2013 Lifeliner Magazine (Issue 3) by Iowa Motor Truck Association

Lifeliner IOWA MOTOR TRUCK ASSOCIATION Issue 3, 2013

Hours

Service

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In this Issue

IMTA Staff Brenda Neville, CAE

Carrier Spotlight: Slabaugh Trucking Inc.

President

Don Egli

Director of Safety and Security

DeAnn Moody Office Manager

Phillip Nicolino

Marketing Manager

Mike Spalla

Membership Manager

Janelle Stevens

Events/Education Manager

Brook Roberts

Administrative Assistant

Truck Driving Championships

Articles Chairmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message..........................4-5 Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message............................... 7 Foundation/Scholarship Recap............8-9 Hours of Service Update..................10-11 Golf Outing Recap..........................12-13 Golf Outing Sponsors............................ 14 Carrier Spotlight Slaubaugh Trucking Inc. .................16-18 Annual Victory Tour.............................. 20 Legal Update....................................... 21 Feature Article - Hours of Service ..........................22-26 Members in the News.....................28-29 Truck Driving Championships...........30-38 Membership Update............................ 39

Hours of Service

Our Supporters Great West Casualty...................... 2 Boyer Petroleum..........................4-5 Donaghy-Kempton Insurors............ 6 Quality Services Corp..................... 6 Central Trailer Service.................... 6 Northland Insurance.................... 11 JJ Keller....................................... 15 PrePass........................................ 15

Iowa Truck Services...................... 19 Cornerstone Sponsors.................. 27 Inland Truck Parts/Ziegler............. 35 Altorfer........................................ 40 Truck Country.............................. 41 Hawkeye International Truck......... 43 Midwest Wheel Companies............. 44

Final Word.......................................... 42 Winter 2012

Lifeliner

Chairmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message Steve Schuster, Schuster Company

Steve Schuster IMTA Chairman of the Board

As we are preparing for this issue of the Lifeliner, the calendar is well into July and once again, the trucking industry is facing a major change. As of July 1st, the new Hours of Service rules went into effect.

As with any change, there are a growing number of concerns, complaints and challenges to these new rules. Despite

several different efforts and attempts to stop the implementation of these rules by various groups, including ATA, TCA and virtually every state trucking association, the landscape on which the trucking industry will be operating has changed yet again. Trucking operations are doing everything they can to make a smooth transition to accommodate the new regulations but the reality is that the new rules are going to have a big impact on every single trucking company regardless of their size. I think it is fair to say that the only real fatigue that the drivers are feeling at this point, is fatigue created because everything is continually changing for

I have come to the realization that staying informed, educated and taking a pro-active approach is essential to the success of our trucking company.

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them and it is exhausting for anyone to constantly be dealing with changes, uncertainty and the burden of ongoing regulations for the industry. Even regulatory officials at all levels have privately criticized the new rules and in most states, active enforcement of the new HOS rules is still weeks away. But that is of no comfort to the men and women behind the wheel of the trucks that are doing the best they can to deliver the load within the parameters of the new hours of service rules, or to others in the company that are still trying to determine the long term impact on the new regulations. Undoubtedly in most cases, additional drivers and equipment may be the only way to work within these new parameters and for some companies that is simply not a viable solution. As someone that has been in trucking my entire life, these ongoing changes in the

Chairman’s Message industry has certainly caused its share of sleepless nights. I remember the days when trucking was really a pretty simple business. Our number one priority always has been and always will be to deliver that load safely and on time. Often times I relied on my gut feeling when it came to hiring a good driver and that isn’t feasible today. Slowly over time, my company grew and continues to offer a good living to me and all the employees here at Schuster Trucking. Today however, trucking is much more complicated and because of the world we are now living and working in, the list of “concerns” and “compliance priorities” at a trucking company is very long and grows longer on a daily basis. As a strong proponent of capitalism it is very difficult for me to deal with the government constantly telling me how to run my business and even worse,

interjecting itself into so many aspects of my business as well. But I have come to realize that “this is….. what it is” and the choice to get into trucking was entirely my own. So like all of you, I deal with it and make sure I surround myself with managers, employees and drivers that deal with it as well. I am not always happy about it, but at the end of the day, trucking is my livelihood. I am proud to be a second generation trucking owner and proud of what I have built up over the years. And because of that pride, I know that in order to keep this company around long enough to maybe pass it on to my son or the employees…I will need to do what is required to be in compliance and keep the trucks rolling. I have come to the realization that staying informed, educated and taking a pro-

active approach is essential to the success of our trucking company. I hope you understand those basic concepts as well. I rely on IMTA and other organizations and professionals to help me in those efforts. And as things continue to change, my reliance on IMTA grows even stronger so during this time of yet another major change, I encourage you to call on IMTA to help you get through it and to offer the support and help that you need. Like all of us, IMTA takes great pride in helping its members and supporting the membership is their livelihood. Take advantage of your membership dues and call them with any questions or concerns you have. Thanks for all your support and continued success and good luck as you implement the new HOS rules into your operations.

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President’s Message Brenda Neville, Iowa Motor Truck Association

Trucks Bring it Home!

It has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? It is a great slogan because it was created by some of Brenda Neville IMTA President Iowa’s finest professional truck drivers. Who better than the professional men and women behind the wheel of trucks to come up with an impactful theme for the trucking industry? As a part of our 2013 championship event, we kicked off our activities by bringing all the competitors together for a little brainstorming session. Over the years, I am stopped throughout the Championships by a driver with an idea, a thought or a suggestion… and too often, by the time the event is over, I have forgotten this valuable input. As a result of that, we decided that we needed to tap in on the ideas of the drivers and a 90 minute session was added to the official 2013 Championships schedule.

Everything we do at IMTA is based on the feedback that we get from the membership. We put the drivers into small groups and asked them to come up with a theme that we could use to build an image and public relations campaign for the upcoming year. Almost 100 drivers participated and in over 80% of the surveys that came back to us, the drivers cited this as one of their most favorite aspects of the event. The drivers appreciated the time with other

professionals but even more importantly, they appreciated being heard and having some input in something as important as an image and PR campaign for Iowa’s trucking industry.

Who doesn’t want to be heard?

A valuable quote serves as my guide as I am dealing with people on a daily basis. The quote comes from Diogenes Laertius, a biographer of the Greek philosophers, “we have two ears and only one tongue in order that we may hear more and speak less.” Listening to someone, hearing what they have to say and then taking action on what you heard is one of the best ways you can show respect. Listening is paramount to every action we take at IMTA. We take great pride in listening to your concerns, your complaints, your suggestions, your frustrations and your ideas. We aren’t always going to be in agreement nor can we implement every new idea that comes our way, but we always take your comments very seriously and we always take the time to listen to the members. For the past two years, we listened to you as you expressed your frustration and your concerns with a number of the proposed regulations. Through this listening, IMTA leaders developed a strong indication of where Iowa’s trucking industry stood in regard to the proposed Hours of Service rules. Your grave concerns translated into letters, white papers, testimony, presentations and countless conversations expressing our dissatisfaction with the proposed rules.

regulators in Washington didn’t do a very good job of listening now did they? Everything we do at IMTA is based on the feedback that we get from the membership. We are constantly reaching out to the members to gain an understanding of what is impacting their ability to run a profitable operation. With this feedback, we try to develop strategies, programs and efforts that help and assist the membership in a valuable and meaningful way. We all can improve our listening skills and your IMTA staff is always working on ways to serve you better. We urge you to continue to reach to out to us with your concerns, ideas and thoughts. And in return, we hope you are as equally committed to listening to what we are saying on your behalf as well. We continue to have many big challenges on the horizon and IMTA will continue to make every effort to do everything we can to help you be successful in today’s ever changing environment, but we are all in this together. Now if only that same commitment to listening could take place within the many different levels of the government that we must deal with on a regular basis. In some cases a quote from John Wayne summarizes the environment in which we are facing; “too many people are short on ears and long on mouth.” Please don’t hesitate to give us a call, we are always listening.

