do it for real. That’s pany has an end-to-end supply chain
The logic is simple to grasp, but the going to take at least 12 months to get management mindset and solution
execution of the systems Simmons and all that stuff changed and training done in place which includes distribution,
his team have in mind are anything and fixes made.” manufacturing and engineering, digital
but. Tyson Foods is massive, producing One thing Simmons won’t have to enablement, procurement, commod-
one out of every five pounds of protein worry about is whetting the company’s ity purchasing, environment, health
sold on the planet thanks to a capacity appetite for change. Tyson Foods has and safety and food safety, quality and
to process weekly 155,000 head of beef, shown a decidedly forward-thinking assurance.
471,000 head of pork, 47 million chick- stance when it comes to incorporat- 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 37

PATRICK SIMMONS At-A-Glance



FAMILY: Wife of 25 years, Heidi, and son Luke, 21, and daughter Alyssa, 17
IF I HADN’T DONE THIS FOR A CAREER… I’d have most likely stayed in the military as a U.S.
Army officer or coached high school football.
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Italy

FAVORITE MOVIE: It’s a Wonderful Life directed by Frank Capra

FAVORITE TYSON PRODUCT: Wright brand applewood smoked bacon
LAST SERIES I BINGE WATCHED: Cobra Kai on Netflix

SOMETHING I KNOW TO BE TRUE… about all people is everyone wants to be successful and
do good; no one sets out to fail or not perform up to expectations. Give people the
opportunity to thrive by telling them what needs to be done, not how to do it, and
they will impress you with their ingenuity.

THE PERFECT WEEKEND… must include family time in the swimming pool, listening to
classic rock from the ’80s.




This transformation mindset have one of its human drivers bring a initially, doing shuttles for, I’d say, less
extends to the transportation side of refrigerated trailer pre-loaded with pro- than 50 miles from the plant. The limi-
operations as Tyson Foods continues tein products to Kodiak’s facility just tations of an electric truck today are
to invest in innovative upgrades and outside of Dallas from which one of they can go about 300 miles, 250 miles
diversification throughout the division. Kodiak’s autonomous trucks will deliver if it’s fully loaded. So right now, the
Simmons said the company’s private the load to a C.R. England drop yard in technology and the infrastructure aren’t
fleet of 2,600 tractors and 4,500 trail- San Antonio. there to go long distances. That doesn’t
ers carries about 40% of the company’s Tyson also recently announced a mean it won’t one day, but it isn’t right
20,000 weekly loads, covering 165 mil- collaboration with Gatik AI Inc., the now. That’s a limiting factor.”
lion of the transportation division’s 540 leader in autonomous middle mile Simmons said hybrid trucks appear
million annual miles. He estimated the logistics to deploy autonomous refrig- to have the most promise in the near
company will grow its fleet by about erated trucks to bolster Tyson routes term as a bridge technology between the
800 to 1,000 trucks in the next five to in Northwest Arkansas. Operating 18 all-diesel era and the brave new world
seven years. In addition, Tyson owns hours a day, trucks will deliver Tyson, of electrification.
1,900 rail cars and ships enough prod- Jimmy Dean and BallPark products, “I would say a hybrid truck is
uct abroad to fill 63,000 containers, among others, to the company’s dis- probably where we’ll end up,” he said.
double what it did just four years ago, tribution and storage facilities in the “Once someone designs batteries that
and Simmons expects that number to Rogers and Springdale, Ark. areas. The are more efficient and lighter and
grow to 100,000 containers by 2030. deployment will introduce Gatik trucks maybe it has 50 gallons of diesel or
Exactly what the overall mix will equipped with commercial-grade auton- hydrogen fuel that it can run off if you
look like over time remains to be seen, omous technology to the Tyson supply can’t get to an electric charging station.
but this much is clear: Tyson Foods has chain for the first time. The trucks will I would also think they will eventually
shown a propensity to seek advanced operate on predetermined short-haul, be able to figure out how to self-charge,
solutions in trucking. In April, Kodiak repeated routes to support fast and effi- so as the wheels are spinning as it’s
Robotics announced a partnership with cient product flow from plant to storage going down the road that’s used to
C.R. England to autonomously ship facilities. generate power.”
Tyson Foods products between Dallas “The first model we’re going to As pragmatic as the evolution of
and San Antonio. The pilot included one start with is diesel-powered, and they’re the truck is, Simmons said the future
dedicated truck, initially with a human already working on an electric model may hold some surprises when it comes
safety operator aboard, hauling three to of that for us,” Simmons said. “This is
five loads per week. C.R. England will where I see the electric truck working 

