INSIDE: Introducing Chairman of the Board
Lifeliner IOWA MOTOR TRUCK ASSOCIATION Fall 2010
What’s the Future of Iowa’s Aging Road System?
Everybody’s
Carrier Spotlight: Sully Transport, Inc. “Best of the Best” Awards
Talking -Is Anybody Doing?
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Parts Service Support PowerSystems
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Pride in Service
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Gillette, WY 800-677-7720
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Bismarck, ND 800-999-5812
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Lifeliner
Fall 2010
In this Issue
IMTA Staff
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Brenda Neville, CAE President
Don Egli
Director of Safety and Security
DeAnn Moody
Executive Assistant
Holly Mueggenberg
Communications & Education Manager
Phillip Nicolino
Marketing Manager
Mike Spalla
Membership Manager
Articles
President’s Message............................... 5 Motorcycle Ride..................................... 7
A T IM 27 18
Introducing New Chairman.................8-9 Safety/National Update...................10-11 IMTA Welcomes New Employee............ 13 Carrier Spotlight.............................14-16 Feature Article................................18-21 Iowa Truck Services.............................. 23 Members in the News.......................... 25 Management Conference................26-27 Award Winner Spotlight...................28-32 Management Conference................33-35 The Final Word...............................38-39
Our Supporters Interstate Power Systems................. 2 Great West Casualty...................... 4 Central Trailer Service.................... 6 Northland Insurance...................... 6 Heartland Payment Systems.......... 12 Des Moines Truck Brokers, Inc...... 12 Quality Services Corp................... 12 Wilshire Insurance....................... 12 Ziegler........................................ 13
Midwest Wheel Companies.......... 17 Iowa City Brake........................... 21 Iowa Truck Services...................... 22 Kenworth Mid-Iowa........................ 24 Iowa Soybean Association............... 36 HireRight..................................... 36 Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions... 37 Midwest Wheel Companies.......... 40
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Joe Morten & Son dba Motory-Ways, Inc. Urbandale, IA 515-266-1113
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Reback Truck Insurance Reynolds & Reynolds Donaghy-Kempton Sioux City, IA Des Moines, IA Des Moines, IA 800-383-4848 515-243-1724 515-288-8545
Fall 2010
Edwards Brandt Mason City, IA 641-423-0675
Mel Foster Davenport, IA 563-359-5446
Odebolt Ins. Odebolt, IA 712-668-2283
Millhiser Smith Cedar Rapids, IA 319-365-8611
Peoples Ins. Waverly, IA 319-352-6327
President’s Message Brenda Neville, Iowa Motor Truck Association as we began the planning and budget process seemed almost overwhelming at times. But like many of you, we had no choice but to plod forward and do the best we could given the environment we were forced to operate in. Despite a number of huge obstacles, I believe that we can look back at 2010 and take pride and CELEBRATE in the victories we did obtain. Our legislative efforts were unprecedented as we passed an anti-indemnification bill that has been on our wish list for 10 years. For the third straight legislative session, we were successful in killing many bad business bills. These important victories are something that continues to mystify many people given the fact that Democrats, who are typically for these types of proposals, were in total control of the Capitol. And for the third straight year we killed a biodiesel mandate as well and demonstrated once again the power of an organization built on strong grassroots involvement and effective advocacy efforts.
“Working with the IMTA leaders to move the association forward is always a highlight of my job,” said IMTA President Brenda Neville. Here she is pictured with 2010 Chairman Bob Kohlwes (L) and 2011 Chairman Mike Riggan (R).
Coming at the tail of our annual convention is our year end and that is always a time for me to reflect upon the activities and efforts of the previous 12 months. I have always thought that it is appropriate that we hold our annual convention as the final event of the year because it is a culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work and effort by both the volunteers and the staff. The convention allows us to always end the year on a positive note with our members. Like many conferences before this one, the 2010 Lake Okoboji event was a very big success and provided the perfect opportunity for us to “Celebrate Trucking” and close the book on yet another challenging but rewarding year at the Iowa Motor Truck Association. As I look back on the previous year, I remember the anxiety and less than positive feeling we all had as we entered 2010. The economy was far from rebounding and I was hard pressed to find anyone that was having “fun” anymore in the business. Throughout my years at the association, I had always found the ”strength” of this industry to be the people of this industry, they were the quintessential entrepreneurs. Truckers always seemed to have an unwavering faith and resilience that allowed them endless optimism and faith…and even that seemed to be disappearing as a failing economy was taking its toll. Like the industry we serve, the number of “unknowns” we were facing last year
As an association, we continue to focus on both the short and long term challenges and opportunities that exist. And over the last year, tremendous progress was made in this area as well. The constant and consistent dedication given to our strategic planning process is starting to pay off and while we were not successful in generating the revenue we had hoped this past year, we were certainly successful in building a foundation of valuable services and products that I believe will perform much better in the upcoming months. More importantly, I believe that this platform of services and products will also continue to attract new members and allow us to make some tremendous gains in this area as well. In addition, the streamlined governance structure allowed the five standing committees to do some valuable work for the association. Every committee; PAC, Building, Foundation, Strategic Planning and Finance made tremendous progress
in their respective areas and reported valuable strides in reaching goals that truly have an impact on this organization. Every committee has a goal and a purpose and we are starting to see the efforts of these key committees pay off in both the short and long term. And finally, member involvement and commitment continued to bloom last year. Some may say that when times get tough, members rely more on their association thus the reason we are reporting such positive results in that area. I think that is a valid observation, but I have to believe that this renewed interest and commitment to the association has more to do with the direction we are taking versus economic factors. IMTA leaders have dedicated themselves to building an organization that is truly about the members and for the members. Over the last two years we have worked to change the culture to be more “inclusive” versus “exclusive”. Through the committee structure, your leaders have been given the tools and the information they needed to make good decisions on your behalf and as a result of that, our membership/dues revenue exceeded our expectations. That in itself is worthy of celebration when you figure that very few state trucking associations can report positive news in the area of member retention. So despite the many challenges we were facing a year ago, I believe that we still have a great deal to be very proud of and hope that you feel the same about your organization. We certainly have some huge challenges looming on the horizon as we move into a new year, but I think the lessons of the last two years coupled with the amazing support we continue to get from the members….gives us the tools we need to face whatever obstacles are put in our way. As always, your membership and involvement in this association is critical and greatly appreciated. So please don’t ever hesitate to provide us with your feedback, input and insight as we plan for the upcoming year, because this is YOUR ASSOCIATION and we are here to serve you in the best way possible.
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CLAIMS
A sensor went bad in one of our reefer trucks, and part of the load was frozen on arrival. Northland was johnny-on-the-spot and gave me the authority to do what I had to do to resolve the issue. Since it was my first cargo claim, it was comforting to have the support I needed to get back on the road. — Fleet manager
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ON THE ROAD
St. Paul, MN • Hartford, CT www.truckinsurance.com
Funds Raised for PAC Motorcycle Ride Many members participated in the Motorcycle Ride again this year and supported the PAC while soaking in the beauty of scenic Eastern Iowa.
Annual PAC Fundraiser – Another Success Almost 30 bikers showed up once again to raise money for Truck PAC Iowa and also enjoy a day in Eastern Iowa catching glimpses of the Mississippi river and other landmarks specific to this area.
Brenda Neville – IMTA, Marc Hyland – Majestic Truck Services, and Dave Nelsen – Frieghtliner of Des Moines visit at one of the stops along the motorcycle ride route.
The annual PAC motorcycle ride was chaired by Delwin Van Wyk, Interstate Power Systems and Greg Ollinger, Manatt’s and once again provided an enjoyable day for everyone who participated. In addition to a string of impressive motorcycles, IMTA’s two elected leaders, 2010 Chairman of the Board Bob Kohlwes and 2011 Chairman of the Board Mike Riggan joined in the ride with their vintage cars. IMTA member Kenny Niece brought his RV which served as the sag wagon and final vehicle in the impressive convoy.
Greg Ollinger – Manatt’s, Mike Riggan – TanTara Transportation, and Karen Van Wyk – Interstate PowerSystems.
the value in the ride…but we are always looking for ways to improve upon everything we do,” said IMTA President Brenda Neville who rode with long time participant Ken Silver on the ride. A special thanks to everyone who participated and helped raise money for such an important cause.
Bob Kohlwes – BTI Special Commodities, Inc. and Ken Silver – Quality Services Corp. have been regulars on this annual ride.
The group started the ride at Iowa City Brake in Iowa City and ended the day in Riverside. Almost $3000 was raised for Truck PAC Iowa and participants encouraged organizers to hold the event in 2011 as well. For over 15 years the annual motorcycle ride has been held. “We are always looking for creative ways to raise money for our PAC and this ride attracts a segment of the members that may not show up for something else so we recognize
Lynn Ballard – Midwest Wheel Companies another long time supporter of the ride always has an enjoyable time.
Ken Niece – Niece Trucking, Inc. and Delwin Van Wyk – Interstate PowerSystems stopped for a break along the motorcycle ride route.