These same concerns were presented at a number of different hearings in front of federal officials, congressman, state legislators and the media. Our opposition and the strategies we used to convey our concern with the proposed rules mirrored what was being done by every other state trucking association and we were hopeful this would make an impact. However the bureaucrats and

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Investing in the Future Iowa Motor Carriers Foundation

Investing in the Future of Iowa Several Iowans pursuing higher education received a welcome financial boost when they got word that they would be receiving a scholarship from the Iowa Motor Carriers Foundation. The Foundation awarded 11 scholarships to another fine group of individuals that will be enrolling in an Iowa College or University this fall. “It is such an honor to be a part of this process and as always we received a number of outstanding applications, in fact we broke all previous records this year with over 80 applications,” said Foundation Chairman, Murry Fitzer with Florilli Transportation. Scholarship applications are available beginning on January 1st of each year and the deadline to have the applications back into the IMTA office is March 15th. After the deadline a selection committee reviews all applications and makes their recommendations. The first selection committee is comprised of IMTA members. This year’s selection committee was Kevin Gass, PDI, Inc., Jack Sawyer, Des Moines Transportation Company, Carl Schwab, Freightliner of Des Moines, Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Mike Sullivan, Kenworth Mid-Iowa, Bridget Nixon, Solar Transport and Adrian Dickey, Harold Dickey Transport. A second selection committee comprised of non-IMTA members also reviews the applications and then the combined results of both committees determine the final list of winners. “We are pleased that each year the number applications increase, this means that our promotional and awareness activities specific to the foundation are working. Plus, I think college students at all levels are much more aggressive at finding sources of funding. We are also grateful that over the last several years, we have also been able to raise additional money and secure additional endowments for the scholarship program,” said IMTA President & CEO Brenda Neville. One of the Foundation’s biggest fundraisers is held in conjunction with the IMTA Management Conference. The PAC Auction has continued to grow each year and this year it once again promises to be not only a great fundraiser, but a lot of fun for all the participants.

Scholarship Presentation – June 27, 2013

Amhof Trucking Company – Eldridge, IA. Pictured L to R: Roger Amhof - IMTA Board Member/Amhof Trucking Company, Pat Storey - Motor-Ways, Inc., Austin Smith - scholarship recipient, Sharon & Mike Smith - Parents, Randy Amhof Amhof Trucking

IMTA Scholarship Presentation – May 5, 2013 Eddyville Blakesburg Freemont High School - Eddyville, IA. Pictured L to R: Adrian Dickey - Dickey Transport, Danielle Noe - scholarship recipient

IMTA Scholarship Presentation – June 19, 2013

Iowa Motor Truck Association Headquarters – Des Moines, IA. Pictured L to R: John Minor, Midwest Wheel Companies/Scholarship Representative, Alek Breckenridge, scholarship recipient. A total of six scholarships were awarded at this presentation.

Endowing a scholarship in the name of a loved one is always a great way to create a lasting legacy in their name. If you are an IMTA member that is interested learning more about establishing an endowed scholarship, contact the IMTA office (515)244-5193.

IMTA Scholarship Presentation – June 21, 2013

Decker Truck Line – Fort Dodge, IA. Pictured L to R: Don Decker, President & CEO of Decker Truck Line/IMTA Board member, Brenda Neville, President & CEO of Iowa Motor Truck Association, Taylor O’Tool, scholarship recipient, Tammy & Tim O’Tool, parents. A total of three scholarships were awarded at this presentation.

Lifeliner

Investing in the Future

Evan Blackwell

Greg Boer

Katlyn Kahler

Danielle Noe

Kathleen Donnelly

Alek Breckenridge

Austin Smith

Taylor O’Tool

Khrystyne Elsberry

Colton Kingsley

• Waukee, Iowa • Attending Iowa State University • Major: Engineering • Bob Bannister Memorial Scholarship

• Fort Dodge, Iowa • Attending Coe College • Major: Pre-Med • L.W. “Verne” Simpson Memorial Scholarship

• Boone, Iowa • Attending DMACC – Boone Campus • Major: Elementary Education • Towing & Recovery Professionals of Iowa Scholarship

• Boyden, Iowa • Attending Northwest Community College • Major: Diesel Technician • Cummins Central Power Diesel Scholarship

• Monroe, Iowa • Attending Iowa State University • Major: Mechanical Engineering • Midwest Wheel Companies Scholarship

• Cambridge, Iowa • Attending Iowa State University • Major: Animal Science & Ag Business • Darryl Mason Memorial Scholarship

• DeWitt, Iowa • Attending Coe College • Major: Undecided • Motor-Ways, Inc. Scholarship

• Ottumwa, Iowa • Attending the University of Northern Iowa • Major: Sociology or Social Work • Harold Dickey Memorial Scholarship

Derrick Smith

• Des Moines, Iowa • Attending Iowa State University • Major: Athletic Training & Kinesiology • Iowa Council of Safety Management Scholarship

• Iowa City, Iowa • Attending the University of Iowa • Major: School Counseling • Paul Crouse Memorial Scholarship

• Waverly, Iowa • Attending DMACC – Ankeny Campus • Major: Diesel Mechanic • Ziegler/Caterpillar Diesel Scholarship

Lifeliner

Safety Update Hours of Service Changes Now a Reality

Now that we are past the July 1 implementation date of the new Hours-ofService rules, their effect on the trucking industry is no longer Don Egli, CDS speculation. IMTA Director of Safety Carriers are now beginning to measure the true effect that the changes have on their trucking operations. Up until this point, we as an industry had very strong feelings and speculation

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on what the new rules would do to the industry. But now that we are actually subject to the new rules, we will have hard data on their effect on our trucking operations. These new changes are probably the most controversial changes to come along in a long time. The industry cannot understand why the changes were necessary, when trucking has continued to improve on the reduction of truck-related fatality crashes. While we may or may not like them, we are a resilient and resourceful industry and we will take the new regulations and adapt our operations to make them work as best we can. Well publicized already, the biggest change in the hours-of-service regulations is the required 34-hour restart provision, which mandates a driver’s break must be a minimum of 34 hours and must include two periods of 1-5a.m. The Federal Motor Carrier Saftey Administation estimated that this change would only affect 15 percent of drivers. We believe that estimate is far too low, considering that a lot of drivers often get home early on Saturday morning and need to leave on Sunday afternoon in order to arrive at their next delivery on Monday morning. Although it is still too early to tell, it is estimated that the rule changes will cut carrier productivity by at least 14 percent.

