2014 Lifeliner Magazine (Issue 4) by Iowa Motor Truck Association

IMTA {

Lifeliner Iowa Motor Truck Association Issue 4

HOW DO WE

ATTRACT DRIVERS? THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION

INSIDE: 2015 Predictions

2015 IMTA Committees

Truck Rides

SAFETY IS OUR PASSION

WE VALUE THE SAFETY OF YOUR COMPANY AND YOUR DRIVERS We give you tools to reduce crashes and save lives. Our safety professionals are there to consult with you on your companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safety program which includes assisting you with your regularly scheduled educational seminars, keeping you informed on the latest safety and risk management techniques and regulatory changes in the trucking industry. We understand your business. Since trucking is all we do, we know the importance of keeping your trucks moving safely. Our ValueDrivenÂŽ Company program, which includes modules on safe driving, health, leadership, and operations, is designed to easily help you create and maintain a safety culture within your organization. We help keep you moving. We provide your drivers with techniques to improve the overall driving experience with tips on staying alert, eating right, proper lifting, and getting enough exercise. Great West Casualty Company â&#x20AC;&#x201D; No matter where the road takes you, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re with you for the long haul.

DONAGHY-KEMPTON INSURORS Des Moines, IA 800-231-8545

ODEBOLT INSURANCE AGENCY Odebolt, IA 712-668-2283

EDWARDS-BRANDT & ASSOCIATES INC Mason City, IA 641-423-0675

PEOPLES INSURANCE AGENCY LTD Waverly, IA 319-352-6327

JOE MORTEN & SON, DBA MOTOR-WAYS Urbandale, IA 515-266-1113

REYNOLDS & REYNOLDS, INC. Des Moines, IA 515-243-1724

MEL FOSTER CO. Davenport, IA 563-359-5446

TRUE NORTH COMPANIES LLC Cedar Rapids, IA 319-364-5193

GREAT WEST CASUALTY COMPANY The Difference is Service

1RW DYDLODEOH LQ DOO VWDWHV $OO SROLF\ WHUPV FRQGLWLRQV GHÂżQLWLRQV DQG exclusions apply to this coverage. Please see your agent for exact provisions.

800-228-8053 gwccnet.com

Table of Contents

22 Driver Shortage

2015 Predictions

36 Truck Rides

Chairman’s Message ............................................... 4-5

Driver Recruitment ....................................................26

President’s Message .....................................................7

IMTA Committees ................................................ 28-31

2015 Predictions .................................................... 8-11

Foundation Update .............................................. 32-33

Safety Update .............................................................14

Truck Driving Championships - SAVE THE DATE ...........34

Members in the News........................................... 16-17

Next Generation Speaks .............................................35

Membership Update ..................................................18

Truck Rides .......................................................... 36-39

Marketing Update ......................................................19

Final Word ................................................................41

Feature Article - Driver Shortage ................................................ 22-24

2015 Iowa Road Team ...............................................42

Driver Retention ........................................................25

IMTA Staff Brenda Neville, CAE President

Don Egli

Director of Safety and Security

DeAnn Moody

Ofﬁce & Building Manager

Phillip Nicolino

Marketing Manager

Jon Dill

Membership Manager

Janelle Stevens

Our Supporters Great West Casualty ..................... 2 Boyer Petroleum .........................4-5 Donaghy-Kempton Insurors ........... 6 Quality Services Corp.................... 6 Central Trailer Service ................... 6 Ziegler ....................................... 12 IMTA Fuel Program ..................... 13 Kwik Star .................................... 13

IMTA Cornerstone Sponsors ......... 15 Iowa Biodiesel Board .................. 20 Harrison Truck Centers ................ 21 IMTA Online Jobs Board .............. 27 Truck County .............................. 40 Thompson Truck & Trailer ............ 43 Midwest Wheel Companies ............ 44

Events/Education Manager

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

Chairman’s Message Jackie Johnsrud, Johnsrud Transport

Jackie Johnsrud IMTA Chairman of the Board

Trucking is near and dear to me. I have been around it my entire life and am very proud to be afﬁliated with it. A great deal of what I learned about this industry came by way of my father.

One of the most basic philosophies he passed on to me was to always make the drivers a top priority. We can never lose sight of the fact that without the drivers, we would not have a trucking company. The drivers must always be our top priority. There is nothing complicated or sophisticated about this business model and its simplicity is what ensures it will always be effective.

