MANAGEMENT COUNCIL NEWS

tactics and also promotes the industry as a career choice.

According to ATA Vice President of Safety & Compliance Tim Frazier, Salter is among Alabama Trucking’s most consistently successful TDC competitors, routinely placing among the top three of his class every year. He’s also competed at the American Trucking Associations’ National Truck Driving Championship several times in the last 20 years.

“Charlie is a super performer for FedEx,” Frazier says, “He’s gone to Nationals to represent Alabama Trucking several times and even won the Overall Champion award for this event a few years back. He’s one of the most professional truck drivers I have ever had the pleasure of working with, always well-prepared, knowledgeable and experienced. He is an industry leader, serving for the last few years on our Road Team. He’s just a great person and credit to Alabama Trucking.”

Salter was visibly moved when he walked to the lectern during the awards dinner,

Continued on page 24 telling the more than 230 contestants and guests in attendance that his professional calendar revolves around the TDC.

“This event makes us all better at our jobs,” he said choking back tears. “But the most special thing about this event for me is the camaraderie that we share as drivers. This room is full of the best drivers in the country. It’s so hard to win this contest because of the stiff competition. There are so many great drivers here. I share this award with all of you, because, to be honest, there are some really special people here, and I truly appreciate your friendship and all you do for the industry.”

Class Winners

Perusing the official score sheets, many familiar names appeared at the top spots. The FedEx Freight team nearly owned the leaderboard, winning four of the eight classes and placing a dozen drivers in the top three of each category.

Others joining Salter as individual class

Class Winners

winners were David Hawk, FedEx (Straight); Jean Laplante, FedEx Freight (3-axle); William Brandon, FedEx Freight (4-axle); Craig Edmonds, Walmart Transportation (Tank Truck); Michael McQueary, Publix Super Markey (Flatbed); Eric Firestone, Church Transportation (Sleeper Berth); and Luis Bazan, XPO Logistics (Twins).

The Alabama Truck Driving Championships is a celebration of America’s 3.5 million commercial truck drivers. According to ATA Chairman of the Board Chris Cooper of Boyd Bros. Transportation, the Alabama TDC highlights the professionalism, talent, and skill of commercial drivers.

“Showcasing Alabama’s most professional drivers is so important,” Cooper says. “We want to show our deepest appreciation for the work they do day after day to keep the economy going strong.”

In his address during the banquet, ATA President and CEO Mark Colson made it clear to the group that the Alabama Truck Driving Championships is a celebration of a demanding job that sometimes is taken for granted by the public and, at times, the industry itself.

“When I took the job as CEO, this was the first event I attended,” Colson said. “It’s very special to me because it represents who we are as an industry. We are here to highlight the professionalism and talent of Alabama’s trucking industry, but especially the 3.5 million men and women in this country who earn a living as truck drivers. You are the real heroes of Alabama Trucking.”

Alabama Trucking, SMMC hold roadside inspections event near Tuscaloosa

In April, Alabama Trucking Association leaders and members had the opportunity to partner with ALEA’s Motor Carrier Safety Unit and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration officials to observe and participate in active roadside inspections. The exercise allowed troopers to educate more than 100 participants about the inspection process and how it relates to their own operations with regard to vehicle maintenance, driver training and highway safety.

The idea is that participating in live inspections allows for a better understanding of regulations and builds on the strong safety culture that we have here in Alabama. The group was also joined by a CDL class with Jefferson State Community College. The students were able to gain a real-world perspective on the pre-trip process.

According to ATA Vice President of Safety and Compliance, ATA is proud to work alongside ALEA and the Alabama Community College System to make the future workforce of trucking in Alabama the best it can be! “With operations like this, the future of the trucking industry in Alabama is bright,” he said.

ATA officials expressed their appreciation to all those who came out and participated, especially the team from J & M Tank Lines which provided lunch and snacks.

ATRI releases research on impacts of marijuana legalization on the industry and workforce

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released a new report that assesses the impacts of marijuana legalization on the trucking industry. The analysis, which was a 2022 top priority of ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC), covers several critical topics related to state-level marijuana legalization, including 1) a review of the latest demographic trends in marijuana legalization; 2) an overview of research and data related to highway safety and marijuana use; 3) a summary of the workforce and hiring implications for the trucking industry; and 4) an analysis of publicly available CDL driver drug test data.

Additionally, the report includes industry surveys that provide insight into the motor carrier and truck driver perspectives on the consequences of marijuana legalization and current drug screening regulations. The data collected show that drivers and carriers are equally frustrated with current drug testing limitations, in particular the lack of a test for marijuana impairment.

“Minnesota recently joined the growing list of states legalizing recreational marijuana. This action underscores the critical need for tools to effectively determine marijuana impairment by current and prospective employees. As an industry committed to workplace and roadway safety, we owe it to ourselves and our families to make sure we can screen to maintain a clean and sober workforce,” said Minnesota Trucking Association President John Hausladen.

The ATRI study documents the strategies and implications of the two pathways the federal government can take in response to advancing legalization efforts.

The first pathway, maintaining the cur- rent prohibition policy where marijuana remains a Schedule I drug, would continue the trend of removing thousands of drivers annually from the industry through positive tests for past marijuana use.

The second pathway, a scenario where the federal government eases restrictions and possibly removes marijuana from the Schedule I designation, has significant challenges as well. Prior to any federal legalization action, the report identifies several protections that must be in place for employers in safety-sensitive industries. These include the development of a nationally recognized marijuana impairment test and impairment standards, as well as provisions that protect a carrier’s ability to screen employees for drug use.

A copy of the full report is available at ATRI’s website truckingresearch.org.

FMCSA launches human trafficking prevention awareness campaign

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently launched its Your Roads, Their Freedom human trafficking prevention campaign. FMCSA takes its role as the leader in educating the public and the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry about road safety very seriously. Human trafficking is a horrible crime that occurs in every state and uses our transportation system to recruit and move victims. But America’s 8.7-million-strong CMV workforce is uniquely positioned to make a difference. That is why the “Your Roads, Their Freedom” campaign seeks to empower the CMV industry with the information it needs to identify and report the crime.

On behalf of the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, FMCSA invites you to build on the important work that is already being done in this space by amplifying the following message: By working together, we can make our roadways safer, save lives, and combat the scourge of human trafficking.

A variety of campaign materials are available to help spread awareness including human trafficking indicator cards for frontline CMV workforce; awareness posters to be displayed in rest areas, travel centers, bus stations, and other places where human trafficking may occur; and social media content and a newsletter blurb that your organization can include in your internal and/or external communications.

You can download materials to share with your employees and network at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/stophumantraffi cking.