How the changes in the 34-hour restart affect a carrier vary greatly, depending on the type of operation. Over-the-road fleets that have drivers on the road for several weeks at a time could be the most affected, but the changes will also greatly affect local fleets as well. I know of several local or regional operations that were using a restart two times per week in order to effectively service their customers. Drivers were off on the weekend and Tuesday night through Thursday morning, so the twice per week reset was routine. Drivers were not working more than 60 hours in seven days. This worked well for their operation, and driver fatigue was not an issue, but they have had to drastically change their operational and delivery practices due to the changes. The second biggest change is the 30-minute break requirement. There have been many misinterpretations concerning this rule. The rule is pretty simple, if it is read correctly. The rule states that a driver may not DRIVE if it has been more than eight hours since his/ her last break of at least 30 minutes. One of the misconceptions of this new rule has been that the break is required after eight hours of driving. The rule doesn’t say that. It says that the break must be taken before driving, if it has been more than eight hours since their last break. That’s eight hours since the driver started working, not since they started driving. It has been reported that the 30-minute break requirement will be hard to enforce, since a driver stopped on a roadside inspection will have probably logged a 30-minute break at one of their stops and how does the officer prove or refute that. But we must remember that the break must be taken. One of the questions we presented to Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance was: “What type of enforcement action will a driver be subject to if they are stopped at a roadside inspection and are in violation of the 30-minute break requirement?” We wanted to know if a driver would be simply written up for a violation of Part 395, if they would be placed out of service for 30 minutes, for 10 hours or for

Safety Update 34 hours. (The last of which we doubted would happen). According to CVSA, this question had not been addressed by the FMCSA or CVSA at that point. The response we received, however, did specify that the driver would not be placed out of service for a violation of the 30-minute break requirement. CVSA will address this in more detail in their September meeting in Denver. Although we are still in the early stages of the new rules, the important thing to remember is that these changes will have an effect on your drivers and on your operation. The new revisions will require carriers to make choices on how they will change their operations to adapt to the new rules. Some of these choices could include changing their level of service to their customers, changes in their operational procedures or whether

We are a resilient and resourceful industry and we will take the new regulations and adapt our operations to make them work as best we can.

or not to hire additional drivers in order to maintain the level of service required by their customers. We are still awaiting the court decision on whether these rules should be retained. No matter what the court rules, though, one thing is certain: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re confident that the hours-of-service issue will not be laid to rest anytime soon. Both sides have a stake in hours-of-service and, no matter what the outcome of the court decision, one side of the lawsuit will not be happy with the outcome.

improve the safety and regulatory compliance of our operations. We will continue to deliver products Americans need in the safest, most efficient way possible. And we will deliver them on time. After all, we are professional truckers.

But keep in mind that we as an industry have proven that we will continue to

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Northland is a proud member and supporter of the Iowa Motor Truck Association.

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6/4/13 2:29 PM

Lifeliner

Annual PAC Golf Outing Annual Spring Golf Outing Raises over

$17,000 for Truck PAC Iowa! Truck PAC Iowa Spring Golf Outing

Despite being christened by a rain shower early on in the day, the majority of the 108 registered golfers braved the conditions to raise over $17,000 for Truck PAC Iowa. These IMTA members once again showed that the Truck PAC Iowa Golf Outing is the largest fundraiser for IMTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political action committee. The event was once again held at the Legacy Golf Course in Norwalk which continually assists in the success of this fundraiser. A special thank you to Clark Bannister, Gatr Truck Center, and Joel Donaghy, Donaghy-Kempton Insurors, for serving as the chairs of this annual event. Thanks also to the following individuals who volunteered their time to the fundraising efforts through the special contests throughout the day: First Vice Chairman, Ralph Arthur with Ruan Transportation Management Systems, Dave Nelsen with Freightliner of Des Moines, Inc., Charlie Williams with Boyer Petroleum Company, Bob Kohlwes with BTI Special Commodities, Inc., Mike Bagg with Central Trailer Service, Ltd., Brenda & Barry Dittmer with Weinrich Truck Lines and Mark Olson with Olson Explosives, Inc. This annual spring tradition attracts golfers of all levels but more importantly gets IMTA members the opportunity to get out and see one another while raising money for a good cause. A special thank you to everyone who participated and supported this outing in one way or another.

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1st

Championship Flight - 2nd Place Steve Hodges - Housby / VOCON Jared Modlin - VOCON Auctions Gary Johnson - Oldcastle Materials Randy Carlson - VOCON Auctions

3rd

Championship Flight - 3rd Place Clark Bannister - Gatr Truck Center of Des Moines Jeff Schroder - Gatr Truck Center of Des Moines David Irving - Gatr Truck Center of Des Moines George Deer - Gatr Truck Center of Des Moines

Championship Flight - 1st Place Delwin Van Wyk - Interstate PowerSystems Greg Ollinger - Manattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inc. Andy Weddle - Interstate PowerSystems Wade Beck - Rasmussen Group, Inc.

2nd

Annual PAC Golf Outing Winners First Flight - 1st Place Pat Monahan - Navistar Capital Cheri Pope - Hawkeye International Trucks Tom McLaughlin - Hawkeye International Trucks Mark Noonan - Hawkeye International Trucks

Second Flight - 1st Place Ellis Smith - Cummins Central Power, LLC Dick Dearborn - Cummins Central Power, LLC Mark Olson - Olson Explosives Inc. Lowell Grunwald - Olson Explosives Inc.

First Flight - 2nd Place Jeff Baedke - Truck Country Tim Kovacevich - Bridgestone Commercial Solutions Dennis Coots - Sears Manufacturing Co.

Second Flight â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2nd Place Bill Bailey - Central Trailer Service, Ltd. Brad Bailey - Central Trailer Service, Ltd. Randy Frisk - Central Trailer Service, Ltd. Kenny Niece - Niece Trucking, Inc.

First Flight - 3rd Place Scott Cirksena - Kenworth Truck Co. Scott Ferris - Kenworth Mid-Iowa, Inc. Jeff Welch - Green Products Company Deano Dean - Basic Materials Corp.

Putting Contest 1st Place Brad Bailey - Central Trailer Service, Ltd. 2nd Place Pat Bishop - Boyer Petroleum Co. 3rd Place John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Halloran - Quality Services Corp.

Second Flight - 3rd Place Kelly Iversen - Jim Hawk Truck-Trailers, Inc. Tom Norcross - Jim Hawk Truck-Trailers, Inc. Mark Quick - Brown Nationalease

Enjoying themselves at the Truck PAC Iowa outing are Jim Koester, Jerry Bender and Andy Weddle. Taking cover from the rain, Clark Bannister, Randy Frisk and Bill Bailey capture a moment with IMTA President Brenda Neville.

Alan Stillmunkes, Doug Wilson, Steve Swank and George Deer prepare themselves for the rainy start to the outing.

Despite being drenched from the rain, Jack Sawyer and Mer Mullen managed to have a good time at the outing.

Dave Nelsen and Charlie Williams encourage Mike Sullivan to purchase the all-important mulligans for his foursome.

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Truck PAC Iowa Spring Golf Outing

• Sponsors • Boyer Petroleum Bridgestone Commercial Solutions Central Trailer Service, Ltd. Cross-Dillon Tire, Inc. / Bridgestone-Firestone Cornhusker International Trucks Cummins Central Power, LLC Des Moines Truck Brokers Donaghy - Kempton Insurors Freightliner of Des Moines, Inc. Gatr Truck Center GE Capital Solutions Transportation Finance Hawkeye International Trucks HireRight DAC Trucking Housby/VOCON Iowa Council of Safety Management Interstate PowerSystems Jim Hawk Truck-Trailers , Inc. Joe Morten and Son, Inc. d.b.a. Motor-Ways J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. Keck Energy Kenworth Mid-Iowa Majestic Truck Center McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith, P.C. Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales Midwest Wheel Companies O’Halloran International, Inc. Peterbilt of Des Moines, Sioux City & Council Bluffs Quality Services Corp Reynolds & Reynolds, Inc. Schuster Co. Tarbell & Co., P.L.C Thermo King Christensen Transport Permits Transportation Alliance Bank Truck Country Truckers Insurance Associates Twin Bridges Truck City Wilson Trailer 14

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Lifeliner

Carrier Spotlight

Slabaugh Trucking, Inc. Kalona, Iowa

In 1984,the Los Angeles Raiders were the Super Bowl Champions and the Detroit Tigers won the World Series. Dell Computers also became a household name when a new and very unique marketing approach was launched. Instead of focusing on the high-end consumers Dell targeted small businesses and households and quickly became a leader in the computer sales. That same year a very popular phrase was coined by the Wendy’s restaurants. “Where’s the Beef” became a worldwide phenomena and continues to be one of the most popular one-liners yet today. That same year, Dave and Marge Slabaugh also started a small trucking company that not only found the beef but continues to be a highly respected livestock hauler yet today. Located in Kalona, Iowa, Slabaugh Trucking started with a gooseneck trailer and a pickup truck specializing in the hauling of livestock. From the moment they opened their doors, the Slabaughs made it a priority to be a highly reputable business. The prevailing philosophy that guided them from the minute they started remains yet today and that is to be an operation that is known for being neat, clean, professional and always on time. In the livestock business, those attributes are challenging to maintain but Slabaugh Trucking has always made those a top priority. “We have always worked very hard to have a good reputation within the livestock hauling business and I am very proud of the reputation we have earned. Our drivers are the ones that have really helped us get that reputation. They all make it their responsibility to maintain