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New Chairman I ntro du c in g I MTA C h a irma n : M i ke R i g gan The Iowa Motor Truck Association welcomes Mike Riggan as its Chairman of the Board for 2011. For the past decade, Mike has been in training for this position as he has served on the board as well as many other key committees and task force appointments. Mike is the President and owner of TanTara Transportation located in Muscatine, Iowa. He and his wife Diane started the company in 1981 with a few trucks and now have over 45 trucks and 50 employees. TanTara Transportation is a specialized flatbed and tank truck operation which specializes in multi-drop shipments and special need hauls. They company operates in all 48 states with an emphasis in the Midwest and Central United states corridors.
Mike looks forward to serving as the IMTA Chairman of the Board
“I started in the feed business and discovered over time that I liked the trucking side of that business more than the management and sales side so I determined that I needed to pursue something I enjoy,” said Mike so with that, TanTara Transportation was soon formed. Named after his two daughters Tanya and Tara, the company quickly grew as Mike’s love of the industry and dedication to providing good service fueled the positive growth. The company’s mission statement sums it up the most appropriately “To Be the Safest, Most Consistent Quality Provider of Specialized Transportation Service!” and that mission statement has been a guiding force for the operation. Also helping in the continued success of the company are Mike’s two sons, David and Jeff. Jeff has been with the company for over five years and son David just recently joined the company. Mike also quickly credits his entire staff to ongoing success of the company. “ I have been very blessed to have a tremendous group of employees that share the same dedication I have to serving our customers and being a good trucking company,” said Mike. “We just always strive to serve our customers in the most
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Over the years Mike (L) and Bob Kohlwes (R) have worked closely together. “Bob did an outstanding job for this organization,” said Mike in his acceptance remarks.
Mike’s first truck appropriately called Ethel was pinnacle in Mike’s successful entry into the trucking industry. “Like us Ethel was a hard worker and Ethel was not very pretty,” said Mike.
As the official carrier for Hawkeye Football, Mike and his family are very proud to be a part of the Hawkeye family. “I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved with Hawkeye Football, it gives me great pride to be able to contribute in this way, “ said Mike.
New Chairman professional way possible. I don’t ever promise a customer something I can’t deliver and I believe that has contributed as much to my success as anything.” Mike also realized that he needed to become an active member of the association as a way to give back to an industry he loved so deeply. From the beginning, Mike had a strong sense of pride through his involvement with IMTA and he quickly dedicated his time to the association by serving on committees and retaining a spot on the Board of Directors. His experience in this area solidified his belief that the association was truly a valuable investment. “Over time, I have come to realize that the value of our association lies in our ability to be an effective advocate at the Capitol and to also provide opportunities for networking among our peers. I believe those two benefits are equally important and are uniquely provided by IMTA,” said Mike.
“ I have been very blessed to have a tremendous group of employees that share the same dedication I have to serving our customers and being a good trucking company.”
Mike’s top priorities as the Chairman of the Board is to get new blood involved with the association and further develop Iowa Truck Services which is a newly formed division of the association that will provide compliance and regulatory assistance to the membership.
Diane and Mike Riggan have worked very hard to make TanTara Transportation what it is today.
Mike looks forward to the upcoming year and believes that despite the recovering economy, IMTA will continue to face its share of challenges as the industry is facing ongoing regulatory changes among other federal issues that will tremendously impact the trucking industry. “We are always going to have our share of challenges but through this organization, we are in a much better position to understand and identify those challenges and put together a strategy to overcome whatever is put in our way. I look forward to the opportunity to get out there among the membership and promote who we are and what we do which I am hopeful will get even more people involved with IMTA,” said Mike.
“Being an active part of the legislative process is one of the most important things that IMTA does for the members,” said Mike. Here he is pictured at an event at the Iowa Capitol with Bob Kohlwes (L) Brenda Neville and Murry Fitzer (R).
Mike Riggan and his family at the 2010 Management Conference. L to R: David Riggan, Tanya Prinz, Tara Riggan, Diane Riggan, Mike Riggan and Jeff Riggan.
Family is very important to Mike, he comes from a family of 18. Here he is with his two sons, David (L) and Jeff (R).
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Safety/National Update-Mandatory EOBR’s Now Things are Really Getting Stirred Up
- The Latest Development on EOBRs
For the last year there has been continued speculation as to the scope of the requirement for electronic onboard recorders. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a notice saying that the agency will use the data from electronic recording and mobile tracking devices in a compliance review. This was a huge departure from the long-standing policy in which the carriers were allowed the option of using the data or not.
Act, the legislation was endorsed by Knight Transportation, Maverick USA, Schneider National , Inc. U.S. Xpress Enterprises and J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. Senators Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) introduced the legislation. Representatives for the five trucking companies that endorsed the legislation calling for mandatory EOBRs were in agreement that EOBRs would take noncompliance issues “off the table”.
This latest legislative move has really got people talking now and everyone in the trucking industry is watching this issue closely and opinions abound.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) quickly responded to the notice by the FMCSA and said that it had serious concerns with portions of the guidance. ATA’s primary concern was that carriers that are using electronic communication and tracking devices were now going to be “expected” to use the information and records from these systems in their HOS review and oversight activities. ATA urged FMCSA to amend this guidance and make the use of this data an “option” versus a requirement. It appears that FMCSA and ATA are still a long way from reaching an agreement on this issue. And it is expected that this debate may go on for quite sometime. Then recently, Two US Senators, supported by some of the nation’s largest trucking fleets, introduced legislation on September 29th that would require all trucks to use electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs) to monitor their drivers’ hours of service. Introduced as the Commercial Driver Compliance Improvement 10
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The legislation is endorsed by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety as well as the National Transportation Safety Board. ATA has not endorsed the legislation and the Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association spoke out against the proposal claiming that there is no data supporting that the EOBRs are a valid management tool. Other critics also believe that mandatory EOBRs would also add “burdensome cost” which made the legislation unjustified. However, proponents for the legislation argue that the most basic EOBRs are between $300 and $400 and went on to say that if a company can’t afford $300 or $400 they probably can’t afford to be in trucking. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declined comment but the agency has been working on a more expanded EOBR mandate to follow its previously issued rule that would require carriers with a large number of violations to have EOBRs starting in June 2012.
This latest legislative move has really got people talking and everyone in the trucking industry is watching this issue closely and opinions abound. “I think we are a long way from coming up with a solution to this issue and now that Federal legislation has been Mike Riggan TanTara Transportation introduced, I wonder if it will speed up the process in finally getting a consistent rule or law when it comes to EOBRs?” asked IMTA Chairman of the Board Mike Riggan. “I have mixed emotions concerning this issue. While it is true that this policy holds carriers with such data almost more accountable than carriers that do not utilize such data, the safety person in me has trouble defending a carrier who is crying foul because they have too much data,”said IMTA Director of Safety Don Egli. “However, that being said, I believe the time has come for FMCSA to establish regulatory guidance, through the rulemaking process, while specifically spelling out the list of required supporting documents. At that point anything not on that list should be off-limits to enforcement personnel. There are so many mixed messages concerning records retention that carriers don’t have a specific guideline Don Egli to follow. In IMTA Director of Safety the current
Safety/National Update-Mandatory EOBR’s world of some carriers having such electronic data and other carriers not yet embracing that technology, I believe that electronic data, (other than electronic logs), should not be included in such a rulemaking process,” he continued. At a recent meeting of the Iowa Council of Safety Management, steering committee members were asked to weigh in on the issue and as expected, it was a lively debate. “We have been using electronic logs for a few years, and I am comfortable with the DOT looking at Bridget Nixon our electronic Solar Transport information. I am from the school of thought that I would rather work together with the regulatory agencies to assist carriers to keep safety and regulatory compliance at a continued high standard. We are all in this together…to make our highways safer and realistically, we have all expected at some point that all carriers are going to be required to have electronic onboard recording devices,” said Bridget Nixon, Safety Director with Solar Transport. The issue is divisive and delicate because the vast majority of carriers are committed to being in compliance and make every attempt to do so. But over the last several years, the rules of the game continue to change and the cost of being in compliance continues to escalate. “Safety is a top priority and we have always made it a top priority. We invest a great deal of time, expertise and energy to compliance and oversight. We respect the rules and we do
our very best to be in compliance,” said Gary Handley, Safety Director at BTI Special Commodities. “If this interpretation is left to stand as is, there could be an advantage to companies that do not employ the latest electronic technology and continue to use paper logs. There cannot be two sets of rules: one for those that do and one for those that do not have EOBRs. I’m certainly not suggesting that EOBRs be mandated in all trucks but from my perspective, I just think there is a lot of “unknowns” out there right now and I think the sooner we can get some consistent guidance from the FMCSA the better it will be for all of us.” The Iowa Motor Truck Association has been offering safety compliance assistance to carriers for the last several years and the amount of confusion that continues to mount in the field is disturbing. ”I visit carriers almost every week who are at a loss concerning records retention, especially carriers who are using non-recognized tracking systems. More often than not they don’t know which records they are required to keep so they either keep too many records or not enough records,” said Don Egli, IMTA’s Safety Director. The issue of EOBRs and the use of them has been an issue that has been on the table for the last couple of years and it is anyone’s guess as to what the outcome will be. But like so many other regulations, the differing interpretations and the confusion that can be created from controversial rulings and ideas certainly cause unrest in the industry. “I believe that all carriers are committed to running a safe operation and they want to abide by the rules and regulations that we are subjected to in this industry. However, it is equally frustrating when the rules and regulations seem to be changing constantly and confusion prevails. That kind of an atmosphere makes it difficult
for any business and I hope that we get some consistency in the issues of EOBRs. At the very least, it is a subject that has everyone talking and Gary Handley at the end of BTI Special Commodities the day, that is not all bad either,” said IMTA President, Brenda Neville.
