Unify, Adapt, Innovate: 2021 Fall Round-Up

Day #1: Voluntary Vehicle Inspection, FTA Board of Directors Meeting, and Opening Reception

In the early morning hours of Oct. 13, professional truck drivers passing through the Flagler I-95 Weigh Station in Palm Coast were greeted with the offer of a free voluntary vehicle inspection. Drivers who wished to participate pulled around to the parking lot next to the station, where they were greeted once again by groups donning bright yellow safety vests. Those groups – each assigned to a different truck – paced back-and-forth next to the vehicle, evaluating a list of safety criteria, from the tires and reflective tape, to air and electric lines.

The inspection, sponsored by PrePass and organized by FTA’s Safety Management Council (SMC), was the first event of the 2021 Fall Round-Up –an exciting start to a packed couple of days for FTA members. As with other inspections organized throughout the year by SMC, the event was held in partnership with Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT ).

“The mission of the SMC is to make trucking in Florida as safe as possible, and voluntary vehicle inspections are a wonderful way to engage current and prospective FTA members, along with our law enforcement and state agency partners, as we work toward that shared goal,” said SMC Chair Laura Lamson.

During the Fall Round-Up inspection, inspection groups – which totaled about 30 participants divided into groups of five – evaluated 50 vehicles over a threehour period, ultimately pulling three vehicles from the road for major safety violations. Those in attendance included safety managers, company drivers and fleet managers from FTA member companies; FHP troopers; and FDOT staff, including Statewide Scale Operations Manager Paul Clark.

Following the voluntary vehicle inspection in Palm Coast, Fall Round-Up activities continued that afternoon at the Orlando Marriott in Lake Mary. The FTA Board of Directors, led by Board Chair Scott Perry, convened to discuss committee updates, public policy, and the Association’s 2022 event calendar. Rounding out the day was a bustling reception in the hotel foyer. As the sunset filtered through the foyer’s floor-to-ceiling windows, FTA members enjoyed catching up with old friends and making new connections.

Day #2: Educational Sessions and SMC Awards

The second day of Fall Round-Up began with FTA President and CEO Alix Miller welcoming more than 150 attendees, kicking off a series of educational sessions. Session topics ranged from driver recruitment and training, to technological advances in driver equipment and accident reconstruction – fitting for this year’s Fall Round-Up theme: “Unify. Adapt. Innovate.”

Presentations began with a legislative and judicial update from William Large, President of the Florida Justice Reform Institute, and Chris Dudley, a Partner with The Southern Group. Next up was Travis Dunn, Vice President of CDM Smith, who discussed the future of road user fees and the shift to road usage charging (RUC) to support road maintenance and construction.

The following session focused on FDOT’s Florida Regional Supply Chain Optimization Model (FRSCOM), presented by Rickey Fitzgerald, Manager of the Freight & Multimodal Operations Office for FDOT, and Rob Palmer, a certified urban planner and transportation/ logistics professional for Quetica, LLC.

Tra Williams, Owner and President of FleetForce Truck Driving School – which has locations in Winter Haven and Bradenton – gave a passionate presentation on recruiting and training the next generation of professional truck drivers. Billy Roberts, the Founder of AmFed National Insurance Company, announced the launch of FTA’s workers’ compensation insurance partnership with AmFed.

Breakout sessions included an interactive presentation (featuring lasers!) on technology and techniques in accident reconstruction by Eric Sauer, a Senior Mechanical Engineer with S-E-A; along with presentations on equipment innovations and technology from Mac McKinley of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Scott Lingenfelter of PACCAR, John Moore of Volvo, and Brady Engle of Allison Transmission.

During an interactive breakout session, S-E-A used a laser to quickly scan the entire conference room– and session attendees used tape measures to test it for accuracy.

Dr. Dale Brill, Orlando Economic Partnership’s Senior Vice President of Research and the Foundation for Orlando’s Future, captivated attendees with his keynote address sharing economic insights on the trucking industry’s future.

Fall Round-Up concluded with the Safety Management Council Awards, which recognized fleets, drivers, and safety professionals for their commitment to safety and professional development. (Award winners are featured in this issue.) From start to finish, it was an energetic Fall Round-Up, filled with opportunities for trucking professionals to learn and connect as we look to the industry’s future.