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the high standards we require and help us keep a very positive image,” said Mer Slabaugh. Dave and Marge Slabaugh started the company in 1984. Working out of the family home in Kalona, the couple knew they could be successful in the trucking business. They knew what they were doing and they were more than willing to put in the work required to make it a success. “From the minute they started the company, mom and dad were willing to put in the blood, sweat and tears that were needed to make it a success. They worked very hard and always did whatever they could to keep the customers coming back,” said Mer. In the beginning, it was challenging as they secured loads from multiple sources and quickly learned to juggle many different things at one time. With livestock hauling there is not a lot of room for error which can often lead to

time delays and many long days were put in by every employee. Dave and Marge both played very important and distinctive roles in the early days and their ability to work with one another and the complimenting skills they both brought to the company, made it a success from the beginning. “They were both very dedicated to the company, the customers, the employees and the drivers. They made sure they took care of everyone the best they possibly could and treated everyone the way they would want to be treated,” continued Mer.

Carrier Spotlight “We have always worked very hard to have a good reputation within the livestock hauling business and I am very proud of the reputation we have earned.

In 2004, Dave passed away and Marge continued to work in the company but son Mer eventually took over the main operations. With many of his father’s lessons in his playbook, Mer gradually implemented a plan to expand the operation. Today they have 9 company trucks and 6 owner operators. The business was started on the family farm and remains there yet today. Nestled in the beautiful countryside of Kalona, Slabaugh Trucking is one of those rare operations that despite tremendous success, has never lost its roots. Several of the key employees have been with the company since the beginning or short thereafter. Two employees over 15 years, five employees over 10 years

and nine employees over five years. The company employs 22 people in total and is each of them play an important and valued role. “Our employees and drivers are without question a big reason we have been able to grow and be successful. They are really good employees and it is a pleasure to work with all of them,” said Mer. As part of the plan to expand and grow, the company added a very unique wash bay to the operation. Being a neat and clean carrier in the livestock business is a huge advantage and Slabaugh Trucking realized that the one way they could really show their commitment to that philosophy is to invest heavily in a wash bay.

Slabaugh installed the Biodry system, one of only 2 in the state of Iowa. This was a sizeable investment and offers the unique quality that implements a drying system that removes impurities between each load and has been the best investment they company could have ever made. “We knew it would be a very big investment especially since there are only 2 in the state of Iowa, but it was very important to us to maintain a clean and neat environment with our trucks. We knew that in this business that was a very big deal and we wanted to do everything we could to ensure we were the best. From the minute we installed the system we were busy and we have been busy ever since. The investment has certainly paid off,” said Mer.

Winter 2012

Lifeliner

Carrier Spotlight Like anyone in the trucking industry, the changes in the regulatory environment have been the biggest challenge for the operation. While a livestock carrier is subjected to the same regulations, there are some unique aspects of the operation that can make it even more challenging from time to time. Any livestock carrier that is stopped by enforcement while inroute with a load of livestock is dealing with some very sensitive issues. If it is a hot day, the load simply cannot sit on the side of the road for very long without jeopardizing a number of things so being compliant is always a top priority. “Our loads are very time sensitive so it is critical that we take every step to be in compliance to prevent any stops by enforcement along the way. We are always trying to stay on top of all the regulations and remain prepared for anything,” said Mer. Slabaugh Trucking has been a member of the association for many years.

Mer’s father Dave was very active in the livestock division of the IMTA which existed many years ago. As a result of his involvement in that division, Mer gained an understanding and appreciation of the value of the association’s work at the Capitol. “I rely on IMTA to take care of things at the legislative level and also to keep me informed on the safety and compliance issues that I need to be aware of. I don’t have enough time in the day to be on top of all of that stuff all the time. I need IMTA to do that and figure that is money well spent, “said Mer.

Mer is concerned about the EOBRs and the new Hours of Service Regulations. He is hopeful that the HOS rules will be restored back to the way they were but isn’t holding his breath. “The one thing you can always count on in the trucking business is that things will always be changing. How you adapt to that change determines how long you last in this business…and I am very hopeful that we will be around for a very long time.”

Mer also cites his relationship with Motor-Ways and Great West Casualty as another reason he is successful. Slabaugh is committed to running safe and compliant operation and have the Great West plaques recognizing their accident free miles to back up that commitment.

“Our employees and drivers are without question a big reason we have been able to grow and be successful,” said Mer.

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Winter 2012

CSA MANAGEMENT & TRAINING WHY PRESS YOUR LUCK WHEN BUSINESS IS ALL ABOUT TRUCKS WHAT IS CSA MANAGEMENT & TRAINING? We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t provide assistance with CSA just to offer an understanding of the FMCSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety measurement system. For the IMTA, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about giving your operation tools to properly manage it and overcome its pitfalls. Company processes and procedures will be fully reviewed in a manner that will help LGHQWLI\ GHÂżFLHQFLHV DQG OHDG WR WKH FUHDWLRQ RI D FRUUHFWLYH DFWLRQ SODQ

A Cut Above All the Rest Leave Nothing to Chance

Why HOW WILL THIS HELP MY OPERATION LONG-TERM? The IMTA works with carriers to examine their policies, procedures and reFRUGV WR PDNH FHUWDLQ WKH\ PHHW LQGXVWU\ VWDQGDUGV 7KLV FUHDWHV HIÂżFLHQFLHV for the trucking company and its employees while minimizing the threat of an intervention from the FMCSA. While it does not eliminate a potential FMCSA UHYLHZ RU LQVSHFWLRQ IURP DQRWKHU JRYHUQPHQW DJHQF\ LW ZLOO VLJQLÂżFDQWO\ reduce the stress of one because the IMTA will have already thoroughly studied the carrier to help identify strengths and weaknesses to improve.

WHO PERFORMS THE WORK? Don Egli is the IMTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full-time director of safety who performs services such as CSA training and corrective action planning. He has been employed by the IMTA since 2005 and has over 30 years of experience in trucking as a driver, operations manager and safety VSHFLDOLVW Âą DPRQJ RWKHU UROHV (JOL LV D &HUWLÂżHG 'LUHFWRU of Safety and has assisted more than 100 members and non-members of the IMTA increase productivity while decreasing risks and threats to their operations.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH CSA? Actual price is negotiated based on the amount of work involved as it is recommended by the IMTA and accepted by the carrier. Some factors include time, degree of seriousness and whether communication with a regulatory agency is required.

IMTA

Having helped more than 115 carriers since 2009, the IMTA has positioned itself as the most trusted partner in a trucking companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to stay compliant. The success carriers have experienced through the years speaks to how XQLTXHO\ TXDOLÂżHG WKH ,RZD 0RWRU 7UXFN Association is to provide CSA training and corrective action planning. What sets the IMTA apart? Â&#x2021; Understanding and knowledge of the trucking industry Â&#x2021; Presence as an industry advocate Â&#x2021; Good, long-standing relationships with the FMCSA and Iowa DOT Â&#x2021; An experienced and trusted safety director on staff Considering todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regulatory climate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with CSA being such a prevelant force in the industry as more and more brokers and insurance companies are taking notice of carriersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; safety ratings and BASIC scores â&#x20AC;&#x201C; now is the time to call the IMTA.