38 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

to transportation, with tools and tech- “Since Tyson has been involved, has resulted in mandates and phase-in
nology that not long ago were just the they’ve done about a million dollars’ deadlines in several states even though
stuff of science fiction movies. worth of in-kind and monetary dona- issues surrounding the infrastructure
“Customers want deliveries now, tions for wreaths. We do about 30 to support them are far from settled.
more just-in-time than ever,” he truckloads a year for them. It’s kind Such overly broad legislation impacts all
said. “Our company doesn’t deliver of what’s the need and we fit it in. carriers, but potentially harms smaller
to people’s homes like Amazon does, Grassroots-wise, it’s a great way to tie companies most.
but we’re delivering to the companies back to supporting veterans and hiring “The trucking industry is fragile,”
that do make those deliveries. I think veterans and caring for their families.” Simmons said. “Companies like us can
there’ll be new ways of how we get stuff absorb a little more of what’s out there,
there in the most efficient way that we but America runs on the backs of small-
possibly can. er trucking companies, and it’s harder
“Drone technology is, I would say, for them to comply due to cost. So the
in its infancy. There are companies today Arkansas and federal associations really
that deliver a small package to your “AMERICA RUNS ON do a service to those smaller carriers by
driveway and drop it off. I look at how THE BACKS OF SMALLER staying on top of what new laws and
much traffic impedes what we do and if TRUCKING COMPANIES, mandates are being proposed.”
the technology gets there, why not pick Asked what his vision of the future
up a much bigger shipping container and AND IT’S HARDER FOR looks like, Simmons lets his imagina-
just fly it via drone to the distribution THEM TO COMPLY tion fly.
center where it needs to go? If you’re DUE TO COST.” “I think when all the technology
not flying around airports or anything, that’s being developed actually hap-
there’s no reason you couldn’t just fly pens, the new truck driver could be
line-of-sight to where it’s going. I can see like a military drone operator,” he said.
that, but it’s obviously a ways off.” “They’re sitting in front of a wall of
In addition to his charitable work, computer screens, and they’re control-
LEADING FROM THE FRONT Simmons is also active within the ling and watching 10 or 20 trucks going
Away from the office, Simmons is industry, serving leadership roles within up and down the road. They’re watching
a longtime board member for Wreaths the Arkansas Trucking Association and for something that’s going to go wrong,
Across America, an organization dedi- the American Trucking Associations, dealing with an alert that went off
cated to honoring deceased veterans both of which he praised for their where they can take control of it and do
by placing holiday wreaths on their watchdog work on behalf of the something about it. That’s where all of
graves. Since 2008, he’s been effective industry. this is eventually headed.”
in growing the organization’s reach, “There’s a lot a state and federal For as much change and automa-
appealing for donations from founda- laws benefiting the industry and both tion as he sees on the horizon, Simmons
tions and mobilizing trucking resources. ATAs do a great job of lobbying to get said the strength of Tyson Foods will
In Arkansas alone, he helped bring that stuff through,” he said. “Each state always lie in its people, whether they’re
Walmart, Tyson and J.B. Hunt to the organization also does a good job pro- in the cab or not, offering as-yet
table and mobilized to haul wreaths for viding input to the American Trucking unknown solutions in new and creative
volunteers to place on graves in nation- Associations on proposed laws that ways to keep product moving to ware-
al cemeteries in Arlington, Fayetteville impact the trucking industry. houses and stores safely and efficiently.
and many others. “Another big area is safety. There He said leading a team in this area pro-
“That first year I got involved with are so many programs for improving vides new insights every day.
Wreaths Across America, they did about safety at both the state and national “Another thing I learned from
90 cemeteries and about 90,000 wreaths. organization level. It’s a coordinated being a second lieutenant leading a
This past year they did about 3,000 effort, and study after study shows the 40-year-old first sergeant is to under-
national cemeteries, because they’re not companies that are involved in both the stand who has more experience than I
just in the United States, and about three state and federal organizations have an do. I’ve always tried to hear what people
million wreaths,” he said. “The first accident rate that’s half of those compa- have to say and to make them feel
year Walmart got involved, they had six nies that aren’t members. That’s a huge they’re part of the process and to learn
trucking companies and they had about benefit.” from them. You have to be collaborative
90 trucks. That was everybody. This past Simmons said the work of the asso- and that starts with knowing you have
year they had 160 trucking companies ciations is particularly important in the to listen to people.” ATR
participate. ongoing push for electric trucks, which