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Are your drivers a top priority?

Many folks will contend that the drivers are their top priority but as is always the case actions speak louder than words and I would suspect that there is room for improvement in every company. Now as our industry faces tremendous labor shortages, I believe the stage is set to take this discussion to an even higher level. I believe our long term success as an industry depends upon all of us looking outside the box for creative ideas and solutions to get more drivers into the trucking industry. Driver pay has been debated for decades and there is no question in my mind that drivers need to be compensated at a level that deﬁnes them as the true professionals they are. When you consider the hours they put in throughout the week, I think more discussion should focus on an hourly wage versus a per mile wage. As a professional truck driver,

isn’t their time as valuable as anyone else’s time? By compensating them accordingly at an hourly level, aren’t you conveying the message that you not only value them as a professional but value the time they put towards being a professional? I believe this approach also supports and strengthens the safety element of every load. If a driver knows that he is getting paid for every hour he is behind the wheel of that truck, doesn’t that same attitude prevail as he approaches his commitment to safety and overall operation of the truck. I know this is a dramatic departure from the traditional compensation methods that have dominated the truckload industry for decades, but I think it has some merit. Just one thought as we think outside the lines…. Driver uniforms are another area that I believe goes a long way in underscoring

AS LEADERS OF THIS INDUSTRY WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE STRUCTURE, EDUCATION AND DESIRE TO IMPROVE AND SET A HIGH STANDARD FOR OUR DRIVERS. a commitment to professionalism. To be truly recognized as a professional there are some very deﬁnite parameters when it comes to the way a person is dressed. If we really believe that our drivers are professionals, then shouldn’t we be supportive of having them dress in a manner that conveys professionalism? I don’t think it is too much to ask our drivers to wear a uniform that visibly shows that they are professionals. The old adage “if you look good, you play good” holds true in every facet of a professional’s life, so why aren’t we making that a bigger priority in the trucking industry?

When a person thinks of a “professional” there are many images that probably come to mind, but I would be certain that one image that doesn’t appear is someone wearing a T-Shirt with profanity, cut off jean shorts and ﬂip ﬂops. And yes, we all have seen the truck driver that is wearing exactly that and cringe at the impression they are conveying of the industry. Far too often companies overlook the importance of the company uniform and make other costly investments in hopes of elevating the driver satisfaction when something as simple as a company uniform could make a tremendous impact. I believe company uniforms

would go a long way in changing the image of our industry and in the long run attract people into trucking. All professionals are distinguished by the uniform they wear. As leaders of this industry we have a responsibility to provide the structure, education and desire to improve and set a high standard for our drivers, in fact, every employee we have would beneﬁt from that. I think it needs to always be a priority from the top down at a company to help mold and teach our drivers how a professional looks, acts and performs. For every bad driver you may have, I would guess you have three good drivers. Make those good drivers the steward of your legacy and the others will follow. The old system of pass or fail is outdated and it is our responsibility to ensure that our thinking isn’t outdated as well…. so maybe you have some ideas that are out of the box or unique. I would love to hear them and start the discussion, our industry cannot afford to get stuck in old ways.

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

x x

Truck, Trailer and Refrigeration Repair Authorized Carrier Transicold Dealer for Central Iowa 24/7 Emergency Service

OFFERING FOUR LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER 2326 N.E. Broadway Des Moines, Iowa (515) 265-7266

1701 E. Anson Marshalltown, Iowa (641) 753-1036

1418 W. 2nd Street Ottumwa, Iowa (641) 682-0854

302 N. Hardman Ave. South St. Paul, Minn. (651) 451-1641

www.QSCorp.net

YOUR FULL-LINE SALES & SERVICE CENTER

рао (\[OVYPaLK >HYYHU[` 9LWHPY *LU[LY MVY! :[YPJR 4LYYP[[ 4VYNHU -VU[HPUL >HIHZO >PSZVU +LS[H >HZLJH 3HUKVSS ;YHUZJYHM[ )LUZVU

td.