Iowa Motor Truck Association 717 East Court Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 515.244-5193 (p) É&#x2020; 515.244-2204 (f) É&#x2020; imta@iowamotortruck.com www.iowamotortruck.com É&#x2020; www.iowatruckservices.com

Winter 2012

Lifeliner

Annual Victory Tour Annual Victory Tour Held in June – More Dollars Raised for PAC IMTA members gathered once again for the annual PAC Victory Tour. Bob Kohlwes, BTI Special Commodities and Pat Storey with Motor-Ways, Inc. served as this year’s event chairs and did an excellent job of creating a route throughout Central Iowa.

Motorcycles, vintage and classic cars and a beautiful motor home meandered through the Iowa country side all in an effort to raise money for TRUCK PAC IOWA. The group started their adventure in Kellogg, Iowa and ended the day at Elkhart. A special thanks to Kenny Niece, Niece Trucking who provided the motor home that followed all the riders and was the official “sag wagon” of the event. The motor home also served as the official registration site and was an excellent wind breaker. Even though the event was held in June it was more reminiscent of a day in April. The group enjoyed several stops along the way which provided time to network and socialize. Participants came from across the state and once again raised over $2500 for the PAC.

The entire group at the first stop.

Kenny Niece - Niece Trucking, Pat Storey - MotorWays, Inc., Scott Ferris - Kenworth Mid-Iowa, Brian Jensen - Niece Trucking

Adrian Dickey - Dickey Transport, Dan Hammes, Dennis Thompson & Travis Thompson - Hawkeye International

A special thanks to everyone who participated and the event was again a safe and successful way to bring IMTA members together. Classic and vintage cars and the motor home provided by Kenny Niece always add to the event.

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Winter 2012

Legal Update Rick Howe serves as managing partner of Howe, Cunningham, Lowe & Kelso Law Firm in Des Moines. He has been involved in transportation for 30 years after beginning his career as executive director of the Iowa Reciprocity Board, which was the commercial vehicle licensing agency in Iowa. Howe has written for numerous trucking publications and has served as an expert witness in litigation involving transportation issues. An interesting and surprising decision was issued by the United States District Court for the District of Utah. The decision was subsequently appealed to Rick Howe the United Howe, Cunningham, Lowe States Court & Kelso, PLC of Appeals, Tenth Circuit who issued there decision on October 11, 2012. The case involved a fatality accident that occurred when a truck tractor pulling a leased trailer had a wheel come off the trailer, cross the median and strike a motorist’s car. The family of the deceased motorist brought a wrongful death action against the trucking company that was involved in the accident and a second trucking company that owned and leased the trailer. The trucking company involved in the accident settled the claim and the trucking company who owned and leased the trailer confessed judgement for $1,292,500 based on claims for failure to have a inspection system in place with respect to wheel assemblies and for improper maintenance. When the second trucking company failed to pay the judgement, the family brought an action against their insurance carrier, Whilshire Insurance Company. The decision centered on the issue of whether the federally mandated MCS90 insurance filing issued to the trucking company leasing the trailer required Wilshire to make payment under their liability policy. The MCS-90 endorsement set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations provides:

“The insurance policy to which this endorsement is attached provides automobile liability insurance and is amended to assure compliance by the insured, with the limits stated herein, as a motor carrier of property, with sections 29 and 30 of the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 and the rules and regulations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.” The MCS-90 requirement was imposed in conjunction with the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 as proof of financial responsibility demonstrating the motor carrier is adequately insured to protect the public from risks created by the Carrier’s operations. The Federal District Court granted summary judgement in favor of the motorist’s family and the subsequent appeal to the Court of Appeals centered on two issues. The first involved an argument made by the insurance company that the lessor trucking company was not obligated to make payment under the MCS-90 mandate since the trucking company involved in the accident had paid an amount in excess of the minimum required under the Motor Carrier Act and thus the requirement was satisfied. The Court of Appeals responded:

90 endorsement in the trailer owner’s policy was only triggered if the owner and lessor of the trailer attached to the tractor involved in the accident was acting as a for-hire motor carrier at the time of the accident. (emphasis added). The Federal District Court was satisfied that the mandate applied simply because the lessor was a carrier registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration at the time of the accident. The Court of Appeals disagreed and remanded the case to the District Court for a determination of whether the lessor trucking company was acting as a for-hire motor carrier at the time of the accident. The final decision on this issue is significant. If an injured party can “tap” multiple liability policies under the MCS90 mandate, the insurance companies may well consider this an additional risk requiring increased premiums. If other courts agree, trucking companies would incur the cost of forming non carrier entities to own and lease equipment. The Court of Appeals focused on the appropriate issue. There was only one for-hire motor carrier at the time of the accident and that was the motor carrier operating the truck and responsible for permitting, safety, authority and insurance mandated under the MCS-90 requirement. The matter is still pending before the District Court.

“When a negligence judgement had been entered against a motor carrier and had not been satisfied as against the particular motor carrier, motor carrier’s MCS-90 insurer could not evade payment of the judgement against its insured on the basis that the injured party had received compensation in excess of the minimum required under Motor Carrier Act elsewhere.” The second issue was the one of primary importance. It involved whether the MCS-

Winter 2012

Lifeliner

FE ATU R E

Lifeliner By: Brenda Neville IMTA President

Hours of

>>>

Service

Significant changes and ramifications for the industry or business as usual? After years of debate, legal battles, court opinions, scientific studies and last ditch efforts to stop the implementation of the new hours of service rules, these highly controversial rules went into effect on July 1st. Cited by some industry experts and historians as representing the most significant change to trucking in decades, the new rules have caught the attention of everyone. As with any change of this nature, the jury is still out as to the real impact of these new rules in every level of the trucking industry it is clearly a significant time for trucking as the industry once again navigates through some major obstacles in adopting these new HOS rules. 22

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Winter 2012

Hours of Service New Hours of Service Rules go into Effect after Long Battle of Opposition Iowa Carriers weigh in on the new rules and the Initial Impact on Iowa Operations

On July 1, 2013 the final provisions of the new HOS rules published in December of 2011 went into effect. There are some significant changes to the HOS rules as of July 1, 2013 the changes include : 1) a requirement that individuals not drive after having worked 8 hours or more without first taking a 30-minute break; and 2) restrictions on 34-hour restart provision limiting its use to once in any seven calendar-day period and requiring that each qualifying restart include two consecutive nighttime periods of 1 AM to 5 AM. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is estimating that these changes will result in lost productivity of between 1 and 4% industry-wide. An informal poll among IMTA members is putting the productivity losses at a much higher percentage. But others in the industry and some economists say it is still far too early to know what the long term impact of the new rules. ATA is still waiting for a decision from the US Court of Appeals. ATA contends that FMCSA did not appropriately justify these changes. For the last several years, the industry has been highly critical of the scientific data that was used as the basis for making these significant changes to driving time, yet their pleas went unheard. Special interest groups including the group “Public Citizen” has also filed a lawsuit asking for the elimination of the 34-hour restart provision and reduction of in the driving time limit from 11 hours to 10 hours. Needless to say, the new rules are very contentious and will undoubtedly change trucking as we know it.