40 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

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In It to Win It




2023 Arkansas Trucking Championship Recap
















 Katie Thomason (ATA) and Grand
By ATR Staff Competitors and volunteers in both Champion Loren Hatfield (ABF Freight)
the trucking and technician competi-
The Arkansas Trucking Association tion represented 42 companies. To qual-
hosted its 2023 trucking championship ify, the truck driving competitors must
on June 22–24 at the Rogers Convention hold an accident-free record of at least
Center in Rogers, Ark. 12 months prior to the championship.
The three-day event included a Loren Hatfield, a professional truck
commercial vehicle inspection competi- driver for ABF Freight, claimed the
tion for Arkansas Highway Police, tech- Grand Champion title after finishing
nician training fair, truck showcase, first in the 4-axle division. Hatfield is
technician championship and truck no stranger to the Arkansas Trucking
driving championship. The truck driv- Championship winner’s circle. This was  Katie Thomason and Kelly Crow
ers competed in nine classes: 3-axle, his 17th time competing and ninth (ATA) present Jessie King (FedEx Freight)
4-axle, 5-axle, straight truck, twins, time to qualify for the national with the Sportsmanship Award
sleeper, step van, tank and flatbed. The competition. It was his second
technician competition included a writ- Arkansas Grand Champion win,
ten exam with 14 hands-on stations for having previously garnered the
truck technicians and eight stations for title in 2013 when he competed
trailer technicians. in the tank division.
This year, 152 of the best drivers “Collectively, the drivers
and 46 of the top technicians in the at the 2023 Arkansas Trucking
state came to Northwest Arkansas to Championship accounted for
demonstrate their safety knowledge and more than 241 million safe-
skills. driving miles,” said Shannon
On Thursday afternoon, techni- Newton, president, Arkansas
cians arrived for professional devel- Trucking Association. “Every sin-
opment and attended courses in tire gle man and woman who quali-
and wheel analysis, HVAC, electrical
and wheel end. Twenty-seven truck
technicians and 19 trailer techni-  Trailer Technician Grand
Champion, Christopher Terifay
cians, representing 15 ATA member (UPS) and Truck Technician Grand
companies, competed on Friday Champion, Anthony Nunez (UPS),
while drivers took the written exam with their hard-earned hardware
and conducted the pre-trip inspec-
tions. Trucks from Bruckner’s Truck
& Equipment, Doggett Freightliner
of Arkansas, MHC and Rush Truck  Walmart Transportation
Centers were on display in the Truck takes home the 2023 Large
Showcase for attendees to check out Team trophy
the newest tractors.