рао :RPSSLK ^VYRMVYJL [V ZLY]PJL HSS THRLZ TVKLSZ

railer Serv lT

L ice

рао ;YHPSLY ZHSLZ UL^ \ZLK

Centr a

Conveniently located off I-80/Exit 143, Altoona, IA A

85-201

рао -\SS` Z[VJRLK WHY[Z KLWHY[TLU[ ^P[O Z[H[L^PKL KLSP]LY` рао 4HQVY 7HY[Z Z\WWSPLYZ MVY! 5L^ 3PML (\YVYH 7HY[Z 4LYYP[[ >PSZVU 4VYNHU :O\Y *V рао -\SS SPUL VM WPJR\W :<= HJJLZZVYPLZ

7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday

Visit us online at: ctsdesmoines.com " Ph: 515.957.0300 Toll-free: 800.288.3032 Email: ctsdsmia@dwx.com

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

President’s Message

Brenda Neville, Iowa Motor Truck Association Leadership at the Capitol

As we get ready to go to print, legislation has been introduced calling for a ten cent gas/fuel tax Brenda Neville increase as a way to infuse IMTA President & CEO over $200 million into the coffers for badly needed road and bridge repairs. If we are successful in passing this legislation, it will be a culmination of a three year effort by many different groups, including IMTA as well as some dedicated legislative leaders.

I don’t have a crystal ball nor do I want to predict the outcome of this important legislative priority, but like many others, I believe that if we are not successful in getting this legislation passed in 2015, our chances in the future are very remote. As we all know, especially those of us in the trucking industry, timing is as critical as any other component when it comes to the successful implementation of something and right now timing is working on our side. Polling suggests that the general public is supportive, the Governor has made this a top priority and as if that wasn’t enough, gas and fuel prices continue to stay at historically low levels so the stars are certainly aligned to get this done. However, there is still one important factor that plays into this equation and that is the legislators. This is one of those votes that deﬁne leadership and it will be interesting to see who emerges as the real leaders and heroes of this session. Two of these heros are, Senator Tod Bowman and Representative Josh Brynes. These two lawmakers have repeatedly demonstrated their unwavering leadership and support to Iowa’s road funding problem. Can you say the same about your legislator? When you voted for a legislator to represent you, were you supporting someone that would actually step up and provide leadership on the tough issues or did you want

someone that is more concerned about re-election? Do you want someone representing you that tackles the tough issue or someone that hides behind a lot of useless chatter in an attempt to avoid taking a tough vote? The choice is yours, and I urge you to reach out and see what kind of leader you have in the individual that is representing you at the Capitol. Yes, this is a tough vote for some lawmakers. Some legislators struggle philosophically with raising taxes, while others, worry about the repercussions within their district and their future as a legislator and then you have some lawmakers who still are not convinced the roads are that bad, or they would prefer to continue to look for funding elsewhere, while the roads continue to deteriate. While these are valid concerns, in reality, I think this issue is much broader and I challenge all lawmakers to view this from the perspective of overall leadership. At some point, this issue has to be addressed and if not now, when? Roads and bridges are essential to our economy as a state, actually as a nation. For far too long now, we just keep kicking the can down the road. Here in Iowa, unlike many states, we provide constitutional protection to all the money that goes into the road use tax fund. That is one of the most misunderstood components of this debate, people are so mistrusting of the government that they are more fearful of money be spent in the wrong way than seeing higher prices at the pump. Whereas in reality, that CAN’T HAPPEN in Iowa, the money will be spent on roads and bridges…end of story. And organizations like IMTA and many others keep a very watchful eye on every dime that comes out of the road fund to ensure it is being spent on road improvements.

As an agricultural state and as a trucking state, our roads and bridges are the number one asset in being competitive at all levels. The investment we make in our roads and bridges will pay big dividends today and far into the future. Leadership at all levels is needed to protect this important asset and we need lawmakers that understand that and support keeping Iowa as strong and viable as possible. I am proud of the leadership demonstrated by IMTA leaders and members. IMTA members really stepped up and got involved in this issue. Over the last several months, we have reviewed several “hybrid plans” that ended up being complicated, tedious and quite frankly, in some cases, unfair and sadly deceptive to the motoring public. But with every plan, you weighed in on the discussion and continued to push for a straight forward and simple “user fee” approach and ended up supporting IMTA’s long standing historical position of a straight increase at the pump. As one member told me in a phone conversation, “we have too many complicated rules and regulations in trucking the way it is; can’t we just keep this easy?” A remark that resonated with IMTA leaders as we ultimately reached the decision to support the 10 cent increase. I am hopeful that by the time you are reading this column, this is old news and Iowa is showing its leadership by announcing the passage of a fuel tax increase. The legislators that made this happen deserve our thanks and appreciation for stepping up. However, if that isn’t the case then, I hope that you take the time to truly evaluate the individuals that are representing you at the Capitol and determine for yourself what kind of a leader are you looking for in your elected ofﬁcials?

I AM PROUD OF THE LEADERSHIP DEMONSTRATED BY IMTA LEADERS AND MEMBERS. www.IowaMotorTruck.com

15 Predictions for 2015

Greg McCoy Foodliner Dubuque, Iowa

“US trucking volume will be strong in 2015. Capacity will continue to tighten which will keep the spotlight on the driver shortage issue. Each of these factors along with the potential increase in Capital Gains Tax will lead to further consolidation within the industry. New truck orders for ﬂeets will become an opportunity as the order boards from the manufacturers ﬁrm up much earlier than in prior years. Geo political forces around the world will continue to impact the markets and the world economy but the US should outperform the standards.”

Jackie Johnsrud Johnsrud Transport Des Moines, Iowa

While not a tough prediction to make, it is a tough issue to address. We are going to continue to struggle to find and keep professional drivers in our industry. We as an industry need to work harder to find ways to make the industry and the job more attractive. Too often, drivers are driving as a “transitional” job and not as a chosen profession. The monetary reward needs to be there for the sacrifice of being away from home and the long hours our drivers put in each week. I think we need to look at the job with a fresh sets of eyes and maybe challenge ourselves as leaders on some of our long held beliefs and positions.

After the recent successes Republicans experienced this fall, I predict that the state of Iowa will continue to turn red with each election cycle.

Kraig Paulson Iowa Speaker of the House

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Dan Schwarz McGowan, Hurst, Clark & Smith, PC Des Moines, Iowa

The ﬁrst half of 2015 will see a strong freight environment. Rates will continue to increase as shippers pay to secure trucks. An early spring in the Midwest along with a continued over supply of oil will help lower fuel costs even more. Maximizing both of this will be important as the second half of the year will bring an increased level of uncertainty. The economy will show signs of slowing. Companies’ need for expansion and continued low capital costs will result in an increase of merger and acquisition activity. There will be a wide range of values, as buyers will pay a premium for companies that have invested well in equipment, people and operations. Companies that have not made these investments will see less interest from buyers and will receive substantially lower values.

A proposal will come from the 2015 legislators to expand I-80 from the current four lanes to six lanes from Des Moines to Quad Cities with a 5 year completion plan. Iowa will be the leader in recognizing congestion inﬂux and makes a commitment to ﬁnding a solution with the adding of 2 lanes. Also Delwin Van Wyk Interstate PowerSystems in 2015 we will continue to see the workforce shortage as the Altoona, Iowa demand remains strong. Drivers, technicians, construction works, etc. Trucking companies and suppliers will enjoy steady volume increases, but will be limited with workforce shortage not allowing budgeted growth. Also, I predict that Kevin Gass will reclaim his reign as Grand Champion at the 2015 TDC Board Members Driving Challenge!!

15 Predictions for 2015

Nick Thummel Keane Thummel Trucking New Market, Iowa

Trucking jobs will improve in 2015. A wise trucking CEO once said: “We are either looking for good things to haul or good people to haul them & I’d rather be looking for good people.” There has never been a better time to be a truck driver. Fleet owners & managers are rethinking our greatest assets – our drivers. Rethinking the equipment specs – adding TV’s & comforts, Rethinking dispatch philosophies – better home time & preferred lanes, Rethinking pay & bonus programs – the future is $100K + a yr job. The DNA of the trucking industry is finding solutions in the middle of problems. The driver shortage is the industry’s biggest problem. Driver Training, re-training & driver mentoring will grow inside of fleets to help profitability & the bottom line. There’s never been a better time to be a driver. As an industry, we will be insuring that all controlled variables are in favor of our drivers.

John G. Larkin, CFA STIFEL Transportation & Logistics

Truckload supply and demand won’t be as tight in 2015 as it was in 2014. Supply chain disruption caused untold tightness in supply and demand in 2014 and that tightness was a function of the horrible weather conditions experienced in the 1Q14, the restocking of inventories that had been depleted by the late 4Q13 e-commerce surge, the anticipation of the a strike or a work slow-down involving the west coast ports, and the giant demand for workers and drivers in the shales. This year the weather has been more normal, the 2014 holiday season went much more smoothly (so little extra restocking was required), the port situation has deteriorated but the federal mediator now assisting negotiations should be able to hammer out an acceptable agreement in relatively short order, and layoffs are occurring in the shales (which already has helped some carriers ﬁll their trucks with capable and willing driving talent). So enjoy the big rates negotiated in 2014 as it will be a touch tougher to negotiate rate increases of the same magnitude in 2015.