Some Iowa trucking companies have reported that some of their veteran drivers put in their notices over the last couple of weeks. These long time drivers are simply fed up with all the changes and have determined they are better off retiring than trying to change their ways so dramatically. Other trucking leaders question if the rules are even possible to implement and still others are extremely worried that this may be the final straw in their ability to run a profitable yet safe trucking operation. “I have worked my entire life in trucking, started out as a driver and eventually started my own company. I only have a few trucks but I have great drivers. I have taken every effort to stay in compliance yet it seems as though monthly, there is something else changing in the way we have to run our business. In order to run legally under the new rules, I will need to hire two more drivers and get more equipment. For a small operator like me, that is almost impossible. I am gravely concerned with the new rules,” wrote one IMTA member. “Because of the change in the 34 hour restart as well as the 16 hour rule, many of the drivers that have worked extra for us will no longer be able to

with just enough time to make a run comfortably in a 14 hour window. Now we are forced to rethink some dispatch moves to accommodate the change and that undoubtedly has an impact on the overall operation,” said a spokesperson for Foodliner and Questliner located in Dubuque, Iowa. Several IMTA members that took part in the survey expressed overall concern with the new rules because of the learning curve that will be required by the drivers and the possible impact this will have on CSA scores. “CSA has been a moving target since it was implemented and now we add new Hours of Service rules. Drivers are already worried about CSA scores and now they have the added burden of making some pretty major adjustments to their driving time and off duty time. Several of my drivers are very concerned about making a mistake with their logs that will end up impacting their CSA score. It is very frustrating,” said one of the survey respondents. “The majority of the drivers want to do what is right especially because of CSA and the possible ramifications to the driver and the company if a driver is

Data indicates that competition for drivers remain high and the new HOS rules is predicted to have a big impact on the driver market. so. We may be forced to hire more drivers to get the same amount of work done in a workforce that is already very tight,” wrote another IMTA member who responded to a survey that was distributed in early July. “Overall the initial impact is far from positive. With the addition of the 30 minute required rest break, the driver’s work day has been shortened by 30 minutes. This has a tremendous impact on operations where trips were scheduled

not doing what is right. The rules are confusing and I think for any operation that deals with over dimensional loads, the new rules are going to have a real impact on their overall operation as well as driver morale,” said Bob Kohlwes with BTI Special Commodities located in Des Moines. Driver turnover is on the rise again as reported in the July 15 Transport Topics. Annualized driver turnover rose 7 percentage points to 97% in the

Winter 2012

Lifeliner

Hours of Service first quarter on both sequential and a yearover-year basis for large truckload fleets those with $30 million or higher revenue according to Lisa Gonnerman ATA. Data Vice President of Safety indicates that Ruan Transportation competition for Management Systems drivers remain high and the new HOS rules is predicted to have a big impact on the driver market.

Some Iowa companies have been gearing up for the HOS rules months prior to the July 1st date. Over 20 companies reported that they had added extra staff to train the drivers on the new rules and make the transition as smooth as possible with their drivers. Other companies of all sizes reported that they had taken a look at their routes and worked on ways to develop solutions that would allow them to be compliant with the new rules.

“It is our fear that competition for drivers may be exacerbated by losses in productivity caused by recent regulatory changes such as the new hours of service rules,” ATA Economist Bob Costello said.

Beginning late last year, Ruan Transportation Management Systems proactively analyzed and adjusted routes and logistics solutions in order to ensure compliance with the new rules. Several other companies that took part in the

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Winter 2012

“Ruan’s professional drivers and other team members have been well trained and are prepared for the HOS regulations,” said Lisa Gonnerman, Vice President of Safety for Ruan.

survey reported they had taken some of the same proactive measures. The companies with EOBRs reported that the recorders were very helpful in the analysis. “Ruan’s on-onboard recorders were a valuable resource for analyzing routes and making required adjustments. The time stamps allowed the Ruan design team to know exactly when drivers arrive at and depart from locations and with this precise information, the team did not have to spend a lot of time inputting data and were able to spend more time in developing creative and efficient solutions,” said Lisa. At Foodliner and Questliner, the company conducted comprehensive audits of the logs by taking samples of driver logs and making an evaluation of how the rules would impact the drivers in place. From there the company moved into full training mode and conducted

Hours of Service

Mike Riggan TanTara Transportation

sessions that included a breakdown of each rule, its effect and specific examples on logs to demonstrate the changes between the new rules and the old rules.

“We were very committed to the education process and felt that a proactive approach would be critical in the transition from the old rules to the new rules. Our compliance and education continues daily as drivers, dispatchers and managers come across situations where the new rules could have an effect on the operation. But ultimately, I believe more drivers will be needed to accommodate the new rules. And with the current market for drivers, I think this could become a real problem,” said a spokesman for Foodliner and Questliner. Many companies echoed that opinion and feel that a real driver shortage is imminent but as those conversations continued the real issue is not the number of drivers out there looking for employment but the quality of driver. “We are having no problem getting drivers to answer our ads; the problem is that 90% of the drivers that walk through the door are not the quality of driver we are looking for. That has been a trend we have been seeing now for quite awhile and I fear it is a glimpse into the future of what we will be dealing with,” said Mike Riggan with TanTara Transportation in Muscatine.

Some trucking leaders remain optimistic that there are still some upsides with the new rules and there may be a possibility to see some increased rates implemented to offset the new changes. However, in talking with IMTA members, that opinion was not prevalent among the group we spoke with. Most IMTA members polled said they had reached out to shippers and asked for cooperation on scheduling as the new HOS rules were approaching and that was the focus. And while there is an opinion that the next step should be a request for a rate increase on routes where utilization has dropped, few carriers felt that would happen. Most carriers are focusing on the reworking their loading and scheduling plans to accommodate the new rules and have yet to know the full impact on their operation in both the long and short term so a rate discussion was not likely until more data could be gathered. “Like most carriers we implemented a program geared at our customers and in some cases customers reached out to us to get a better understanding of the new rules and the impact on their pick up and deliveries,” said the spokesperson for Foodliner and Questliner. “We have reached out to our customers and communication is ongoing, but the shippers are still relying on us to make the adjustments and be in compliance,” said Mike Ennis with Ennis Corp. Transport Capital Partners (TCP) a consulting firm based in Tennessee reported that 40% of the fleets they recently surveyed said they expected their equipment utilization to fall as much as 5%. More than 35% of surveyed fleets

expect a drop in equipment utilization between 5 and 10%. “The potential reduction in truck capacity is hitting at the same time as spot rates Richard Mikes are climbing, Transport Capital Partners reflecting a stronger demand in June. Rates will likely increase further in the months ahead,” TCP partner Richard Mikes said in a statement. Many folks within the trucking industry question whether the new rules will be sustainable when the capacity crunch hits and varying opinions emerge in reference to this question. Since the new rules were announced a few years ago, industry experts and economists have said that in order to comply with the new rules and haul the same amount of goods, most carriers are simply going to have to hire more drivers. And with that equation, there has been an ongoing warning that in an industry that is plagued with a shortage of qualified drivers, some carriers are going to be forced to hire less experienced drivers and this in turn could have an adverse impact on the industry’s safety record. “Safety is always our top priority and our veteran drivers are the typically the ones that have the outstanding records. My fear is that as we lose these long time drivers, we are replacing them with inexperienced drivers and the reality is that our safety record could be impacted.