The issue is divisive and delicate because the vast majority of carriers are committed to being in compliance and make every attempt to do so. But over the last several years, the rules of the game continue to change and the cost of being in compliance continues to escalate.
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IMTA Welcomes New Employee The Iowa Motor Truck Association is pleased to announce that Phillip Nicolino has joined the IMTA staff as it’s new Marketing Manager.
Phillip Nicolino Iowa Motor Truck Association
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In this role, Phil will be overseeing the marketing efforts for the numerous member programs that are currently offered and will also be assisting with the creation of additional services of value for the members.
“Providing valuable services to the membership has always been a high priority and over the last several years we have made it even a greater priority as members are looking for ways to improve their bottom line. We had reached the point where we felt that it was time to have someone on our staff devoted solely to this important effort and given Phil’s past experience with another excellent Iowa association, we felt that he was the perfect candidate,” said Brenda Neville, IMTA President. Phil is a graduate of Lincoln High School in Des Moines and Simpson College where he obtained a degree in Mass Communications and Journalism and a double minor in Management and Mathematics. Immediately following college, Phil retained numerous positions in the field of sports journalism but then moved on to a job at the Iowa Grocery
Industry Association where he has worked for the past several years in several different areas. “Phil brings some valuable experience and expertise to the position and I am certain that he will be a valuable addition to our staff. Not only does he bring an understanding of the association world but he also is uniquely qualified to hit the ground running because he has an understanding and appreciation of the importance of non-dues revenue to an organization,” said IMTA President, Brenda Neville. Phil and his wife Lynlyn reside in West Des Moines and are involved in various activities around the metro area. Phil started his job with the Iowa Motor Truck Association on November 1st and looks forward to meeting the IMTA members in the upcoming months.
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Carrier Spotlight
Sully Transport, Inc Sully Transport, Inc. is a family owned trucking company currently into its third generation of family employees. The current operations of Sully Transport are a far cry from the humble beginnings when Walt Vander Leest purchased his very first truck in 1934. Walt purchased a 1929 Chevy with a cream rack on the back and set out to build a route to pick up cream in cans from farms and deliver to the local coop where butter was made from the cream. As the business grew Walt added his second truck and hired a driver. Walt’s sons, Arland and Duane also began driving as they became old enough. In 1959, Walt purchased Sully Transport and his fleet equipment consisted of a single axle tractor, a single axle gasoline tanker and a hired driver. The year 1961 brought
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the purchase of a new single axle tractor, a second gas trailer, and his first propane bottle. In 1964 more changes came as Arland and Duane became partners with their dad. In a short time the business expanded and they moved off the road and into the operations of the organization. Part of that expansion included hauling more commodities.
By: Travis Scott Contributing Writer
Sully Transport owners 2010 – Brent Vander Leest, Arland Vander Leest, Warren Vander Leest, Troy Vander Leest, and Duane Vander Leest
Sully Transport, Inc. today operates in the contiguous 48 states and Canada with over 200 cargo tanks and 100 drivers hauling hazardous bulk liquids. As time passed other family members joined the business. In 1972, Warren, Walt’s youngest son came to work with his father and brothers. Warren started out driving and then moved into the office and is currently in charge of
gasoline and fuel operations. Arland’s son, Brent, began driving for the family business in 1975. Brent now holds the role of Safety and Maintenance Director. In 1993, Duane’s son, Troy, joined his father, uncles and cousin
First truck Walt bought in the mid 1930’s. This truck was a creamery truck.
Carrier Spotlight
Sully Transport Inc. was honored to be the reciepent of the 2010 Great West Casualty Fleet Safety Grand Trophy
Sully Transport, Inc. 2010 staff members took a quick break to pose together in front of the Sully Transport office building.
The Sully Transport, Inc. office building, headquartered in Sully, IA
at Sully Transport. Troy is currently in charge of operations of non petroleum products.
Propane, Motor Fuels, Aviation Fuels and Gases, Herbicides, Chemicals, Liquid Fertilizer and Road Oil. It takes a large, coordinated effort, both on the road and off, to ensure Sully Transport’s continued growth and success. The employees at Sully Transport are very dedicated and the key to the company’s ongoing success.
Sully Transport, Inc. today operates in the contiguous 48 states and Canada with over 200 cargo tanks and 100 drivers hauling hazardous bulk liquids such as: Anhydrous Ammonia,
Sully Transport, Inc. celebrated their 50th anniversary of operation in 2009.
Sully Transport values the IMTA as a vital resource for safety and regulatory information, in addition to being an important advocate for Iowa’s trucking industry.
The staff at Sully Transport includes: 6 full time mechanics in the shop, 6 in the operations department, 5 in the accounting department, and 3 in the safety department. There are a large number of drivers and office staff who have worked for the Vander Leest’s for decades. Over half of the drivers have been with Sully Transport for longer than five years. Specifically, they have three company drivers with over 34 years of service each, a half dozen Fall 2010
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Carrier Spotlight owner operators who have worked for them for 20 years plus, and 23 that have been leased on for 10 years or more. “We are extremely fortunate to have a minimal amount of turnover with our drivers. We take good care of our drivers. All of them are highly skilled and conscientious drivers who are very good at what they do,” said Brent. Sully Transport values the IMTA as a vital resource for safety and regulatory information, in addition to being an important advocate for Iowa’s trucking industry in front of legislators and regulators. While the company looks much different than when Walt started the operation in 1934, the values on which he built the company still remain the foundation of the company today.
Sully Transport fleet in the early 1960’s
Honesty, hard work and taking pride in a job well done are still the core values that will be found at Sully Transport today.
The look of Sully Transport’s fleet has changed over the years but their mission has remained.
Honesty, hard work, and taking pride in a job well done are still the core values at Sully Transport.
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FE ATU R E
What’s the Future of Iowa’s Aging Road System?
Everybody’s
By: Travis Scott Contributing Writer
Talking -Is Anybody Doing?
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What’s the Future of Iowa’s Aging Road System? Everybody’s Talking – Is Anybody Doing?
Iowa has more than114,000 miles of roads. This ranks Iowa 12th in the number of miles of roads, yet the state hovers around the middle in population and land area – 30th and 23rd respectively. Granted a large percentage of those roads are low maintenance country roads, the IOWA DOT is still responsible for the roads which carry 61 percent of all travel and 82 percent of all large truck travel in the state. Granted a portion of these roads have been repaired in the years past, with taxes paid in large part by the trucking industry. Still the state’s infrastructure remains a topic everyone wants to change but nothing seems to get done. “I know that ensuring that our roads are always being taken care of is not a flashy issue but I believe it is one of the most pressing issues we are facing here in Iowa and actually across the nation. I think it is incredibly irresponsible that we are not making the roads a priority,” said IMTA Chairman Mike Riggan. Historically, Iowa’s trucking industry has always been willing to invest in good roads and continue to offer solutions and support to get this important job done.
The Numbers
The Iowa DOT has completed several legislatively mandated studies of highway needs and finances in the last five years. The most recent study was submitted to the general assembly in December 2008. The study documented public roadway needs of approximately $3.5 billion per year through 2026 while estimated revenues (combined federal, state and local) would total approximately $2.0 billion per year. This leaves an annual shortfall of approximately $1.5 billion.
The large shortfall in funding is due to several factors that have all negatively impacted Iowa’s, and the nation’s, ability to keep up with highway infrastructure needs:
• Large and aging system:
As described earlier, Iowa has a large public roadway infrastructure system. Much of this infrastructure was primarily developed and/or modernized in the 1940s, 50s and 60s which means much of the system is at a point in its useful life of needing reinvestment.
• Increasing demands on the public roadway system:
While travel on the public roadway system has flattened and even dropped in the last few years due to the economic downturn, the overall growth in the demand over the last several decades has been tremendous. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) estimate that the number of trucks on the nation’s highway system will increase 50 percent in the next 20 years.
• Flattening revenue available for public roadway improvements:
Revenue to the Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) and the federal Highway Trust Fund has flattened due to the economic downturn. Even prior to the economic recession, transportation revenue growth was flattening as vehicles are becoming more efficient.
• Increasing construction cost inflation rate:
The combination of flattening revenue and increasing construction cost inflation has dramatically reduced the buying power of transportation funding.