42 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

fied to compete should be congratulated Aerial view of driving competition course
for their commitment to safety, profes-
sionalism and serving our communi-
ties.”
Hatfield and the other eight first
place winners in each class competed
against the first-place winners from
all 50 states at the National Truck
Driving Championships Aug. 16-19 in
Columbus, Ohio.
UPS technicians Anthony Nunez
and Chris Terifay won the grand
champion titles in the Arkansas Truck
Technician Championship and Arkansas Aerial Photo: Jake Pendergist/Maverick USA
Trailer Technician Championship
respectively.  J.B. Hunt Transport cheering
Nunez, a first-time competitor in on their drivers
a state competition, participated in 14
technical classes and completed a writ-
ten exam. He claimed the second-place
trophies for the FMCSA regulations,
service information and wheel end
stations. As Truck Technician Grand
Champion, he scored the most cumula-
tive points across all the truck classes
and written exam.
In addition to trophies and cash
prizes, Nunez was also awarded a fully  Haston Hellum (Rush Truck Centers) competes
in the Tire & Wheel Analysis station
stocked tool cabinet, the Mini Dream
Shop, worth $2000 provided by Reliance
Supply.
Terifay, named Rookie of the Year,
scored the most cumulative points in
the trailer contest. He won first place  John Staten (Rush Truck Centers) is
named the Truck Technician Runner-Up
at three of the eight hands-on stations,
including electrical, fasteners & fittings
and FMCSA regulations. Terifay has
worked for UPS for the last seven years
of his 15-year career in the industry.
He has been identified as a Ford Master
Technician and Chrysler Certified
Master Specialist.
Nunez and Terifay led the team of
eight technicians from UPS to win the
best overall team award for having the
best overall team average score.
In September, the two top tech-
nicians represented Arkansas in the
National Technician Skills Competition,
SuperTech 2023, in Cleveland, Ohio.

 Trailer Technician Runner-Up,
James Sisson (Tyson Foods)  Gary Jardine (Old Dominion Freight
shows off his winnings Line) on the course 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 43

Thank You Sponsors TRUCK SHOWCASE
Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment
GOLD SPONSORS Doggett Freightliner of Arkansas
ABF Freight MHC
FedEx Freight Rush Truck Centers
Frito Lay Transportation
J.B. Hunt Transport
MHC

PAM Transport
Rush Truck Centers
Stallion Transportation Group
Tyson Foods
Utility Tri-State, Inc.
W & B Service Company
Walmart Transportation LLC

 A truck-loving
attendee
 Kelly Crow (ATA) presents the
SILVER SPONSORS technician Volunteer of the Year award
to Micah Jones (Rush Truck Centers)
Aon
Bowerman Trucking
Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment
CalArk International
Central States Manufacturing  2022 Grand Champion Dennis
Hall (Tyson Foods), poses with a
DB Schenker vintage Tyson truck before driving
Drivers Legal Plan the course to kick off the driver
FedEx Ground competition
JM Bozeman Enterprises
Maverick Transportation
PrePass
Southern Tire Mart  Shannon
Newton (ATA) was
Tenstreet interviewed by KFSM
TLG Peterbilt Channel 5 about the
TravelCenters of America competition
Truck-Lite
University of Central Arkansas

BRONZE SPONSORS
BNSF Logistics  Drivers take their
Cummins Sales and Service oath before starting
the competition
Great West Casualty Company
Lew Thompson & Son Trucking
Loggins Logistics
McKee Foods Transportation


44 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

Aerial view of outdoor
technician competition area























Aerial Photo: Jake Pendergist/Maverick USA
 Mark Willis (Road
Dog Trucking News)
 AHP volunteer measures score on the speaks to attendees
skills course during the awards
banquet

 Drivers take
the written
exam




 John Hoover
(Truck-Lite) oversees
the trailer electrical
station  Shannon Newton
(ATA) presents Paul
Foster (J.B. Hunt
Transport) with the
TDC Volunteer of the
Year award


 Michael Munson
(McKee Foods
Transportation) tests
in the PMI station

















 Mike Jeffress and Dean Newell (Maverick Drivers wait patiently for
Transportation) their turn behind the wheel


ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 45

2023 Arkansas Trucking Championship Awards


*TDC Rookie
TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP TRUCK TECHNICIANS

2023 GRAND CHAMPION GRAND CHAMPION
Loren Hatfield ABF Freight Anthony Nunez UPS

GRAND CHAMPION RUNNER-UP GRAND CHAMPION RUNNER-UP
Keith Alderson Walmart Transportation John Staten Rush Truck Centers
LARGE TEAM AWARD TEAM AWARD
Walmart Transportation UPS

