On The Move 2024

ON THE MOVE

INNOVATIVE THINKING AND AN EVOLVING APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT

BY JOSH DEAKIN

The page focuses on spreading knowledge on how to obtain your commercial driver’s license as well as various career opportunities and advice. The site opens with a powerful statement to entice new drivers into the career: “Trucking lets you build your future on your own terms. Whether you’re on the road, tuning hightech engines, or running point in operations, trucking is a quick start to a great job in an essential industry. No debt. High pay. The flexibility to see the world, be home each night, or something in between.”

Social media has become increasingly more important for recruiting across all professions and the trucking industry is no exception.

“In the past many companies have recruited drivers primarily through word of mouth, but recruitment efforts have changed and grown in many ways in recent years,” said Haleigh Fickett, MPDA Publicity Officer.

The trucking industry is not unique in that they are seeking new avenues to find drivers. The digital age has brought many opportunities for advertising and marketing. With Maine having a rich history in logging, the trucking profession is an attractive option for someone who wants to stay rooted in Maine’s history.

“Many companies are turning to broader methods of recruitment to help them find drivers, including visiting vocational schools and adult CDL programs, online job recruiting websites, and social media sites,” Fickett said. Vocational schools are becoming increasingly popular in the state with students seeking trades as an alternative to a four-year degree from a university. The option to start working immediately after high school is more viable than ever through these schools and programs.

Using social media for recruitment is another tool to reach candidates who have an interest in driving but haven’t considered the opportunity before or need more information on the career path and the options available to them.

“Many things have changed over the years, but I think the different online methods of reaching potential drivers has been one of the biggest changes overall, making it easier than ever for both potential employers and potential employees to connect with each other,” Fickett said.

The trucking industry has remained the backbone of this country’s supply lines through some incredibly tough times in recent years. Keeping up such a dedicated work force of individuals is no small task and requires innovative thinking and evolving approaches to recruiting. The Maine Motor Transport Association is currently on year three of a long-term social media-based campaign at goyourwaymaine.com.

In addition to the recruiting launch page, Maine Motor Transport Association is currently offering a 0% interest educational loan program. The website offers a mission statement of: “Maine’s workforce shortage is the most serious issue facing Maine Motor Transport Association members, which is why our association has invested in the Go Your Way campaign to attract the next generation of truckers. To further support those looking at a career in trucking, MMTA has partnered with Maine Savings FCU to provide a NO INTEREST loan program to help finance CDL training tuition costs at approved CDL schools.”

The program provides the cost of a CDL training program of up to $7,000 through an approved program with 0% interest. Your first payment will be deferred until 60 days post program completion with flexible repayment options available. You can opt for up to a 36month term and a minimum payment as low as $50 per month. It’s a great program for someone looking to start their career with minimal risk. Maine has different trainers to obtain a commercial driver’s license throughout the state to ensure you’re not too far from your learning location.

The trucking industry remains a staple of Maine’s economy. Many graduating high school students choose to go into the commercial diving industry and the Maine Motor Transport Association is offering a great avenue to achieve this goal. Through their program, any interested party should have no trouble obtaining their license and finding a job that is conducive to their skills. You have options to work in state or out of state and help support the country’s supply chain to keep the goods on the move and into consumer homes.

If you’re still on the fence about whether to take the first step into a new career in trucking, Maine Motor Transport Association said it best on their recruitment site: “Trucks deliver good stuff in and around Maine, driving the Maine economy. As one of the largest trade associations in the state, the Maine Motor Transport Association works to support our members. We actively seek ways to positively impact highway safety and provide leadership on other issues that impact Maine’s future.”

For more information about this exciting profession, please check out goyourwaymaine.com and find out why trucking may be a good fit for you.

MEET TRUCK DRIVER CORY LITTLEFIELD

BY PATRICIA ESTABROOK

In the 1840s, boys read Richard Henry Dana’s book “Two Years Before the Mast” and longed to pit themselves against the boundless sea and the forces of nature to deliver goods by schooner from Boston to California. The hard life held a certain romance for those who longed to see the world. Today the schooner trade is gone but the romance of travel, the bittersweet loneliness, and the valor of facing the elements in all their fury continues to call truckers from New England to California.