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

15 Predictions for 2015

Ralph Arthur Ruan Transportation Management Systems Des Moines

I think the economy is not going to be as good this year as we are predicting and it won’t necessarily be our fault. Europe concerns will grow. Oil ﬁeld closures will happen. At some point the oil industry will want to get price back. That’s the bad news. The good news is the driver shortage will abate somewhat. And the Hokies will beat Ohio State on Labor Day night in Blacksburg.

10.

Steve Schuster Schuster Company, LeMars, Iowa

t Iowa State Cyclones Men’s Basketball team will reach the NCAA Final Four.

t New England Patriots will have their balls checked regularly to make sure they are properly inﬂated.

11.

Don Decker Decker Truck Line, Inc. t American Sniper will win the Best Picture Academy Award. Fort Dodge, Iowa

t Kim Jung-un will star in a movie for Sony. t Debris from Air Malaysia Flight 370 will be found. t Oil prices will remain current for the rest of the year. t Kate Middleton will be having another baby. A boy. Weighing in at 8lbs. t Mitt Romney will announce his run for Presidency.

{10

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

I see the outlook for trucking to be strong through 2015. Demand from shipper will stay strong so be diligent in pricing services to keep up with demand. Drivers will beneﬁt more this year due to higher demand for them. It is a demanding life style and I see wages heading in the right directions for the good drivers. I see crude not getting over $70 a barrel this year so fuel expense will be down year over year. Down side to this is that company cash receipts will also be lower. I also feel very conﬁdent that we will see the state of Iowa taking the lead in infrastructure improvements with long overdue increase fuel user fees.

Jeff Wangsness JMT Trucking Company Des Moines, Iowa

In 2015 we will finally see the legislature do the right thing for the betterment of our great state, and pass a 10 cent “user fee” increase on gas and fuel. It has been 4 long years since Governor Branstad appointed members to his 2020 Citizen Advisory Commission in an effort to work alongside the DOT to quantify the needs of our transportation system here in Iowa. The result of that effort was in fact valuable in highlighting that our road and bridge system was in a state of disrepair and that the DOT was right on track regarding the dollar amount it would take to right the ship. I feel the climate at the Capital is bi-partisan and ready to finally move on this issue which is encouraging. Equally it appears that the public is finally starting to support the idea as well. And with gas at a 6 year low, we can’t afford to wait...so I predict we are going to finally start repairing the roads and bridges in this state in 2015.

15 Predictions for 2015

14.

12.

Here are some observations. The federal highway trust fund and highway authorization bill (MAP 21) both expire May 31, 2015. To get a highway bill, the trust fund ﬁrst needs to be shored up. I think that will get done - has to get done as bankruptcy is not CHRISTOPHER SPEAR an option. What funding sources that get used is not yet clear, but American Trucking running with the notion that the Associations trust fund gets funded - even by Washington DC sources we don’t like - we will then turn to a highway bill, which we have several items on deck, including a permanent HOS ﬁx, a freight program to address congestion, CSA reform and driver shortage to name a few. This bill and all we put in it is our top priority and it is where we are putting much of our energy this year. If it’s not done this year, the chances of passing in a Presidential election year are quite slim - that we know.

PAT KUEHL Great West Casualty South Sioux City, Nebraska

Actually, we have a unique opportunity to participate and shape the national debate. We have the opportunity to discuss the issues important to our business—the trucking industry. I urge you to become involved in this process. Invite the candidates to your operation and explain how real, hard-working Iowans earn their living and how their decision will affect our ability to safely and efﬁciently move America’s goods. As Iowans, we have the opportunity to ask how these candidates plan to fund and improve our nation’s infrastructure and how they will eliminate, or at the very least, control the pace of burdensome regulations.

So two things. Highway trust fund and highway bill have to get done this year. If they aren’t done his year, 2016 Presidential race politics will make a favorable outcome for our industry nearly impossible.

13.