• Severe weather impacts:
Flooding in 2008 and 2010 has created significant damage to Iowa’s roadway system. Fall 2010
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What’s the Future of Iowa’s Aging Road System? Additional Factors
This all spells problems for the nation’s and Iowa’s freight initiatives. As mentioned, a recent study from the AASHTO estimates that the number of trucks on the nation’s highway system will increase 50 percent in the next 20 years. This will lead to even more congestion resulting in travel headaches, increased costs to consumers and increasing safety concerns. Iowa stands at the crossroads of the nation with major cross-country Interstate routes like I-29, I-35 and I-80 which are critical arteries in the nation’s transportation system. Although they serve a critical role in the nation’s transportation system, it is the state of Iowa that is responsible for maintaining and improving those Interstate routes. While we receive dedicated federal funding for those routes, we currently spend far more on the Interstate system than what is allocated and are facing billions of dollars of needs on that Interstate system, including needs to modernize the Interstate system in Council Bluffs and Sioux City; add capacity to portions of I-80, I-380 and I-35; rebuild the I-74 Mississippi River bridge in the Quad Cities; and rebuild worn out segments across the entire system. Of course, the federal transportation funding plays a vital role in financing critical transportation improvements. The state of Iowa receives well over $400 million per year from the federal government to support improvements to state and local public roads and public transportation system. Approximately half of the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT) state system construction program is funded with federal funds. These funds are made available by multi-year federal authorization bills and then annual appropriation bills. The last authorization bill, titled “SAFETEALU,” expired September 30, 2009 and the state has been operating under extensions of that authorization since that time. Congress has been very slow to get involved. Currently it wants to pass a $450 billion federal highway reauthorization bill. The House Committee on Transportation is working on a bill for a Highway Trust Fund for the next six years. The committee is currently awaiting recommendations from the White House. Due to the mid-term elections Obama is slow to announce any new taxes – specifically a gas tax.
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The absence of a multi-year authorization causes significant challenges:
• Federal Funding:
While there is currently an extension to the authorization bill that is keeping federal funding flowing, that extension expires the end of December 2010. Absent an extension or passage of an authorization bill, there is a concern that federal funding will not be available.
• Construction Needs:
In addition to the uncertainty in availability of federal funding, there is also uncertainty in what level of federal funding may be available in future extensions or authorization. This uncertainty in federal funding results in states having to be cautious in the programming of construction projects. This results in less construction work occurring in a time when we have tremendous needs to improve the system. If we had a multi-year authorization bill, that funding would have been programmed and we would have accomplished more work this year. This future funding level uncertainty also makes future year programming extremely difficult.
The main problem facing the government and the general public is figuring out how to pay for it. While road trusts and gas tax are the traditional methods – both the trust and the gas tax have come under scrutiny. Despite the fact that the state of Iowa has not seen a gas tax hike since President Bush Senior was in office, consumers are still likely to put up a fight and congressmen
are hard pressed to vote for it. In fact, Obama has already come out against gas tax for the new transportation funding bill. Current estimates already show that bill, if enacted, will lack as much as 40 percent of the revenues needed to do all the projects. Considering the upcoming elections it came as little surprise that Obama’s transportation office said there will be no new fuel taxes. “I understand lawmakers are resistant to any type of increases but their lack of leadership over the last several years has created an even bigger problem because we are going to be forced to play “catch up” with our road building efforts and the reality is that at this point, we have a big job ahead of us to get enough funding to get the job done,” said Bob Kohlwes, BTI Special Commodities and former IMTA Chairman of the Board. There continues to be ongoing speculation that no new bill will get passed especially with the November 2nd elections. However, Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, remains confident that Congress will pass
What’s the Future of Iowa’s Aging Road System? a transportation bill this year. He, like everyone else, claims there is no dispute in Washington that improvements are needed.
than any other oversight program. It is estimated that the administrative fees associated with a toll road average 28%. The pay as you go approach has been successfully implemented for decades in funding highways and interstates. IMTA has staunchly supported that approach since it was formed in 1942 and continues to be supportive of that method.
The Secretary went on to Bob Kohlwes acknowledge BTI Special Commodities the challenges, saying, “there’s only one problem, trying to find $500 billion, because that’s what it takes to do all that we want to do.” He did say that public private partnerships, an idea promoted by the Bush administration, which allows the private sector to lease and toll sections of federal network, should be considered along with infrastructure bond funds and tolling to come up with the necessary monies. Of course, his claims have drawn universal opposition from the trucking industry and most highway users.
“It really is a no-brainer in my mind, increasing the fuel/gas tax in Iowa is the one way that every motorist that is passing through this state and USING OUR ROADS is helping pay for those roads. Our role as an association in that process is to make sure that the taxes collected are truly going into the roads that are bearing most of the traffic and I believe that most elected officials are on the same page,” said George Crouse, Crouse Transportation.
“You can’t build world class infrastructure without money. Roads aren’t free and they’re not cheap. And while I’m on my soap box, let me tell you that anyone who claims George Crouse privatization, Crouse Transportation securitization Services or monetization is the solution to the problem ought to be subject to incarceration - because all those strategies involve the collection of tolls and tolling is nowhere close to being as economically efficient as the tried and true, old fashioned fuel tax,” said ATA President Governor Bill Graves at the recent ATA Management Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Expert after expert however, continue to cite that fuel tax is the most efficient way to go when it comes to funding our roads. The administrative fees associated with collecting a fuel tax are much lower
The nation’s transportation system is critical to support and grow the country’s economy. However, consumers have underinvested in the transportation infrastructure while, at the same time, the demands on the system have increased, the system is aging, construction costs have increased, and severe weather events have impacted the system across the country. The trucking industry has bore the brunt of these problems and footed much of the bill.
At the end of the day, the only way you can build highways is with money, and the only way that money can be generated is to rely on the revenue provided by a state and possibly national fuel tax. Nobody likes to even talk about raising taxes but then again, nobody likes to drive on a crumbling road system either. It certainly isn’t a proposal that is going to make people happy but we are at a point that something needs to be done before it is simply too late. “It comes down to the fact that everyone has to have an interest in the roads. It is sort of like a computer, you don’t realize Mike Riggan how much you TanTara Transportation rely on this technology until your server goes down for a day and then you wonder how you survived without a computer. Good roads are the same way, until we are faced with the fact that we can’t survive without them, people take it for granted but boy do people complain when they aren’t able to drive on a good road. A strong and stable infrastructure is vital to this state and it is time that we make it a priority,” concluded IMTA Chairman Mike Riggan.
“I have been an advocate of an increase in fuel tax for several years. As a trucker the road system is our work place. To be successful, all workplaces must start with a solid infrastructure. Our industry is no different,” said Chairman Riggan. “We must be able to move goods safely and efficiently. With the deterioration of our roads and bridges our ability to transport these goods is being dramatically impacted. We need to act now to save our roads. We need an immediate Iowa City Brake, Inc. increase in the fuel tax that is across the board. It must Hunter Total Wheel Alignment System be the same for all Heavy Duty Truck & Trailer Repair vehicles and used Roadside Assistance Available only for roads, not bike paths and trails. Ph. (319) 339-9453 2930 Industrial Park Rd. It is imperative that Cell (319) 430-1861 Iowa City, IA 52240 we act quickly on this because it truly affects all aspects of our livelihood.”
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Iowa Truck Services-Your Valued Compliance and Regulatory Partner ITS Has Your Company Covered
Iowa Truck Services (ITS) is a division of the association that was formed to specifically offer a variety of services to help members with the licensing, permitting and compliance efforts of their operation. With the regulatory environment that the trucking industry has to endure, any operation that is not investing in their compliance oversight activities is being very irresponsible. Iowa Truck Services has been committed to being a valuable partner to IMTA members with their compliance and regulatory operations. One of the most popular services we offer is a half day “mock” audit. The information below highlights the scope of this important compliance service. As one of the most sought after services the calendar is filling up quickly so if you are interested in scheduling a half day MOCK AUDIT, we encourage you to do so right away! Here is more information pertaining to what a carrier can expect when we come in to perform a mock audit.
HALF-DAY MOCK AUDIT
In these audits our safety personnel work closely with the carrier in a comprehensive review of the regulations. At the conclusion of this review, the carrier will have a good idea of the strong points and weak points in their compliance oversight. Then the next step is to help the carrier correct any deficiencies. The advantage of this mock audit is to help ensure that a carrier is compliant in all areas of the regulations BEFORE the Feds show up on their doorstep. ITS also offers a full day audit but there are some differences in these two audits. A full-day mock audit is a much more in-depth audit of processes and records. The half-day mock audit deals more with processes than with actual in-depth audit of records.
AREAS WE COVER IN A MOCK AUDIT Part 382 (Controlled Substance
and Alcohol Testing). This is the first
step of the mock audit. In this step we go over the carrier’s drug and alcohol testing program, checking to see if their program is adequate, that no safety functions are performed until a negative pre-employment result is received and that they are updating their employee list as drivers are hired and/ or terminated. We check for a written policy and that an educational information packet is given to each driver, awareness training for all supervisors for “reasonable cause” testing, and that the carrier is making an inquiry for three years of testing history from previous employers. The last thing we check is quarterly statistics to make sure that the carrier retains at least two years of quarterly summaries.
up to date and the proper information is included. We also check to make sure that the carrier has a system in place to monitor expirations of medical certificates and annual review of driving records.
In these audits our safety personnel work closely with the carrier in a comprehensive review of the regulations.
Part 383 (Commercial Driver
License). In this part we go over the importance of ensuring that all licenses are valid, that drivers have the proper endorsements, and that all drivers required to have a CDL do, in fact, have the proper CDL. We also check to make sure that the carrier has a process in place to track expirations of CDL’s.
Part 387 (Financial Responsibility).
In this part we obtain the name of the insurance company providing coverage. We also check to make sure that the carrier has the proper coverage in place and that they retain a Form MCS 90 in their insurance file and that it is available for review.
Part 390 (General). This section
covers employee training on regulations, accident registers, and vehicle marking. All three are reviewed.