Lifeliner

Hours of Service So one may wonder if the new regulations are hurting or helping overall safety?” said Bob Kohlwes, BTI Special Commodities. Bob Kohlwes BTI Special Commodities

“While the FMCSA and safety groups argue that the new rules will help reduce fatigue and chronic health problems by limiting the maximum number of hours a driver can work each day and week, the transportation industry, led by the ATA, contends that the rules are a solution in search of a problem. The doubtful safety benefits that could result from these rules come at the cost of valuable time and other resources. The driving limitation, in reality could add significant costs to the economy and push undue burden onto the drivers,” said Lisa Gonnerman with Ruan. Almost all the Iowa based companies that were polled last month and in early June felt that the new rules would have a negative impact on their bottom line but the majority of them also admitted it was too early to tell. “I think it is too early to give a clear answer on the extent of impact on the carrier, but we do see already that we will lose utility on equipment and drivers. We will have to hire more drivers to do the work of the current driver fleet, increasing costs in recruiting, retention and overall benefits. Trucks sitting more to conform to the new rest requirements means more time spent idling which in turn increased fuel costs so overall we believe there will be added cost,” said a spokesperson for Foodliner and Questliner. “I believe the new rules have done nothing but decrease productivity and increase our overall costs. I am very disappointed that it has come to this and

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Winter 2012

I am very fearful that there may be more changes coming such as a reduction in driver time and that will create even more issues,” wrote an IMTA member. “I think the thing that is the most frustrating for me is that the industry fought these changes for two years and had the data, the research and the arguments to stop this yet FMCSA still proceeded. It is very disheartening to me that we as an industry played by the rules, presented the facts and were still dealt a very bad hand of rules. Once again they (FMCSA) are hiding behind the continual “safety” rhetoric when in reality, there is a strong chance that just the opposite will be accomplished at a very high cost for every single trucking company in the nation,” said Bob Kohlwes, BTI Special Commodities. Compliance with safety regulations is without question raising the cost of hauling freight and changing the way that trucking companies are managing their operations. Since the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 eliminated control over trucking rates and services, the focus on federal regulation has been ongoing. Since 1980 the government has created a number of new regulations for the trucking industry including the commercial driver license, mandated drug testing for truck and bus drivers and most recently the hours of service. In addition, enforcement activity has changed dramatically in direct correlation with the expanded regulations. There are several other regulations looming in the horizon; electronic logging devices, national drug and alcohol data base, hair testing, driver health requirements and minimum insurance requirements for freight haulers to name a few. Some IMTA members are certain that as more and more regulations are imposed on the industry we will see a significant increase of consolidation in the industry, even here in Iowa where it has been traditionally a bit more insulated from the consolidations. Others are fearful that the some companies will simply close their doors and go out of business

and yet others believe that the trucking companies that are willing to embrace the change will be able to eventually capitalize on the opportunities that change brings and will emerge even stronger.

Steve Schuster Schuster Trucking

Regardless of where your opinion lands, the industry continues to face unprecedented changes and how companies react to that change is going to be the determining factor in their ability to be successful in both the short and long term. “There is nothing easy about being in the trucking industry and running a trucking company is certainly not for the weak at heart. I have been in the industry my entire life, and while I don’t always like the onslaught of regulations that are coming from all directions, I also intend to see my name on the company sign far into the future. So for me personally and for my company, it is incumbent that we develop viable solutions that ensure we are able to stay compliant and hopefully make a profit. Whether that happens or not, remains to be seen but we will certainly be doing everything we can to accomplish that goal,” said IMTA Chairman of the Board Steve Schuster, Schuster Trucking headquartered in Lemars.

2013 IMTA

Cornerstone Sponsors as of July 12, 2013

PLAT IN UM S PONS OR S Boyer Petroleum Hawkeye International Trucks Midwest Wheel Companies Truck Country

PAT R O N S PONS OR S Transport Permits

E XE C U TI V E SP O N S OR S HireRight

A SSO C I ATE SP O N S OR S Des Moines Truck Brokers Freightliner of Des Moines Gatr Truck Center McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith, P.C. Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales Twin Bridges Truck City

C O L L E AG U E S PONS O RS Bridgestone Commercial Solutions Cornhusker International Trucks Donaghy-Kempton Insurors GE Capital Solutions Transportation Finance Housby/Vocon Majestic Truck Center Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Halloran International Peterbilt of Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Sioux City Thermo King Christensen Transportation Alliance Bank

If you want to have your company listed as a Cornerstone Sponsor of the IMTA, please contact Phillip Nicolino at 515-244-5193 or phillip@iowamotortruck.com

Winter 2012

Lifeliner

Members in the News IMTA Members Assist in Relief Efforts After Oklahoma Tornado Stoops got involved and his football players were on hand to greet and help unload the Hawkeye Trucks.

Mike Riggan (left) and Jeff Riggan (right) pose for a picture with Oklahoma football coach and Iowa native Bob Stoops after delivery products to aid victims of the tornadoes that devastated Oklahoma in May.

TanTara Transportation Corp.

TanTara Transportation Corp. gained national attention when they loaded up the infamous Iowa Hawkeye Football trailers and headed to Oklahoma with supplies for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. With the help of Iowa Football Coach Kirk Ferentz, the relief effort became especially meaningful when Oklahoma Football Coach Bobby

Mike Riggan and Jeff Riggan drove the trucks to Oklahoma and were overwhelmed by the generosity of the Oklahoma football team. They were equally touched by the generosity of people in general. Donations stemmed from parking one of the Hawkeye trucks at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Davenport, Iowa, and the other at a car dealership in Muscatine. Mike also took one of the trucks to Edward White Elementary in Eldridge, Iowa, where a second-grade class “filled one of these trucks half full,” according to Mike Riggan. Iowa truckers demonstrate once again how they are willing to step up and help out whenever and wherever they are needed!

All Seasons Trucking

All Seasons Trucking, headquartered in Dubuque, took two trailers loaded with water, toilet paper and other important supplies to victims of the devastating tornadoes that hit Oklahoma in May. All Seasons’ customers and employees stepped up and donated over $2,000, which was used to purchase all the supplies that they hauled to Oklahoma.

All Seasons Trucking employees proudly pose infront of one of two semi-trucks filled with supplies that was delivered to victims of the deadly Oklahoma Tornado.

Oklahoma football players who helped unload products delivered by TanTara Transportation Corp. gather for a picture in front of the Hawkeye Equipment Trailer.

Lifeliner

Winter 2012

Members in the News Inland Truck Parts Adds Dedicated Training Center

A view of Inland Truck Parts’ 100-seat classroom in the company’s new training center.

Ruan Driver Named Highway Angel for Saving Motorist from Burning Vehicle

Ruan driver Adam Phillips was running his normal overnight shift while hauling milk in Johnson County, Indiana, when traffic came to a sudden halt at around 2:10 a.m. His trip suddenly changed and it was anything but normal. A driver was trapped inside a burning vehicle nearby, and Phillips played a critical role in rescuing him. For his heroic efforts, Phillips was named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association. After coming to a halt early that morning, Phillips saw that people were out of their cars and trying to find a fire extinguisher. That’s when Phillips saw a burning car off the road near an overpass. “I grabbed my fire extinguisher and just started running,” Phillips said. “Then I heard someone screaming.”

Inland Truck Parts’ new training center in Olathe, Kan., includes 12 remanufacturing stations.

Inland Truck Parts is proud to announce the addition of its new training center in Olathe, Kan. The 15,000 square foot facility houses traditional classrooms to 12 remanufacturing stations – six for manual transmissions and six for Allison automatics. The layout mimics actual shop environments in the 28 Inland Truck Parts locations. With classroom space for up to 100 students, the Olathe training center also offers classes in communication, conflict resolution and other important “soft skills” as well. Inland believes that the separate training facility provides an environment that promotes uninterrupted attention for better results. Inland is committed to serving its customer as well as its employees to elevate market perception in every way possible.

As Phillips approached the burning car, he saw that the driver was pinned against the dashboard. He quickly started to extinguish the fire, which was contained in the engine area. Because the fuel rails were still active, the fire wouldn’t burn out, even though bystanders continued to hand him four additional fire extinguishers. Then the fire traveled to the inside of the car. Phillips acted quickly to try to remove the driver from the car. “I tried to pull every lever to move the seat back from the dashboard, but it wouldn’t budge. And I could hardly see through the smoke,” Phillips said. “Then someone approached the car with a pry bar.” Together, they used the pry bar to break the bolts in the chair and release the pinned driver. The driver fell into the passenger seat, so Phillips reached into the car from the driver’s side and pulled him out. Other good Samaritans walked the driver to safety while Phillips checked the car to make sure no one else was trapped. “No one else was in the car, so I started walking away,” Phillips said. “When I was about five steps from the car, I felt a surge of heat against my back as the whole car became engulfed in flames.”