Cory Littlefield knew from an early age that he longed to see the world from the driver’s seat in an 18-wheeler. He grew up on a farm and learned how to drive farm equipment from his five uncles.

“When I was five or six years old my uncle let me sit on his lap as he drove around the farm,” Littlefield said. “I even got to steer a little.”

It was that early feeling of being useful and trustworthy that gave Littlefield his self-confidence. He drove around the farm by the time he was 12. By the time he was

15 he had ridden along with his uncles and had seen how they navigated mountain blizzards and brought their loads safely home.

For Littlefield, the rewards of being a trucker are similar to what Dana experienced in 1840. They both got to see different places. They both realized that their work was important to the people they served and that getting goods to customers made the whole country stronger.

From his experience of driving for more than 20 years, Littlefield has advice for young people who would like to take their places behind the wheel. He urges them to ride along with experienced drivers whenever possible. Life experience can show a potential driver how to cope with the weather, the inattention of other drivers, and unexpected road obstacles. He says successful drivers have a straightforward attitude. They believe in the importance of their jobs. Good drivers are patient and able to endure the loneliness of being away from their families. The best drivers enjoy the people they meet on the road, their customers, the other drivers, and the staff at truck stops, and most of all enjoy returning home safely.

Littlefield believes that being a driver can be a secure future for a young man or woman. “Trucking will always be there,” he said. “Railroads increase and decrease but the need for truckers stays the same.”

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has leveled off, a grateful country still applauds drivers like Cory Littlefield who continued to drive and ensure the supplies that keep the U.S. fed and comfortable are delivered.

Truck driver Cory Littlefield.

Photo courtesy of Patricia Estabrook

COMING SOON:

THE MAINE TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS AND SKILLS COMPETITION

BY JOSH DEAKIN

It’s springtime in Maine and the smell of diesel is in the air as the 2024 Maine Professional Truck Driving Championships and the 2024 Maine Professional Technician Skills Competition are quickly approaching. The two competitions will be held on May 18, 2024, or, as the Maine Motor Transport Association puts it, “Championship Saturday.”

The events are put on by the Maine Motor Transport Association and designed to illustrate drivers’ safety, skills, and professionalism on the job. The Truck Driving Championships will take place at Dysart’s in Hermon while the Professional Technician Skills Competition will be held at Eastern Maine Community College.

The Truck Driving Championships are a longstanding tradition dating back to 1937 when it was known as the National Truck Rodeo. The competition is held each May at Dysart’s with the winners moving on to the National Truck Driving Championships.

“The event includes a written test, pre-trip inspection, and driving course,” Haleigh Fickett, MPDA Publicity, said of the event. “Drivers compete in all three events to showcase not only their driving skills but also their commitment to professionalism and safety both on and off the road.”

Eligibility for the event consists of the driver being continuously employed as a truck driver for at least 12 months prior to the event, with the caveat of performing duties of a professional truck driver for 11 out of the 12 months. There is an entry fee of $75, or $85 for non-Maine Motor Transport Association members.

According to the website, “Participation at last year’s event was unbelievable and we are hoping to make this year’s Maine Professional Truck Driving Championships the best ever by encouraging a tremendous response from competitors wanting to prove they are the best truck driver in Maine. Make plans to join us for a fun day of camaraderie and good old trucking tradition, whether as a competitor, judge or spectator to see the incredible skills displayed by Maine’s best drivers.”

The Truck Driving Championships will feature trophies for each of the nine divisions of trucking as well as Best Pre-Trip, Best Written Test, Rookie of the Year, Team Trophy, and Grand Champion. The first-place winner of each category is eligible to compete at the National Truck Driving Championships in Indianapolis in August later this year. All Maine Commercial Driving License Vocational Schools are invited to participate.

The Professional Technician Skills Competition will be held at 9 a.m. on May 18 at Eastern Maine Community College where technicians will test their knowledge and hands-on work through 10 workstations. This amount is due in part to the amazing turnout from sponsors to keep the show on the road. There’s no fee to enter thanks to the sponsors of the event, and both members and non-members of the Maine Motor Transport Association can compete. The event begins with a written test based on general technician knowledge, followed by workstation challenges focused on different aspects of truck maintenance including tire and wheel, brakes, emissions, and precision measurement.