Part 392 (Driving of Commercial
Motor Vehicles). This section of the regulations covers the company safety policy and what is included.
Part 395 (Hours of Service of
Drivers). Usually one of two problem areas for carriers, we review the carrier’s system and whether all drivers log or some drivers utilize the 100mile exemption. We also review their log monitoring process, including how violations and falsifications are found, noted, and if any corrective action plans are in place.
Part 396 (Inspections, Repair,
and Maintenance). Reviewed in this section is whether the carrier has a maintenance policy which specifies systematic intervals for inspection, repair, maintenance, and lubes. We go over the Federal Annual Inspection requirement, pre/post trip inspection processes, mechanic and inspector qualifications, and records retention.
Part 391 (Driver Qualification). Every driver of vehicles rated over 10,000 pounds GVWR must have a driver qualification file. In this part we talk with the carrier about the importance of all required forms and that forms are
Contact ITS today! (515) 244-5193 Fall 2010
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Kenworth Mid Iowa 4111 Delaware Ave. Des Moines, IA 50313 (515) 265-8111
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Quad Cities Kenworth 3600 78th Ave. West Rock Island, IL 61201 (309) 787-6181
Kenworth of Cedar Rapids 4650 “J” Street SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 (319) 362-3663
Kenworth of Omaha 7502 “L” Street Omaha, NE 68127 (402) 331-6000
Members in the News Peterbilt Diesel Tech Places Ninth in National Competition
Attending diesel technology classes at Des Moines Area Community College and working parttime for Peterbilt of Des Moines helped Brian Caputo place high in a national competition. Brian Caputo with his Iowa Brian came in state championship medal ninth in the Diesel Tech Skills Contest during the Skills USA National Championships this summer. To qualify for the national finals, the rural Marshalltown, Iowa, native won the state competition against Iowa’s top diesel technology students. He went on to compete against 32 of the top diesel tech students in the US at Kansas City. “I definitely used what I learned at work during the competition,” Brian said. “The skills and knowledge I gained on the night shift at Peterbilt really helped out.”
Peterbilt Dealerships Win Top Awards
Peterbilt Motors and PACCAR Parts recently presented nine awards to three Peterbilt dealerships for outstanding growth, management and customer service in 2009.
of Excellence award. Also, CB Service Manager Scott Vanderheiden received an Outstanding Service Management Excellence award. Peterbilt of Sioux City managers brought home three plaques. Harland Gylfe was named Regional Service Manager of Excellence for the Great Lakes Region and cited for Outstanding Service Management Excellence. Rick Burkhart was recognized for Outstanding Parts Management Excellence. The Sioux City and Norfolk dealerships’ staff earned a Platinum Oval Award for outstanding performance in the Peterbilt Standards of Excellence Program last year.
Unique and Unusual Job for Cedar Rapids Truck Center
IMTA’s Newest Members Welcome New Members! Bauer Built Tire Durand, WI Highway Mail Company Granger, IA Iowa Erosion Control, Inc. Victor, IA Mike Spalla, Membership Manager
“These new members have demonstrated their dedication to the industry by joining the IMTA. The more members we have the stronger our voice. Thank you for your support.” Mike Spalla, IMTA Membership Manager
Recently the University of Iowa contacted Cedar Rapids Truck Center to see if they would be able to complete a body shop job for them. This job was body work on a 1971 Romanian Fighter Jet. The University of Iowa wanted this jet painted in the Hawkeye yellow and black of course. Cedar Rapids Truck Center was up for the challenge so work began on what would end up being about a 6 week project.
JDR Farms Trucking LLC Fremont, IA KSM Business Services, Inc. Indianapolis, IN PeopLease Corporation Mt. Pleasant, SC RAIR Brookfield, WI Robert Brauns, Inc. Muscatine, IA
all the sections were painted the jet was reassembled and flown back to the University of Iowa. This jet is used at the University of Iowa Engineering School to test various communication and instrumentation proto-types. “This is definitely the most unusual job we have done,” said Fred Grask, Cedar Rapids Truck Center.
One of the largest issues for this job was how to get a jet into the shop. In the end the jet was flown to Cedar Rapids and partially disassembled to get it into the shop. All the pieces were painted individually, one section at a time. Once
Fighter Jet after the body work was completed, still partially assembled.
Fighter Jet before body work.
Fighter Jet with the body work completed.
Peterbilt of Norfolk received the “Best in Class Dealer of the Year” award. In addition, two Norfolk managers were recognized. Meanwhile, Rick Tames, parts manager at Peterbilt of Council Bluffs-Omaha, received the National Parts Manager
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A T IM
Greg Ross – Ziegler, Inc., Dharl Bagley – Ziegler, Inc., and Jeff Ford – Ziegler, Inc. take a part in the boat ride on the Queen II as part of the Welcome Reception at the Management Conference.
Kevin Gass – PDI and Bob Kohlwes – BTI Special Commodities wave from the deck of the Queen II boat.
Tina and Hank Brown – JRB Target, David Riggan – TanTara Transportation and Chris Finch – Central Trailer Service.
Steve Swank – D.R.S. Transport, Inc., Jack Sawyer – Des Moines Transportation, Mike Spalla – IMTA and Kathy Swank – D.R.S. Transport, Inc. get ready to board the Queen II for a scenic ride. Kyle and Sharon Krause – Solar Transport, Lori Wiederin – Holmes Murphy & Associates and Jarrett Schmidt – Holmes Murphy & Associates enjoy socializing at the Welcome Reception.
L to R: Kelly Weaver, Steve Hopkins, Dan Howard, Rich Gase, Mark Brazzell, Kyle Hoefling – all with Wilson Trailer Co. and Ralph Arthur – Ruan Transportation Management Systems enjoy food and conversation at the Welcome Reception.
“I think the educational sessions just get better each year and the tremendous attendance is testament to that fact,” said 2010 Convention ChairmanFallPat 26 2010Storey. Lifeliner
Annual Management Conference Held in Okoboji
“Celebrate Trucking” was the theme for this year’s management conference which was held at Northwestern Iowa’s premier resort area, Lake Okoboji. And CELEBRATE we did as over 300 people attended the September conference, a tradition that has been carried on since 1942. Carriers and vendors alike were in attendance and as convention chairman Pat Storey with MotorWays, Inc. highlighted in his opening welcome remarks, “coming together as an industry to network, socialize, learn and prepare for the future is the main objective of this annual conference” was without question the prevailing theme. Despite the rain that refused to stop during the entire event, organizers were pleased with this inaugural meeting at Lake Okoboji. 2010 Chairman Bob Kohlwes was the catalyst in moving the event to this area.
“For years, I have felt that we needed to show our support to our Western Iowa members by having a convention in this area. I have always loved the Lake Okoboji region and once I became chairman, it was a top priority to make this a reality. I am very pleased that the Board and the Allied Division members supported me in this decision and made this dream come true. I am very pleased with the outcome and feel as though everyone in attendance found this to be a very good event,” said Bob Kohlwes, BTI Special Commodities. The education sessions were once again hailed as a highlight for many. Topics ranging from finance to the economy, health care reform to CSA 2010 attracted standing room only crowds. Carriers of all sizes were in attendance and took advantage of the outstanding information that was made available at the conference. “I think the educational sessions just get better each year and the tremendous attendance is testament to that fact,” said 2010 Convention Chairman Pat Storey. The first priority when the committee begins
Management Conference its planning efforts is to identify the topics for the educational sessions. In addition, ATA incoming Chairman Barbara Windsor and former NFL coach Marty Shottenheimer provided keynote addresses that received positive feedback from participants. The traditional awards luncheon is also another highlight of this annual meeting and over 70 individuals and companies were recognized for their outstanding commitment to being the “Best of the Best”.
Barbara Windsor 2011 Chariman of the Board American Trucking Associations highlighted the National issues that are looming on the horizon.
Events designed to provide networking and socializing opportunities continue to be popular as well. The Verne Simpson Memorial Golf outing and the Shooting Competition kicked off the conference and provided an afternoon of fun for all registrants. Even though heavy thunderstorms played havoc with these two events, folks were not deterred from having a good time.
In fact, the rain proved to be a valuable ally as golf trophies that would have been awarded to golfers were instead auctioned off to “wannabe winners” and raised over $4000 for the Iowa Motor Carriers Foundation. A special thanks to David Riggan from TanTara Transportation for lending his auctioneer services to this spur of the moment fundraiser. In addition, another $1000 was raised for the Foundation through a pie auction in which Judy Dickey provided 6 beautiful, homemade pies that created quite the “bidding war” among supportive members. The final event of the conference is the long standing tradition of passing the gavel to a new Chairman. And has been tradition, the ceremony was touching, emotional and fitting as an industry and association thanked Bob Kohlwes for his tremendous efforts over the last year as he served as IMTA’s highest elected official. Incoming Chairman Mike Riggan with TanTara Transportation thanked Bob for his great work and promised that he would continue to be active and involved with key IMTA committees. “We won’t let him off the hook that easy,” said Mike “when we find a good volunteer, we never let him go and we certainly appreciate all the great work Bob did as our chairman.”