Ruan driver Adam Phillips (right) receives the Gold R Award from his terminal manager, Mike Smith, after saving a man from a burning car – a heroic effort that was also recognized by the Truckload Carriers Association with its Highway Angel honor.

As they waited for emergency personnel to arrive, Phillips offered the shivering driver, Anthony Ingle, his Ruan jacket. Ingle suffered third-degree burns on his right leg—but was lucky to be alive. Phillips received a Highway Angel lapel pin, certificate and patch from TCA. He also earned a Gold R Award from Ruan, the company’s highest team member honor.

Warren Transport Buying Land for New Headquarters

Warren Transport has announced plans to buy the former Waterloo Greyhound Park to use as the site of its new headquarters. Dick Donnelly, president of the 64-yearold trucking firm, said in mid-June he hoped to close the deal by August and then begin a process of transforming the 64-acre parcel near the intersection of U.S. Highways 20 and 63 into a new home for the company. Warren Transport plans to knock down all remnants of the old dog track and build a new corporate headquarters on the land. The plans call for everything from a new office complex to a new shop complex, as well as landscaping and cleanup of a pond between the property and Highway 20.

Winter 2012

Lifeliner

Truck Driving Championships

Trucks Bring It Home 2013 Iowa Truck Driving Championships – Showcasing the Industry’s Finest Drivers!

Despite some uncooperative June weather at the end of the driving competition on day two, the 2013 Iowa Truck Driving Championships once again showcased the industry’s finest drivers. A total of 111 drivers registered for the two day event which was held once again at Prairie Meadows Hotel & Conference Center in Altoona. “The Iowa Truck Driving Championships is an event that exemplifies the word tradition and for forty-nine years this event has always been a strong and powerful force within Iowa’s trucking industry,” said IMTA Chairman of the Board Steve Schuster. Over 75 volunteers once again dedicated their time to come out and support the championships. Included with these volunteers were the individuals that made up the committee for the TDC. These 10 individuals proved to be the backbone of the event from start to finish, starting back a year ago once the 2012 TDC was complete.

The main effort of the committee is always making sure the focus is on the driver. “Truck drivers are the foundation of the trucking industry and this event has truly recognized the importance, the dedication and the commitment of these fine professionals. There is never enough praise for these representatives of the industry,” said Gary Handley, with BTI Special Commodities, Inc. and the 2013 TDC Co-Chairman. New to the 2013 Iowa Truck Driving Championships was a team building exercise for drivers. This event was designed to brainstorm a slogan to be used throughout the year that promotes the trucking industry. Drivers were separated into groups to come up with ideas; all while networking and building relationships with other drivers. While every slogan truly represents the industry, one slogan received the most votes throughout the event - Trucks Bring It Home. “By involving the drivers in creating a slogan to represent what they do each and every day, they really did put their best foot forward and gave it their all. We are excited to incorporate “Trucks Bring It Home” throughout the year at various events,” said IMTA Chairman of the Board Steve Schuster.

2013 Truck Driving Championships

COMMITTEE Chairman Rodney Glassner Con-way Freight, Inc. Co-Chairman Gary Handley BTI Special Commodities, Inc. Dan Gardner Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC Lisa Gonnerman Ruan Transportation Management Systems Andrea Huse DMTC Marvin McGinnis Casey’s General Stores Bridget Nixon Solar Transport Jon Osborn Johnsrud Transport, Inc. James Ransom Ruan Transportation Management Systems Dave Riggan TanTara Transportation Corp.

Thanks!

(L-R) Don Egli, Major Lance Evans, DeAnn Moody, Mike Spalla, Brenda Neville, Gary Handley and Marvin McGinnis

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4 Axle Van Division

3 Axle Van Division

TDC Winners

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 3rd Place – Mark Brown, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 1st Place – Walt Tegtmeier, Con-way Freight, Inc. 2nd Place – Mike Rouse, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

Straight Truck

5 Axle Van Division

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 1st Place – Wayne Brumwell, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 2nd Place – Harold Flesner, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 3rd Place – Jeff Hoffa, Con-way Freight, Inc. Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 3rd Place – Kirk Roccholz, FedEx Freight 1st Place – Richard Barre, Con-way Freight, Inc. 2nd Place – Denny Bell, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

Twin Trailers

Sleeper Berth

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 3rd Place– Joe Bishop, Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd. 1st Place – Jed Hinds, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 2nd Place – Andrew Britt, Hy-Vee, Inc. Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 3rd Place – Tony Hulen, Con-way Freight, Inc. 1st Place – Ron Taylor, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 2nd Place – Dan Waugh, ABF Freight Systems, Inc. Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 3rd Place – Dean Filmer, Decker Truck Line, Inc. 1st Place – Jim Stinemates, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 2nd Place – Glen Frick, Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd. Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

Winter 2012

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5 Axle Tank

5 Axle Flatbed

TDC Winners

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 2nd Place – Mark Howard, Ruan Transportation Mgmt. Sys. 1st Place – Brad Heying, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 3rd Place – Josh Klemesrud, Martin-Brower Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

Highest First Year

Highest Overall Score

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board 2nd Place – Michael Lundberg, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 1st Place – Dave Towne, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC 3rd Place – Ron Bloom, Johnsrud Transport, Inc. Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board Joe Bishop, Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd. Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

Highest Pre-Trip Score

Individual Sportsmanship

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board Wayne Brumwell, Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board Andrew Britt, Hy-Vee, Inc. Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

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(L-R) Steve Schuster, Schuster Company & IMTA Chairman of the Board Lucas Binneboese, Weinrich Truck Lines Gary Handley, BTI Special Commodities, Inc. & TDC Co-Chairman

1st Place Team

Team Sportsmanship

Truck Driving Championships

Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC

3rd Place Team

2nd Place Team

Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC

Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd.

Johnsrud Transport, Inc.

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Truck Driving Championships

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Winter 2012

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Truck Driving Championships T D C Pa r t ic ipat ing

ABF Freight Systems, Inc.

BTI Special Commodities, Inc.

Te a m s

Caseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Stores, Inc.

Con-way Freight, Inc.

DMTC, Inc.

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FedEx Express

Hy-Vee, Inc.

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Crouse Transportation Services, LLC

FedEx Freight

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Truck Driving Championships T D C Pa r t ic ipat ing

Martin-Brower

Solar Transport Company

United Natural Foods Inc.

Te a m s

Panama Transfer, Inc.

Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd.

Ruan Transportation Mgmt. Sys.

UPS Freight

Weinrich Truck Line, Inc.

TanTara Transportation Corp.

Wal-Mart Transportation, LLC

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Truck Driving Championships 2013 Iowa Truck Driving Championships All Seasons Trucking, Inc. Allied Oil & Tire Company ARGEE Transport Bauer Built Tire Boyer Petroleum Co. Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C. Bridgestone Commercial Solutions BTI Special Commodities, Inc. Casey’s General Stores, Inc. Cedar Rapids Truck Center / Quad Cities Peterbilt Central Trailer Service Continental Western Insurance Company Cornhusker International Trucks Cost Reduction Technologies LLC Crouse Transportation Services, LLC Cummins Central Power, LLC D.R. & K.W. Transtor, Inc. Decker Truck Line, Inc. Des Moines Transportation Co. Des Moines Truck Brokers Donaghy-Kempton Insurors Eastern Iowa Tire Elliott-Hartman Agency eScreen Inc. Express Tarp Services FedEx Freight Freightliner of Des Moines, Inc. Gatr Truck Center GE Capital Solutions Transportation Finance Great West Casualty Company Green Products Company Growmark, Inc. Hanifen Co., Inc. Harold Dickey Transport, Inc. Hawkeye International Trucks Heil Trailer HireRight DAC Trucking Holmes Murphy & Associates Housby / VOCON Howe, Cunningham, Lowe & Kelso Law Firm Hy-Vee, Inc. Interstate PowerSystems 38

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