The truck driving industry is a popular trade for the residents of Maine as well as career choice for trade school students, and this is the chance for all those drivers to show off their skills in a fun competition with real prizes at stake. If you have any further questions regarding Championship Saturday or would like to volunteer to judge, please contact Randy at randyd@mmta.com or (207) 623-4128 This yearly event is not something to be missed.

FREIGHTLINER OF MAINE

Freightliner Western Star of Maine is 6 locations strong. We welcomed our 6th location July 2022 in Fort Kent. We transformed this location from a small garage, to more than doubling its footprint with an 85’ x 100’ new addition. --- We couldn’t be more excited about this new location. Check our Facebook for updates to an open house date later in the summer.

We haven’t stopped there — with the recent addition of Utility Trailer of New England to the Cook Family of businesses, we now have a sister company that can help serve you with your trailer needs. At Freightliner Western Star of Maine, we truly are your one stop.

Maine Professional Drivers Association is a grassroots organization of professional drivers with the goals of supporting the industry and safety on our highways. Here are some of our exciting upcoming events!

BLIND SPOT DEMONSTRATION

MPDA will be using a tractor-trailer unit donated by one of our supporting members to show areas around a truck that can be difficult for a commercial vehicle driver to be able to see. AttheOwl’sHeadTransportationMuseum,117MuseumSt.inOwl’sHeadat 9 a.m. Visitwww.mpda.org for more details.

TRUCKER APPRECIATION DAY

MPDA and the Maine State Police come together to provide lunches for drivers at the Maine Turnpike Southbound Scale Facility in Kittery. 11a.m.to2p.m.Visitwww.mpda.org for more details.

TRUCKING FOR KIDS CONVOY

Activities include a “Touch-a-Truck” event, truck show, drivers competition, raffle items, 50/50, good food, and great times! AttheHannafordCorporateOffice,145PleasantHill RoadinScarboroughat8a.m.Visitmpda.org/maine-trucking-for-kids-homepage.html for more details.

BROWN DOG CARRIERS HOST ‘THE WALL THAT HEALS’

VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL REPLICA WALL AND MOBILE EDUCATION CENTER SPREADS THE HEALING LEGACY AND EDUCATES

ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE VIETNAM WAR COURTESY OF BROWN DOG CARRIERS

Maine-based transportation and logistics company Brown Dog Carriers is pleased to announce that it will host The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and a mobile Education Center, from July 18-21, 2024. The replica, open 24 hours a day and free to the public, will be located at Biddeford Middle School at 25 Tiger Way. The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

“Southern Maine was honored to have The Wall That Heals in the area last September, and I was determined to have it return so that more people could be educated about this important time in our nation’s history,” said Graig Morin, President of Brown Dog Carriers. “We are honored to be able to partner with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and welcome back The Wall to Maine this summer. The goal of all those involved is to bring together community members, local VSOs, and youth programs to honor and remember all those who served in Vietnam.”

Hosting The Wall in Maine is one of several veteran and military-family-focused programs Brown Dog Carriers support locally and nationwide. Since its inception, Brown Dog Carriers has committed to providing time, talent, and financial resources to make a difference in the lives of their community. The company created “A Helping Paw” to support and give back to its community and neighbors, focusing on organizations that

support and honor our nation’s veterans, including Wreaths Across America, Boots 2 Roots, and Canines on the Front Line.

“We are grateful for the tremendous support from the City of Biddeford in helping us organize events supporting these programs,” added Morin. “Our mayor, Martin Grohman, has strongly advocated our efforts from the beginning.”

The 2024 national The Wall That Heals tour is generously sponsored by USAA. The exhibit can travel nationwide through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon. Local sponsors include the Brown Dog Carriers, the City of Biddeford, Biddeford Schools, and the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America.

Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in more than 700 U.S. communities in addition to an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005. The Wall That Heals is a program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C. and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the country. Two VVMF staff members lead volunteers on site, educate visitors and students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall. More information can be found at www.thewallthatheals.org.