A T IM
Thank You 2010 IMTA Management Conference Committee
for your hard work and dedication Joel Donaghy
Pat Storey - Chairman
Doug Huitink
Mike Sullivan
Bob Kohlwes
Delwin Van Wyk
Jeff Petersen
Jeff Wangsness
Michael Riggan
Donna Weinrich-Lucht
Steve Schuster
Mark Zieman
Donaghy-Kempton Insurors
Wilson Trailer
BTI Special Commodities, Inc.
Sioux City Truck Sales
TanTara Transportation Corp.
Schuster Company
Motor-Ways, Inc.
Kenworth Mid-Iowa, Inc.
Interstate PowerSystems
JMT Trucking Company
Weinrich Truck Lines
Cherry Valley Enterprises, Inc.
Dan Stevens
Farner-Bocken Company
Keynote speaker former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer entertained an audience of over 200 with stories of his years in the NFL.
Plans are already underway for the 2011 Management Conference which will be held in Eastern Iowa.
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2010 Best of the Best Award Winners Great West Casualty Company FLEET SAFETY – AWARDS
Front Row: Pat Kuehl - Great West Casualty Company, Kyle Krause - Solar Transport, Jon Osborn – Johnsrud Transport, Inc., Adrian Dickey – Harold Dickey Transport, Inc., Leon Hill – Schuster Co., Dave Figler – CRST Expedited, Inc., Gary Handley – BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Jeff Simpson – Mid Seven Transportation Co., Ralph Arthur – Ruan Transportation Management Systems, Brent Vander Leest – Sully Transport, Inc., Back Row: Clayton Fisk – Warren Transport, Inc., Rick George – Iowa Tanklines, Inc., Brad Kohlwes – Argee Transport, Dan Gardner – Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC, Keith Lamfers – Decker Truck Line, Inc., Dan Inman – Barr-Nunn Transportation,, Mark Olson – Olson Explosives, Inc., Lowell Grunwald – Jerico Services, Inc., Jim Mumey – Standard Forwarding, Larry Ochs – ABF Freight Systems, Inc. Not Pictured: GLE Trucking, Inc.
Truckload Carrier 500,000 – 1 million miles Ruan Logistics
Truckload Carrier 6-8 million miles CRST Van Expedited, Inc.
Tank Truck – Bulk 3-5 million miles Solar Transport Company
Heavy Haulers 1-5 million miles Warren Transport, Inc.
Truckload Carrier 1-2 million miles Mid Seven Transportation Co.
Truckload Carrier 8-10 million miles Schuster Co.
Tank Truck - Bulk Over 5 million miles Sully Transport, Inc.
LTL Carrier 1-5 million miles Standard Forwarding Co., Inc.
Truckload Carrier 2-3 million miles BTI Special Commodities, Inc.
Truckload Carrier Over 10 million miles Decker Truck Line, Inc.
Private Carriers 0-300,000 miles Jerico Services, Inc.
LTL Carrier 5-10 million miles ABF Freight Systems, Inc.
Truckload Carrier 3-4 million miles Barr-Nunn Transportation, Inc.
Tank Truck – Bulk 0-1 million miles Harold Dickey Transport, Inc.
Private Carriers 300,000 - 500,000 miles Olson Explosives
LTL Carrier Over 10 million miles FedEx Freight
Truckload Carrier 4-5 million miles Single Source Transportation
Tank Truck – Bulk 1-2 million miles Johnsrud Transport, Inc.
Private Carriers Over 10 million miles Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC
Agriculture Commodities 1-2 million miles G.L.E. Trucking, Inc.
Truckload Carrier 5-6 million miles Ruan Transportation Management Systems
Tank Truck – Bulk 2-3 million miles Iowa Tanklines, Inc.
Heavy Haulers 0-1 million miles ARGEE Transport
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2010 Best of the Best Award Winners Great West Casualty Company FLEET SAFETY – GRAND TROPHY Sully Transport, Inc.
The 2010 Great West Casualty Company Fleet Safety Grand Trophy was awarded to Sully Transport, Inc. Sully Transport, Inc. is a Bulk Liquid Hauler. They operate in 48 states and 2 Canadian Provinces. Sully Transport, Inc. hauls petroleum products, propane, anhydrous ammonia, asphalt, and ag chemicals. Sully Transport, Inc. was awarded this prestigious honor because of their dedication to safety and their driving record in the state of Iowa. Congratulations to Sully Transport, Inc. on their attention to safety, we are honored to have you join the other members of this elite award. All IMTA Members are eligible to participate in the annual safety awards program. Several different selection phases are implemented. A special thanks to Great West Casualty for sponsoring this award.
Pat Kuehl - Great West Casualty Company and Brent Vander Leest – Sully Transport, Inc.,
2010 IMTA Safety Professional OF THE YEAR Jon Osborn, Johnsrud Transport, Inc.
Jon Osborn, Johnsrud Transport, Inc. was awarded with the safety professional of the year award at the IMTA Annual Management Conference “Best of the Best” Awards Luncheon. Jon has been employed at Johnsrud Transport, Inc. for 5 years; Jon however has 30 years experience in transportation safety. As the Safety Director at Johnsrud Transport, Inc., Jon is responsible for all aspects of safety policy, training, compliance, evaluation, and direction. Jon has served in many leadership roles and has been actively involved in many safety organizations including the Iowa Council of Safety Management. “Jon is a tireless advocate of safety within our company and is always looking for ways we can improve our management approach to safety and keep all employees active and engaged in promoting safety. He will devote whatever time necessary helping drivers learn how to be better professional drivers or employees to work more safely,” said Jackie Johnsrud, President & CEO of Johnsrud Transport, Inc.
Jon Osborn, Johnsrud Transport, Inc.
The IMTA Safety Professional of the Year Award is sponsored by the Iowa Council of Safety Management.
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2010 Best of the Best Award Winners 2010 IMTA Outstanding 2010 IMTA PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS Outstanding PROFESSIONAL DRIVER OF THE YEAR Kelly Lien – Solar Transport
Front Row: Will Parrish – West Side Transport, Inc., Tony Maiefski – Con-Way Freight, Inc., Richard Barre – Con-Way Freight, Inc., Virgil Dickeson - BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Jeff Cooper - BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Kevin Martin – Barr-Nunn Transportation, Inc. Back Row: Kelly Lien – Solar Transport, Bradley Conn – Warren Transport, Inc., Verle Gordy – Wal-Mart Transportation LLC, Wayne Johnson – Ruan Transportation Management System, Scott Marnin – Con-Way Freight, Inc., Randy Kunzie – BTI Special Commodities, Inc.
Kevin Martin Barr-Nunn Transportation, Inc. 22 Years /1 million miles
Scott Marnin Con-way Freight, Inc. 19 Years/1.2 million miles
Jeff Cooper BTI Special Commodities, Inc. 15 Years/1.75 million miles
Wayne Johnson Ruan Transportation Management Systems 21 Years/2 million miles
Virgil Dickeson BTI Special Commodities, Inc. 30 Years/3 million miles Randy Kunzie BTI Special Commodities, Inc. 15 Years/1.75 million miles Richard Barre Con-way Freight, Inc. 17 Years/2 million miles Tony Maiefski Con-way Freight, Inc. 28 Years/3 million miles
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Kelly Lien Solar Transport 29 Years/2 million miles Verle Gordy Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 28 Years/2.8 million miles Bradley Conn Warren Transport, Inc. 20 Years/ 2 million miles Will Parrish West Side Transport, Inc. 15 Years/1.7 million miles
Excitement surrounded the room at the luncheon waiting to hear who would be named the 2010 IMTA Professional Driver of the Year and cheers erupted when Kelly Lien with Solar Transport was awarded with this prestigious honor. Kelly has been employed with Solar Transport for 14 years and has 29 years of driving experience. Kelly has driven over 2 million miles and his driving record remains in tact with no accidents. Kelly Lien – Solar Transport “Kelly is a very safe and conscientious driver which is a direct reflection of his ‘spotless’ safety record. Kelly will make an excellent representative for Solar Transport and Iowa Motor Truck Association/Iowa Council of Safety Management,” commented Bridget Nixon, Safety Director for Solar Transport.
The Professional Driver of the Year Awards are sponsored by the Iowa Council of Safety Management.
2010 Best of the Best Award Winners Thank You Midwest Wheel Companies for sponsoring these awards.
2010 Midwest Wheel Companies Fleet Maintenance INDIVIDUAL Tim Bazis Argee Transport/JMT Trucking Tyler Polich Barr-Nunn Transportation, Inc. Greg Isenhour CRST International
2010 Midwest Wheel Companies Fleet Maintenance INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR
Randy McClaflin Ruan Transportation Management Systems Charles Heston Wal-Mart Private Fleet Maintenance
Mike Mills Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc. Tim Bazis Rasmussen Group
John Minor – Midwest Wheel Companies, Tim Bazis – Rasmussen Group and Jim Koester – Midwest Wheel Companies
Frank Ancell Ruan Transportation Management Systems
Tim Bazis with the Rasmussen Group was awarded the 2010 Fleet Maintenance Individual of the Year. Tim has been employed for 11 years and is the Service Manager at Rasmussen Group. Tim oversees all the maintenance for company vehicles. Tim is very organized and well liked by his employees. Congratulations Tim, thank you for your dedication to your company’s maintenance operations and your attention to safety.