(1) Iowans will begin to have the option of receiving a digital driverís license on their smart phone.

Paul Trombino Iowa DOT Ames, Iowa

I predict that in 2015, Iowa will once again be overrun with a swarm of politicians smiling for the cameras while wearing brand new jeans and ﬂannel shirts as they pose on hay bales telling us “they feel our pain.” After the political circus has crisscrossed our state, we will be happy to see them move on. As Iowans, we cringe at the mischaracterization of our Midwestern values but, at some level, also feel the pride of knowing the presidential process is shaped here in our state. The road to the White House truly runs through Iowa.

2015 should be a very good year for our trucking industry!

15.

(2) Iowans will signiﬁcantly increase their use crowd-source navigation tools when making travel plans.

JOHN F. FATINO Whitﬁeld & Eddy, PLC Des Moines, Iowa

As the economy continues to improve and the supply of available drivers remains “tight,” employers should continue to see continued relief from employee lawsuits and other enforcement actions. Of course, the available staff time can be devoted to ramping up for the announcement of the Food and Drug Administration’s “Proposed Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food’ scheduled for release in early 2016. www.IowaMotorTruck.com

11}

ALL MAKES!

CLUTCHES RADIATORS ALIGNMENTS ENGINES BRAKES INSPECTIONS TRANSMISSIONS Bumper-to-Bumper Service TRUCKS

TRAILERS

BUSES

RVs www.zieglercat.com

{12

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

17 convenient Class 8 truck-accessible diesel locations throughout Iowa.

CNG Now Available: Waterloo 324 Fletcher Ave. Cedar Falls 7500 Nordic Ave. Davenport 100 West 65th St.

Commercial Fuels 1-877-739-3835 www.kwiktrip.com

FUEL SAVINGS PROGRAM Push Diesel Prices Even Lower The Iowa Motor Truck Association has been helping its members save on fuel since 2010 through a partnership with Pilot Flying J. It offers guaranteed discounts at more than 650 locations all across the United States with very little effort required to join! This e[clusive member beneÀt offers a combination of savings that can lower a company’s bottom line so much that its annual membership dues to the IMTA would be recouped within months!

5¢perDISCOUNT gallon of diesel CASH PRICE at the pump

Don’t delay in signing up for this proven program that offers an immediate RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

NO FEES on fuel transactions Contact Phillip Nicolino at the IMTA: Ś (515) 244-5193 Ś phillip@iowamotortruck.com

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

13}

Safety Update

2015 Promises to be an Interesting Year in Trucking Regulations It’s the start of a new year, which usually means that we are looking ahead to see what’s on the horizon for 2015. It seems like it hasn’t been that long since we wrote Don Egli, CDS an update, IMTA Director of Safety but in today’s regulatory world we see ever-changing proposals coming out of Washington. When looking at regulations that have an impact on the trucking industry, the past few years have been interesting ones, to say the least. The regulatory outlook for 2015 appears that it will be just as active. There are several new rules and regulations that will be proposed, or enacted, in 2015. We’d like to give you an update on those issues.

CSA Carrier Safety Fitness Determination - FMCSA will issue

a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, establishing that safety fitness determinations (formerly called a carrier rating) will be based on a carrier’s CSA scores rather than on the findings of a FMCSA compliance review. The projected date for this is June 17, 2015. This will probably be met with mixed emotions from the trucking industry, due to the fact that we still have a few issues with the CSA program. Basing a carrier’s rating/fitness on CSA program data that’s still “a work in progress” may not be the best idea right now.

Qualifications of Drivers – Diabetes Standard. FMCSA has

been looking at diabetes issue in driver qualification for quite some time, and have determined that allowing a driver to be qualified while being insulin dependent may not be as much of a safety concern as was once thought. FMCSA will propose amending its medical qualification

standards to allow drivers who are insulin dependent to be medically qualiﬁed. The projected date for the NPRM is May 27, 2015.

Prohibition of Coercion – FMCSA

will issue a final rule to “ensure” that an operator of a commercial motor vehicle is not coerced by a carrier, shipper, receiver, or transportation intermediary to operate a CMV in violation of the regulations. FMCSA’s findings demonstrate that drivers are not coerced as much as originally thought, but MAP-21 required that this issue be addressed. The projected date for that final rule is September 10, 2015.