SMALL TEAM AWARD GOLDEN WRENCH AWARDS
ABF Freight ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Christopher Terifay UPS
Sam Ramsey Walmart Transportation
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD Michael Hardison DB Schenker
Jessie King FedEx Freight
PRE-TRIP INSPECTION
Loren Hatfield ABF Freight TRAILER TECHNICIANS
HIGHEST SCORE ON THE WRITTEN EXAM GRAND CHAMPION
Michael Robertson Old Dominion Freight Line Christopher Terifay UPS
GRAND CHAMPION RUNNER-UP
James Sisson Tyson Foods


















 Ross Hoover (Rush Truck Centers)
and Billy Stark (Tyson Foods) award  Kelly Crow (ATA) presents the
Christopher Terifay (UPS) the golden Small Team Award to Ray Moreno (ABF
wrench for technician Rookie of the Year Freight)




 Stephen Groszewski (J.B.
Hunt Transport) faces an
obstacle during the driving
skills course












 Loren Hatfield (ABF Freight) answers questions before his  Truck Driving Chair Tanya Rogers (DB
first place performance in the pre-trip inspection Schenker) and Shannon Newton (ATA)

46 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT

2023 Arkansas Trucking Championship Awards


*TDC Rookie
TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP COLLISION MITIGATION SYSTEMS TRAILER TECHNICIANS
1st Tommy Crenshaw McKee Foods
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BY CLASS INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BY CLASS
Transportation
3-AXLE 2nd John Staten Rush Truck Centers ALIGNMENT
1st Chaunce Umfleet FedEx Express DRIVE TRAIN 1st Bryson Caudle Love’s Travel Stops
2nd Ronnie Mahan FedEx Freight 1st Haston Hellum Rush Truck Centers 2nd Jordan Burris Tyson Foods
3rd Mike Barnes DB Schenker
2nd Edmond Szarmach III CalArk ELECTRICAL
4-AXLE International 1st Christopher Terifay UPS
1st Loren Hatfield ABF Freight ELECTRICAL 2nd James Sisson Tyson Foods
2nd Roger Poage Tyson Foods 1st Kyle Ferguson Rush Truck Centers FASTENERS & FITTINGS
3rd Melvin Andrews Yellow
2nd Tommy Crenshaw McKee Foods 1st Christopher Terifay UPS
5-AXLE Transportation 2nd Francisco Martinez McKee Foods
1st Phillip Gaganis J.B. Hunt Transport* ENGINES & ASSOCIATED Transportation
2nd James Sieler J.B. Hunt Transport 1st Haston Hellum Rush Truck Centers FMCSA REGULATIONS
3rd Chris Haas XPO Logistics
2nd Ryan Carrigan UPS 1st Christopher Terifay UPS
FLATBED FASTENERS & FITTINGS 2nd James Sisson Tyson Foods
1st Gary Mars Walmart Transportation 1st John Staten Rush Truck Centers FOUNDATION BRAKES
2nd Scott Schwarzlose Maverick 2nd Sergio Chaira UPS 1st James Sisson Tyson Foods
Transportation 2nd Mason Smith Maverick Transportation
3rd Ken Drew Tyson Foods FIFTH WHEEL
1st Ryan Carrigan UPS PMI
SLEEPER 2nd John Staten Rush Truck Centers 1st Dalton Fimpel Maverick Transportation
1st Keith Alderson Walmart Transportation 2nd Todd Wood Tyson Foods
2nd Dennis Hall Tyson Foods FMCSA REGULATIONS
3rd Darrell Atkins J.B. Hunt Transport 1st Dalton Denson TAG Truck Center TIRE & WHEEL ANALYSIS
2nd Anthony Nunez UPS 1st James Sisson Tyson Foods
STEP VAN 2nd Bryson Caudle Love’s Travel Stops
1st Brian Figgins FedEx Ground PMI
2nd Chris James FedEx Ground 1st Gregory Cecil Hurricane Express TIRE INFLATION
3rd Christopher Pellegrin FedEx Ground 2nd Zachary Khamsisavang Maverick 1st James Sisson Tyson Foods
Transportation 2nd Jordan Burris Tyson Foods
STRAIGHT TRUCK
1st Jessie King FedEx Freight SERVICE INFORMATION WHEEL END
2nd Darrell Jacoby Walmart Transportation 1st Haston Hellum Rush Truck Centers 1st Robert Aabye UPS
3rd James Barker Walmart Transportation* 2nd Anthony Nunez UPS 2nd Christopher Downs UPS
TANK STEERING & SUSPENSION WRITTEN EXAM
1st Bret McBain Walmart Transportation 1st Michael Munson McKee Foods James Sisson Tyson Foods
2nd Mark Akin Walmart Transportation Transportation
3rd Randy Lovell Walmart Transportation 2nd Jerid Scarborough UPS
TWINS TIRES & WHEEL ANALYSIS
1st Jose Ara Old Dominion Freight Line 1st Haston Hellum Rush Truck Centers
2nd Aaron Jones Walmart Transportation* 2nd Nick Hockenberry McKee Foods
3rd Dennis Camp FedEx Freight Transportation
WHEEL END
TRUCK TECHNICIANS 1st Sergio Chaira UPS
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BY CLASS 2nd Anthony Nunez UPS
AFTERTREATMENT WRITTEN EXAM
1st John Staten Rush Truck Centers Johnny Mosely Tyson Foods
2nd Dugan Ditmore Tyson Foods
AIR CONDITIONING/REFRIGERATION
1st Sergio Chaira UPS
2nd Derek Summers Tyson Foods
 Zachary Khamsisavang (Maverick
Transportation) and Ross Hoover (Rush
Truck Centers)


ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 47

 Amanda Hogue (FedEx Freight)
receives instruction for her pre-trip
inspection from Steve Wilhelms
(TVC-Pro Driver)




















 Tina Turpin (Bowerman Trucking) takes  J.B. Hunt’s Andy Cirelli and fan
her pre-trip inspection take home the Team Spirit Award



 Chris Davis (FedEx Freight) volunteers
at the pre-trip inspection


 Ross Hoover
(Rush Truck
Centers), 2023
Truck Chair,
addresses
attendees of
the technician  Charles Hill (Frito Lay
 Larry Rhein (FedEx Freight) and Dave Hall awards banquet Transportation)
(ABF Freight)






 Jason
Ahten (Walmart
Transportation)
with daughter
reviewing the
course


 Technicians take the written exam





 Eric Harrell, Michael
Hardison and John David
McCants (DB Schenker)

 Technician competitors Bobby
Lotchleas (Tyson Foods) and
Gregory Cecil (Hurricane Express)
pose with their partners before the
awards banquet

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2023 49

 Mark Akin, Gary Mars
and Jeff Fleming (Walmart
Transportation)














 Rep. Chad Puryear and Shannon
Newton (ATA)


 Melissa Montoya-Lopez (DB
Schenker) entertains in the bull pen


 3-Axle division first place
winner Chaunce Umfleet
(FedEx Express) checks his
mirror before taking to the
course





 Mark Templain (Tyson Foods) navigates the course











Congrats to a successful 2023 ATDC!
















Thank you to our numerous volunteers and competitors in the 2023 Arkansas Truck
Driving Championship! A special congratulations go out to DB SCHENKER’s very own
Mike Barnes, who finished 6th overall in total points and took home 3rd place in the
3-axle division, and to Michael Hardison represented our technicians who received
the Sportsmanship Award, awarded for his outstanding attitude and dedication.
2023 ATDC Event Gallery


Follow us: Contact us:
DB SCHENKER Blog nowthatslogistics.com LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/dbschenker [email protected]
X (formerly Twitter) @DBSchenkerUSA Facebook facebook.com/DBSchenkerAmericas USA: +1 800 225 5229


50 Issue 4 2023 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT