2014
Employee News V O L U M E
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I S S U E
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S E P T E M B E R
– O C T O B E R
MESILLA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION
9525 Escobar Dr. 3590 West Picacho Ave. El Paso, TX 79907 Las Cruces, NM. 88007 T- 915-872-2250 T-575- 524-2835
3750 Stewarts Lane 13166 S Unitec Dr. Nashville, TN 37218 Laredo, TX 78045 T-615 627-5117 T 956 717-9849
10210 N Vancouver Way Portland, OR 97217 T 503 286-6110
www.m-v-t.com
Employee News S E P T E M B E R - O C T O B E R
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A Letter From Jimmy Ray
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Insider Letter
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A Talk with Billy 3 ALS Ice Bucket
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Congrats
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Day of Play
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Let’s Get
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Healthy Driver Day
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Presently we are facing challenges not seen in the time I have been in the transportation industry. First driving in 1967, the roads were narrow, always two lanes. The normal truck worked the driver to maintain speed, trip times were longer. Thru the 80’s the drivers were plentiful, and more in tune with machinery. Many of these people came from farms and jobs requiring physical labor. People were glad to sit out of the cold and sun, not having the boss looking over his shoulder. Presently the driver pool is not from farm areas or mechanical backgrounds. The people are tuned to a different channel. Still the same ethical background, just not the same song. Some say our problem is the drivers. I say there is another part that is an equal problem. This is the skill to manage the driver in the advanced climate we are in. our challenge is to set the drivers up to be successful. Success leads to satisfaction. With the E log method how can we fill the hours with miles, coordinate with the customer and driver. At MVT we have customer service people, the same or even more effort will be needed to coordinate each trip for the driver to succeed. What I am saying is, start times, rest areas planned, fuel stops, meals, cross city travel planned, hours of service taken into account, delivery times, and more. As we begin to include these parameters the driver can succeed. We can not only plan the first leg of a trip , but must connect the driver at every move. So what I am asking, do we have a driver problem, or is it us? Can we overcome this? I think so. We have assembled a fine group of people. There are experts in many areas. Each of the workers need to be mindful of the success of the driver. This should be the measurement for income. If the driver wins we can win. To inspire and lead. To follow there must be trust. “Trust results from accumulated experiences over time” Trust gives the foundation to build connections and alliances that can bring about change. Many leaders assume their position carries weight, it does, but will not bring the compliance that long term actions give us. Leadership comes from experiences that show results, it must not be assumed by position. I mention this because for a driver to begin to trust that his life is better working with MVT, we must give something. This is our task. Trust does not appear. It is emotional, fact based, a perceived risk, and always personal. As MVT puts trust in the driver the driver must feel trust in us. I feel we have the people to achieve these goals, we need to develop the skills needed to satisfy drivers. .“We can do anything you set our minds to”
Sincerely, Jimmy Ray
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A Talk with Billy
Friday, September 20, 2014, marked the 35th annual observance of National Prisoner of War and Missing in Action Recognition Day in America. This special day of remembrance was established to honor those Americans who have been prisoners of war, and those listed as missing in action and to rekindle the memory of the sacrifices these individuals have made for their country and our indebtedness to them. If you have ever attended a MVT Christmas party I’m sure you have heard the famous story of Billy Elkins and the POW flag, it’s a favorite of many including Billy. Walking across the United States from Angel Fire to Washington, D.C. holding a POW MIA flag hiking the terrain with flag in hand for 8 1/2 months. A courageous and patriotic story that explains why MVT fully supports POW MIA and one man’s mission to make a difference unknowingly he was inspiring everyone in his path.
In this significant time of year I think it’s only appropriate to announce Billy Elkins retirement this October. Billy Elkins was one of the first drivers to drive for MVT Accomplishing 33 years. I had the pleasure to interview him and heard all about his experiences and memories with this company. It all started in 1981 Billy started driving Royal’s green and white Peterbilt truck, which didn't include a heater or air Everyone called this truck the Grenade conditioning. Royal convinced him to drive. Billy said, “People have no idea what it took to build this company”. With just a few trucks, and Jimmy Ray’s knowledge on the mechanics of the trucks they did whatever it took. “The more people said we couldn’t do it, the more determined we all became.” Billy explained this is where the backbone of the company was created. He had never seen so much loyalty and fortitude in a group of guys before. Billy is still so thankful to this day that Royal convinced him to join the MVT team. “It has definitely been a wild adventure and a colorful history we created.” said Billy. From driving the truck without a windshield while it was snowing just so his load wouldn't be late to the bizaar DOT stories. It’s memories like these that Billy wont forget. With over 5 million accident free miles (which by the way is more miles than flying to the moon and back) Billy has enjoyed every minute Left to right: Kevin Bradley, Billy Elkins of driving for MVT. When I asked Billy if he was excited to retire, and spend his time fishing and relaxing he responded with this: “Yes and no. Actually I am sad. I have so many memories here with MVT. You can never really prepare yourself when you have to say good-bye.” “So Here is a toast to the finest bunch of outlaws to have ever run the highways of this nation. Who are all now friends and family and forever will be. God Bless and a toast to the Grenade.” -
Billy Elkins
Thank you Billy for your dedication and your service to this company, you will always have a family with MVT. Enjoy your retirement! EMPLOYEE
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From neighborhood driveways and city streets to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, people everywhere can be seen dumping buckets of ice water on their heads to raise awareness and funds to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Children, adults, and celebrities alike are joining the social media phenomenon to fight back against a disease that currently has no treatments or cures. "We have never seen anything like this in the history of the disease,” said Barbara Newhouse, President and CEO of The ALS Association, “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the level of compassion, generosity and sense of humor that people are exhibiting as they take part in this impactful viral initiative." With only about half of the general public knowledgeable about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the Ice Bucket Challenge is making a profound difference. Since July 29, The Association has welcomed more than 70,000 new donors to the cause. "While the monetary donations are absolutely incredible,” said Newhouse, “the visibility that this disease is getting as a result of the challenge is truly invaluable. People who have never before heard of ALS are now engaged in the fight to find treatments and a cure for ALS." Experience the #IceBucketChallenge phenomenon that's spreading ALS Awareness across social media. Challenge your friends and family today! Southwest University in El Paso TX recently challenged MVT’s Service shop to this Ice Bucket Challenge. Arlin Powers and Allan Dahringer took charge and accepted this challenge without any hesitation. With tons of support from their staff, together they all picked up their buckets of ice and stood for something that meant more awareness towards this cause, donating $10 for each person who participated. The Shop challenged the Cummins Shop, however never heard back from them.. so at this time MVT would like to challenge both Border International’s Service Shops and we hope you are reading this, because MVT is calling you out! Usually you have 24hrs to do this challenge, but we will allow a little leeway. Remember it’s about being part of something bigger than ourselves. Get involved! Learn more about this disease at: www.alsa.org
Watch the video at https://www.facebook.com/mvt.elpaso Have you done the ASL Ice Bucked Challenge? Post your video to our Facebook page, we would love to see everyone that has gotten involved
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Congratulations are in order! Dedication is the highest form of commitment. Congratulations are in order, here is a shout out to the MVT Shop crew that have hit their anniversary dates in the last two months! It’s awesome to see the higher numbers of years dedicated here at Mesilla Valley Transportation.
In the end, your success is measured on what you give and continually keep putting out. If you can inspire and motivate people on a continual basis with the same dedication, desire, and drive you had since day one, great things will come to your business – and they’ll keep coming too. We understand the time and dedication it takes to be a successful business. None of it would be possible without great employees and drivers like you! Again Congratulations to the MVT shop and any one else who may have hit their anniversary date not listed to the side. Keep a look out for our following Newsletter issue for the next department we recognize! Keep up the great work Everyone!
Next winners will be announced at the: Driver Appreciation day November 26th
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Worst El Paso, TX Storms in recent Memory Rain , Rain go away! With all the rain El Paso, TX and surrounding areas have been getting it wouldn't be surprising if we hit any records with rainfall. As long as it’s nothing like the 2006 rain storm we had. Don’t remember? Well, take a cruise down memory lane with me as we count down the Top 5 worst storms to hit El Paso and surrounding areas.
5. 4. 3.
2. 1.
Count Down to the Worst Storms El Paso’s Record Setting Snowfall April 1983 In April 1983 El Paso unexpectedly covered in 16.5 inches of snow. 16.5 inches may no sound like a lot but for EL Paso it was! Streets, businesses, schools.. You name it, were closed. The 16.5 inches that came down set the El Paso record for single instance snowfall.
Trapped at the Pan Am center Snow Storm January 1997 In January 1997 an snow/ice storm hit El Paso and shut things down for a day, trapping thousands of people at the Pan Am Center in nearby city Las Cruces NM. During a Metallica concert right before the encore announcers told the crowd that all roads back to El Paso and in Las Cruces were closed. The Pan Am stayed open all night for people to camp in instead of driving in the snow and ice thousands of people slept the night after the band’s show.
Insane with no Rain Drain September 2006 In 2006 Steve Carrell wouldn't have been ready for the down pour that hit El Paso, but if we had an ark, it might have helped. So much rain came down it destroyed streets, homes, businesses, and cars. There were cars floating down the streets. An entire Blockbuster Video that had just been completed collapsed. Due to the lack of serious drainage in El Paso, the damage was enormous.
What the Hail? September 2009 In September 2009 it started to hail. No one thought much about it since hail in El Paso only lasts a couple minutes and never gets bigger than a pea. However, this particular September storm decided to get quite a bit larger and lasted for about half and hour! Original thoughts from news crews were that there was little to no damage and no injures. Not long after that, as the claims came in and the insurance adjusters came out, the damage bill topped 150 MILLION dollars. It took some people months to get crews out to repair their roofs!
Snowmageddon February 2011 February 2011 a winter to remember. El Paso was treated to a wonderful touch of winter, or so we thought. Thousands of homes had water lines break from unbelievable, record breaking low temperatures. El Paso Electric had their generators freeze over and break causing rolling blackouts throughout the area for at least a week. Many homes went without water for several days as water mains froze.
More information at: http://kisselpaso.com/the-worst-el-paso-storms-in-recent-memory-our-top-five/
A Day of Play By: Emily Roof The Sun Country Junior Golf foundation is a charitable organization. Playing golf all day doesn’t sound too hard. To a lot of people it may even sound appealing. However, 100 holes of golf in 24 hours is a whole different story. Monday morning at 7:40 on September 15th I ran into Gabe Rubio and Jonathan Parker who had just completed 18 holes of golf. They looked energetic and, unfortunate for me, unable to stop. They were on a roll. Who am I to deprive them of their long days’ worth of commitment of playing golf? So I grabbed a golf cart and followed behind them as quickly as I could, snapping a few pictures as we went along. Knowing for a fact I could never Left to right: Gabe Rubio and Jonathan Parker play 9 holes let alone a 100 without consistently looking for my ball in the brush. I give these two major credit because they made this precise and challenging game look too easy. 2014 is the fourth year golfers commit to play 100 holes of golf in one day. Your pledge and donations help Sun Countries Sections efforts to grow the game of golf for young people in New Mexico and El Paso area. “This is a great program to give back to the junior leagues” says Ryan Flam the Director of Golf at Red Hawk Golf Course. It’s hard to get youth interested in a classic and traditional sport. Red Hawk understand this completely and takes the time to meet with local elementary and middle schools which have agreed to implement golf into their PE curriculum. Monte Vista and Mesa elementary are some of the few schools who have experience Gabe Rubio and Jonathan Parker, two Golf Pro’s at Red Hawk Golf course, teaching methods of the basics of golf. This two volunteered and committed to this charity event with ease. “I highly encourage our staff to get involved” Ryan Flam says. He too did his commitment last year with 100 holes in 8hrs and 29minutes and even challenged the guys to beat his time. More people and companies should get involved with our young community because they are our future. And if we don’t teach them now, who will? For more information on Sun Country Section please visit http://www.suncountrygolfmarathon.com/
Red hawk Gold Course is located at: 7502 Red Hawk Golf Rd, Las Cruces, NM 88012. This beautiful golf course covers 200 acres in Las Cruces (southern New Mexico) high desert terrain. Book your next tee time at http://golflascruces.com/ or call us at 575 373 8100
Fun Tips for Staying Fit this Fall By: Emily Roof Fall is my favorite season, but the shorter days and cool temperatures can certainly make staying healthy more of a challenge. My commute will take longer as there will be less visibility and slower drivers on the road, thanks to the shorter days. By the time I’m home, it will be too dark outside to go for a run. Rather than get discouraged though, I came up with a few tips to inspire me to keep working out and have some fun while I’m at it.
Use the beautiful weather as an excuse to get outside; as the temperatures are more comfortable than summer or winter. During the fall, there are tons of fun activities that can also count as exercise. Go on a scenic bike ride or hike a mountain and admire the beautiful ever changing scenery. Go apple-picking and walk around the orchard, or even climb the trees to reach the high fruit, if that’s allowed. Volunteer outdoors, rake leaves or do yard work.
Get creative I even went to the zoo a few weeks ago and walked miles and miles around all the exhibits. New forms of exercise make the time go by faster and keep things interesting. Making it fun, and if you have kids this a great way to get them out of the house.