Tim Bazis – Rasmussen Group Front Row: John Minor – Midwest Wheel Companies, Tyler Polish – Barr-Nunn Transportation, Tim Bazis – Rasmussen Group, Jim Koester – Midwest Wheel Companies Back Row: Randy McClaflin – Ruan Transportation Management System, Charles Heston – Wal-Mart Private Fleet Maintenance, Mike Mills – Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc. Not Pictured: Greg Isenhour – CRST International, Inc., Frank Ancell – Ruan Transportation Management System
2010 Midwest Wheel Companies Fleet Maintenance Company ARGEE Transport/JMT Trucking Barr-Nunn Transportation, Inc. BTI Special Commodities, Inc. CRST International, Inc Fareway Stores, Inc. G.L.E. Trucking, Inc. Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd. Front Row: Jim Koester – Midwest Wheel Companies, Cameron Holzer – CRST International, Inc., Kevin Gass – Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd, Brent Vander Leest – Sully Transport, Inc., John Minor – Midwest Wheel Companies, Tim Bazis – Argee Transport/JMT Trucking, Joe Nixon – BarrNunn Transportation, Inc. Back Row: Ken Fuller – Wal-Mart Private Fleet Maintenance, Travis Hingtgen – Standard Forwarding, LLC, Mike Mills – Stutsman Transportation, Inc., Richard Youngblood – Fareway Stores, Inc., Tom Trusty – BTI Special Commodities, Inc. Not Pictured: GLE Trucking, Inc.
Standard Forwarding Co., Inc. Stutsman Transportation, Inc. Sully Transport, Inc Wal-Mart Private Fleet Maintenance Fall 2010
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2010 Best of the Best Award Winners 2010 Dispatcher of the Year NOMINEES
2010 Road Team MEMBERS The 2010 Road Team has taken time out of their schedules on multiple occasions in the last year to travel across the state to meet with the public and talk about highway safety and trucking issues. The Road Team has assisted with a variety of events including the 2010 Truck Driving Championships, various speaking events at Driver’s Education Classes & Truck Driving Education Classes and they have served as great ambassadors of the trucking industry.
Joseph Steffen - Warren Transport, Inc., Marcus Schneider – CRST Van Expedited, Inc., Betty Naplin – CRST Van Expedited, Inc., Lucas Casper – CRST Van Expedited, Inc., Trina Kenney – BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Monte Rasmussen – Barr-Nunn Transportation, Inc. Not Pictured: Greg Dreyer – Ruan Transportation Management System, Troy Vander Leest – Sully Transport, Inc.
Monte Rasmussen Barr-Nunn Transportation, Inc.
Marcus Schneider CRST Van Expedited, Inc.
Trina Kenney BTI Special Commodities, Inc.
Greg Dreyer Ruan Transportation Management Systems
Lucas Casper CRST Van Expedited, Inc. Betty Naplin CRST Van Expedited, Inc.
Troy Vander Leest Sully Transport, Inc. Joseph Steffen Warren Transport, Inc.
2010 Dispatcher of the Year WINNER Trina Kenney – BTI Special Commodities, Inc.
Front Row: Jim Stinemates – Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC, David Towne – Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC, Glen Frick – Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd., Richard Barre – Con-way Freight, Inc. Back Row: Kelly Richards – WalMart Transportation, LLC, Jimmy McKinney – Solar Transport, James Dacus – Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd., Scott Marnin – Con-way Freight, Inc., Brian Gardner – FedEx Freight
Richard Barre Con-way Freight, Inc.
Jimmy McKinney Solar Transport
Scott Marnin Con-way Freight, Inc.
Kelly Richards Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC
Brian Gardner FedEx Freight
Jim Stinemates Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC
Glen Frick Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd.
David Towne Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC
James Dacus Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd.
Trina Kenney – BTI Special Commodities, Inc.
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Trina Kenney with BTI Special Commodities, Inc. received the 2010 IMTA Dispatcher of the Year Award. Trina has been in the trucking industry for 20 years spending all of those years as a dispatcher with BTI Special Commodities, Inc. Trina is responsible for 43 drivers at BTI Special Commodities, Inc.
Trina’s main job duties include finding freight and dispatching trucks. Dispatchers play an important role in every trucking company and it was felt that these individuals needed to be recognized for the outstanding job they do each and every day. Special thanks to the Iowa Council of Safety Management for sponsoring this awards program.
Thank You Management Conference Attendees ck tor Tru nvention o M a l co ow , the I an annua n continues g n i itio n hold nding trad rs! IMTA e e b s be ha sta e mem ation y they s long Associ reason thi pport by th ns as to wh he e o su yt and th ccessful is iety of reas support b tly su ea ar ng to be rs have a v t the ongoi rence is gr rtunity e o e u f b b n mem his event annual co ven the opp aders t i e e l g attend rship for th ttendee is and IMTA n that t a e n po memb ated. Every on the eve and rely u thank l k ci ly appre de feedbac ery serious s. A specia ith n i v v o i k o t e c r r yw n a to p feedb uture conve an Pat Sto for the t a h t take plan for f nce Chairm mmittee t. e y l even co as the 010 Confer his entire r successfu 2 d he you to ays Inc. an izing anot n W a Motor did in org y e h t job
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Dave Neuwohner – All Seasons Trucking, Inc., and David Riggan – TanTara Transportation Corp. at the golf trophy auction watching the crowd for bids.
Championship Flight - 1st Place Trophy winner Bob Kohlwes, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. Bob and a group of supporters got the top place trophies with a winning bid of $1500.
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Members tried to get a game of golf in at this year’s conference…the rain made that difficult.
L-R: Jim O’Halloran Jr. – O’Halloran International, Lowell Grunwald – Jerico Services, Inc, Dick Dearborn – Cummins Central Power, Mark Olson – Olson Explosives, Inc. enjoyed networking despite the wet conditions.
es pani m o C f the ber o Num ented at e: s c e Repr Conferen 0 201
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Again this year the greatest benefit members feel they receive by attending the Management Conference is great
Hank Brown – J.R.B Target received instruction from the event facilitator and is preparing to shoot.
networking opportunities and knowledge from the gained education sessions offered. Planning has already begun for the Management Conference and we hope that you will all join us at the event.
2011
L-R: Mike Sullivan – Kenworth Mid Iowa, Craig Hansen – Hansen Company, Bob Kohlwes – BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Pat Storey – Motor-Ways and Scott Cirksena – Kenworth Truck Co. Bob and Pat braved the weather to lead a fundraising effort at the 9th Hole.
Clay Shoot Championship Team, Kyle Hoefling – Wilson Trailer Co., Kelly Weaver – Wilson Trailer Co., Doug Huitink – Wilson Trailer Co., Michelle McLean – Barton Solvents, Inc., David Casten – Barton Solvents, Inc.
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Management Conference Dave & Judy Dickey – Harold Dickey Transport and Jan & Dave Towne – Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC enjoy the Chairman’s Cocktail Reception.
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David Riggan – TanTara Transportation, Doug Huitink – Wilson Trailer Co., and Jeff Riggan – TanTara Transportation
Featured speaker Marty Schottenheimer, Brenda Neville – IMTA, and Incoming Chairman Mike Riggan – TanTara Transportation Corp.
Marty Schottenheimer spent some time after his presentation to meet members.
DeAnn Moody – IMTA, Dave Scott – IMTA Lobbyist, Mike Riggan – TanTara Transportation, Brenda Neville – IMTA at the Opening Reception.
Roundtable sessions were repeated three times and gave attendees a chance to gather some very valuable information.
Pam & Pat Storey – Motor-Ways, Inc. Special thanks to Pat for being the chairman of the 2010 IMTA Management Conference, your dedication is appreciated.
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e in” on “writ m m o c t on: Mos suggesti change
“ The
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Award winners were welcomed to the stage at the “Best of the Best” Luncheon by a Marching Band. Outgoing Chairman Bob Kohlwes making closing remarks.
Award winner Jon Osborn – Johnsrud Transport with wife Joan.
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Tammy Michel and 1 Vice Chairman Jeff Wangsness – JMT Trucking Company enjoyed the closing night festivities. st
Dave Dickey – Harold Dickey Transport, Judy Dickey – Harold Dickey Transport, Mike Sullivan – Kenworth Mid Iowa, and Adrian Dickey – Harold Dickey Transport catch up at the welcome reception.
The 2010 Leadership Class was recognized at the Chairman’s Banquet.
ys % f attendees ce. Surve ed: o n ren retur confe , e d h t e eturn ng to ose r hest rati h t f ig -o the h gave
Special Thanks TO THE 2010 IMTA MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE SPONSORS Gold Sponsors
A silent auction on a variety of homemade pies made by Judy Dickey was held as a fundraiser for the Motor Carriers Foundation.
Steve Schuster – Schuster Co. and Kyle Krause – Solar Transport at the annual IMTA Board of Directors helped serve breakfast. Management Conference Chairman Pat Storey with Motor-Ways welcomed the attendees to the conference at the opening breakfast.
Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions Cummins Central Power, LLC Great West Casualty And their affiliated agencies: Donaghy Kempton Insurors Edwards-Brandt & Associates Motor-Ways Inc. Mel Foster Company Inc. Millhiser Smith Agency Inc. Odebolt Insurance Agency LLC Peoples Insurance Agency LTD. Reback Truck Insurance, Inc. Reynolds & Reynolds Inc. Joe Morten and Son, Inc. d.b.a. Motorways, Inc. Midwest Wheel Companies Northland Products Co. Prepass - ACS State & Local Solutions TrueNorth Companies Wellmark Blue Cross / Blue Shield
Silver Sponsors
Dave Nelsen – Freightliner of Des Moines, Inc. enjoys building an ice cream sundae at the Ice Cream Extravaganza.
Caterpillar Dealers of Iowa (Altorfer) Caterpillar Dealers of Iowa (Ziegler CAT) Central Trailer Service Holcomb Freightliner, Inc. JJ Keller & Associates Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales, Inc. Northland Insurance Truck Country Truckers Insurance Wilshire Insurance Wilson Trailer Company
Bronze Sponsors
Boyer Petroleum Carrier Transicold Cedar Rapids Truck Center Cherry Valley Enterprises, Inc. Continental Western Group Cross Dillon Tire, Inc. Des Moines Truck Brokers, Inc. Donaghy-Kempton Insurors Freightliner of Des Moines, Inc. Housby Mack Howe, Cunningham, Lowe & Kelso Law Firm Interstate PowerSystems Iowa 80 Truckstop Iowa City Brake, Inc. Iowa Council of Safety Management Jim Hawk Truck Trailers Kenworth Mid-Iowa Majestic Truck Services McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith P.C. McKenna Truck Center O’Halloran International, Inc. PeopLease Corporation PeopleNet Peterbilt of Sioux City, Council Bluffs & Des Moines Pilot Corporation Quad Cities Peterbilt, Inc. Qualcomm, Inc. Quality Services Corp. Reynolds & Reynolds Sioux City Truck Sales Thermo King Christensen Transport Permits
: one attendee wrote Some interesting feedback “No more tuxedos”, But then another wrote “congrats for keeping the black tie/tuxedo tradition in place. I think it says a lot about our industry and aren’t we deserving of an event that allows us to dress up and celebrate this great industry”. Fall 2010
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Fall 2010
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The Final Word Outgoing Chariman Bob Kohlwes had every intention to give closing remarks at the conference, however, the emotions of the event got the best of him and he simply said “Thank you.” However, his remarks were a poignant reminder of the time, energy and effort that your chairman dedicates to the position so we felt it was appropriate to share the remarks in our final word column...
Transcript of remarks from outgoing Chairman Bob Kohlwes - BTI Special Commodities
To be real honest with you, this is an event that I have not been looking forward to… only because it means that my year of service as the IMTA Board Chairman is coming to a close and I hate to see that happen.
Bob had the opportunity to wave the green flag to start the Great American Stockcar Series Race this summer during the Truck Driving Championships event at the Iowa Speedway.
Not because, I feel as though I am just getting a hang of the job, it is not that at all. Rather, it is because I have enjoyed the past 12 months tremendously and I am suffering withdrawal just thinking about the fact that my term is over. Serving as your Chairman has truly been the most rewarding and satisfying job I have done in a very long time. I remember a year ago thinking about the position and getting a bit nervous at the thought of being able to fulfill the responsibility. I thought about all the people that had served before me and wondered how I would measure up. I thought about
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Mike Riggan – TanTara Transportation, Pat Storey – Motor-Ways, Brenda Neville – IMTA, Tom Latham, Bob Kohlwes – BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Steve Schuster – Schuster Co., Dave Van Wyk – Van Wyk, Inc. at Washington D.C.
all the different aspects of the association and while I felt that I knew a lot about IMTA, I also knew that there was so much I had to learn that it seemed a bit overwhelming. I thought about speaking in front of people and broke out in a cold sweat. I thought about juggling my own trucking company’s priorities as well as IMTA’s priorities and didn’t know if there would be enough hours in the day. And then…. I thought about resigning before I had even accepted the position. However, that was a fleeting thought and never really an option but I wrestled with a lot of self doubts just prior to being elected Chairman of the Board. I would guess every Chairman has struggled with some of those same thoughts so I was a little bit of a wreck a year ago. I am here to tell you that all of those thoughts were quickly put at bay once I accepted the position…and now I am sort of a wreck because it seems like the 12 months have went too quickly. It is always hard to end something that is enjoyable and rewarding so this is tough on me right now. Serving as your Chairman has not only been a tremendous honor but a hell of lot of fun too. I can’t thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to serve in this capacity, it is without doubt one of the highlights of my career in trucking. I could easily stand up here and spend the next hour or two telling you about the experience and sharing with you the numerous highlights I have had over the last year. Some of you would probably remind me that given the challenges our industry was facing last year that this volunteer role was a wonderful diversion to the bad economic times we faced over the last 12 months.
AND I would probably have to agree wholeheartedly. It was an excellent diversion and an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. Brenda recently asked me what the highlight of my year was and I couldn’t really give her an answer because there were way more than one. I especially enjoyed working up at the Capitol. We had a variety of challenging legislative issues this year and I had the unique opportunity to weigh in on several of them. Being a part of passing the antiindemnification legislation was way cool and fighting the unexpected weight legislation was equally cool. If you would have asked me to predict in January that the only thing that was passed during this past session that could be considered a “negative” was an intra state weight bill, I would have told you that you were crazy. The fact that we held off all those LABOR BILLS for three sessions is nothing short of a miracle, not to mention a biodiesel mandate and lots of other bad BUSINESS Legislation. I remember being crammed into a committee room rubbing elbows with a union thug and amazingly we were both on the same page when it came to opposing mandates. I will never forget that moment and realizing the true value of the legislative process. I took part in numerous meetings with legislators, regulators and others on issues that impacted trucking and will always know that I had played an important role in the process….and enjoyed every minute of it. I learned that our opinion really does matter and saw firsthand the respect that our industry and our association get at
The Final Word the Capitol. That respect is something that we have earned over the years for being an honest, sincere and effective advocate for the trucking industry. And I was lucky enough to be an active participant this past legislative session as your Chairman and it was awesome. I will tell you, I was always very proud to say I was a trucker and a member of the Iowa Motor Truck Association. I am even more proud of that fact as I stand up here tonight, knowing what I now know about this great organization. It is an experience I will always cherish. My experiences at the Capitol also reminded me that our primary mission as an association is to be that voice, that force at the Capitol. As a member for the past 20 years, I always knew that to be our primary objective but experiencing it in the manner that I did over the past year really brought it into perspective and underscored the value of our association at the Capitol. Being an advocate is more than just talking to legislators, our advocacy efforts expand to regulators as well. I became very
familiar with all the regulatory agencies that impact our livelihood and we are constantly working with these folks too. It is much more than just the DOT… everyone is after us…the DNR, the Department of Labor, OSHA, EPA…the list goes on and on and we are everywhere, questioning everything and representing the industry. I was privileged to be a part of that representation over the last year and again, the lessons I learned and the memories I created will be with me forever.
Front Row: Brenda Neville – IMTA, Bob Kohlwes – BTI Special Commodities, Inc. Back Row: Mark Zieman – Cherry Valley Enterprises, Jeff Wangsness – JMT Trucking Company, George Crouse – Crouse Transportation Services, LLC
And finally, the other highlight was just fulfilling the role of your chairman…which means that I got to attend a lot of events and meet a lot of the members. I don’t know how many miles Brenda and I put on this past 12 months but it was A LOT. We traveled to almost every corner of this state and met with members that I didn’t even know and believe me for as long as I have been in this industry, I know a lot of people. It was very rewarding to get acquainted with so many different members and it was fun to go out to their operations and simply talk about trucking.
From that experience, I have learned that there are a lot of great people in this industry and like me, they share Mark Zieman – Cherry Valley Enterprises, Governor Terry Branstad, Bob the same passion for Kohlwes – BTI Special Commodities, Inc. at the 2009 Board of Directors this crazy industry meeting where Governor Branstad announced his intentions to run for called TRUCKING. Governor. There are days, I am not sure WHY we share this passion given the continual challenges we face, but there is something about this business…once it is in our blood, it is there to stay. I have made a lot of new friends as a result of these travels and I can’t thank you enough for this Bob Kohlwes – BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Steve Schuster – Schuster Co., opportunity. Brenda Neville – IMTA, Dave Van Wyk – Van Wyk, Inc., Brenda Dittmer – Weinrich Truck Lines
I don’t want to see this all end but as a result of this role, I feel as though I will be an even better member in the future. Knowing the people, the staff and the inner workings of our association will enable me to continue to serve in an even more effective manner and I intend to do just that. I would like to take this opportunity to thank some important people that provided valuable support over the past year. Of course my family and my employees deserve a ton of recognition. I did A LOT of IMTA work over the past year and that took me away from my family and the office…I couldn’t have done this without your support so THANK YOU. I would also like to thank the IMTA staff, they made it a very easy job and always made me look very GOOD. So Thank You to them as well. I had told Brenda at the onset of my term that I wanted to be the “Best Chairman” she had ever worked with over the last 23 years and while I am sure she tells everyone that they were the BEST… I certainly hope that I met all of your expectations and was the BEST that I could be. So my final THANK YOU goes out to you…the members for allowing me the opportunity to serve in this capacity over the last year. Having the opportunity to represent an industry that I am so passionate about, was truly an amazing experience…and for that, I will be eternally grateful….so Thank You very much.
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