Look for small lifestyle changes you can make that will enable you to get more exercise. Joining a fall sports league will help you burn calories, improve your fitness level, spark new friendships, and help you to see and feel the benefits of an active lifestyle. Give soccer or even flag football a try, but before starting fall activities, get the green light from your doctor
Be aware that colder weather makes us crave heartier foods, which contain less water and therefore more calories. Most people tend to be less active in the winter as well, so just be careful. Watch what you eat, and do your best to get exercise whenever possible. Paying attention to your meals and activities is key.
Being active can be fun! Just know the importance of staying active and the health benefits you and your family can get from staying active. So what are you waiting for? Get up and get out there! Enjoy the fall season because autumn is really just a second spring when every leaf is a flower!
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http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/fall-recipes Ingredients
Preparation
2 1/2 teaspoon canola oil, divided
1. Preheat oven to 400째.
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Pearl onions, Thawed
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium -high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Pat onions dry with a paper towel. Add onions to pan; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring once. Add apple to pan; place in oven. Bake at 400째 for 10 minutes or until onions and apple are tender. Stir in 2 teaspoons butter, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2 Cups Gala apple Wedges 1 tablespoon butter divided 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly grounded pepper 4 (6ounce) bone in center cut pork loin chops (about 1/2 inch thick) 1/2 cup fat free lower sodium chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon all purpose flour 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm. Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in vinegar and remaining 1 teaspoon butter. Serve sauce with pork and apple mixture
http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/fall-recipes/pumpkin-pie-pudding-fall-recipes
Preparation 1. 1. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Combine milk and egg, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. 2. 2. Combine pumpkin and the next 4 ingredients (through ground nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring well. Slowly add pumpkin mixture to milk mixture, whisking constantly. Place pan over low heat, and cook for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly (do not boil). Divide pudding evenly among 4 dessert bowls, and cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill. 3. 3. Line a baking sheet with foil, and coat foil with cooking spray. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, walnuts, and a dash of salt in a small nonstick skillet; cook over low heat until sugar dissolves and is golden (about 3 minutes), stirring frequently to coat nuts. Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet, and cool completely. Coarsely chop nuts. 4. Place cream in a bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons whipped cream and about 1 tablespoon nuts. EMPLOYEE
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Ingredients 1/2 Cup. Sugar divided. 2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk 1 Large egg 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon /8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Cooking spray 1/4 cup chopped walnuts Dash of salt 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
HIGH HEELS FOR HIGH HOPES Viva Las Vegas! Join us for a one-of-a-kind tribute to Las Vegas, featuring 25 local women serving as models -The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health - The March of Dimes, over the past 76 years, has helped almost every baby, with newborn screening tests, vaccines and medical breakthroughs. Now they are targeting premature birth. Join us in our efforts to support March of Dimes! All proceeds from this event will go to March of the time Foundations. Being a fun night out!
When: November 21st, 2014 Where: Las Cruces Convention Center VIP seats: $150 General Admission: $30
For more information visit http://hhfhh.kintera.org
Join us for a night of fun!
VIVA LAS VEGAS, Baby! Photos from March of Dimes Website
Letter from the Editor Shhhheeesh!! Time flies when you are having fun! Here we are again with our second edition of the Mesilla Valley Newsletter. I hope you all are enjoying the stories and the updates. Again if you have any suggestions that you would like to see in these please feel free to contact me. Email me at emily.roof@m-v-t.com. All comments and suggestions are welcome! It’s crazy to think it’s almost October! Fall is a great time of year. Bring on the hoodies, boots, county fair and pumpkin flavored everything. (Except pumpkin spice latte at Dunkin Donuts. Yuck! Pass on that one!) I hope you all are taking the time to breathe in that fresh crisp air. The other day I conquered hiking Aggie mountain here in Las Cruces! The picture to the right is me half way up! It was a small accomplishment for me, but having lived in Las Cruces all my life, that was the first time I hiked that mountain so it was a big deal! It was an awesome feeling after I had completed that hike! With that being said, you all work hard so go have some fun, I challenge you all to go out when you have free time and do something you haven’t done before in your home town. Get to know the city you live in. By seeing a historical land marks or taking a hike to a new spot enjoying the scenery. Email me a picture of you taking on this challenge! I would love to share pictures and stories that may come with your new experience! Remember “It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude. It’s gratitude that brings us happiness” -Bill Rowe
Emily K. Roof Marketing Director
Making the Difference Everyday The MVT Way