Electronic Logging Devices & Hours-of-Service Supporting documents – This is the one that

everyone is concerned about, and probably long overdue. The MAP-21 bill mandated that an E-log rule be published, but it has been delayed several times. The latest target date for the ﬁnal rule on E-logs is September 30, 2015. After that publication, we are probably still looking at a two to three year implementation time period.

Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse–

This rule, also required by the MAP-21 bill, will propose a central database for veriﬁed positive controlled substances and alcohol test results for CDL holders, as well as refusals to submit to testing. In my opinion, this clearinghouse will be a great resource for the trucking industry, as it should eliminate positive tests results or refusals that have fallen through the cracks.

Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiters –

Both the American Trucking Associations and Roadsafe America have petitioned FMCSA and NHTSA to require speed limiting devices on heavy trucks, and that they be set at a top speed at the time of manufacture. The proposed speed is 65 mph. The two groups making the proposal site safety concerns as their reasoning for requesting speed limiters. Expect this to come out from FMCSA in the form of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking possibly as early as April, 2015. The NPRM will

establish a comment period for the industry, and the general public, to submit comments related to this proposed rule.

MAP-21 CDL Requirements for Military – In an effort to allow ﬂexibility for military personnel, FMCSA will issue a proposed rulemaking that will grant military veterans an exemption from the domicile requirement, allowing the state in which they are stationed to issue them a CDL. The NPRM is expected to be published in October.

Unified Registration System 2 –

FMCSA will adjust the URS registration fee, implement online registration requirements, prohibit transfers of operating authority, and technical amendments to the MCSA-1 Form and Instructions. Watch for the NPRM later this spring. There are also a handful of other proposals and rulemakings lying in wait, with undetermined timelines attached to them. They include: New Entrant Knowledge Testing – which would consider methods for ensuring that new applicant carriers are knowledgeable about the applicable safety requirements before they are granted authority; Safety Monitoring of Mexican Carriers – which will implement a safety monitoring system and compliance initiative designed to evaluate the continuing safety fitness of all Mexico domiciled carriers within 18 months of receiving authority to operate within the United states; Safety Auditors Certification – which will require that any safety inspection, safety audit, or compliance review be conducted only by a certified inspector, auditor, or investigator; and a rule dealing with Consumer Complaint Information – which is a rulemaking that would require each motor carrier of household goods to submit a quarterly report to FMCSA, listing specific identified information regarding complaints they have received from shippers and consumers. Stay tuned, as we head through 2015. We will do our best to stay on top of the changes and updates in trucking regulations.

Don Egli has over 25 years experience in the trucking industry. He has served as IMTA’s Director of Safety and Compliance for the past 10 years. Don started in the industry as a driver and worked his way through various management positions related to safety. He proudly holds the CDS (Certified Director of Safety) certification and in addition to serving IMTA’s membership by assisting with safety, regulatory and compliance oversight, he also sits on several state and national boards dedicated to safety.

{14

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Cornerstone Sponsors I MTA

Platinum Sponsors

Patron Sponsors

Boyer Petroleum Harrison Truck Centers Midwest Wheel Companies

As of January 9, 2015

Associate Sponsors

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Halloran International & Quality Services Corp.

Thompson Truck & Trailer Truck Country

Cornhusker International Trucks Des Moines Truck Brokers GATR Truck Center GE Capital Solutions Transportation Finance

Allied Oil & Tire Company Bergan Paulsen Bridgestone Commercial Solutions Donaghy-Kempton Insurors

Heartland Payment Systems

Hanifen Company

McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith, P.C.

Majestic Truck Center

Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales 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

Colleague Sponsors

Housby/Vocon

McGladrey

TrueNorth Companies

Peterbilt of Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Sioux City

U.S. Legal Services

Reynolds & Reynolds

Wilson Trailer Company

TAB Bank Thermo King Christensen Transport Permits U.S. Cargo Control www.IowaMotorTruck.com

15}

Members in the News John Minor named President of Midwest Wheel Companies

John Minor Midwest Wheel Companies

Midwest Wheel Companies announced that John Minor has been named President of the Company. John succeeds Mike Callison, who is remaining on as the CEO of the company and will also to sit on the company’s board. John Minor is only the ﬁfth person to retain the title of President in the company’s 104 year history.

John started working for Midwest Wheel Companies in 1972 and was named general manager of the company’s Des Moines location in 1980. He was later promoted to executive Vice President and COO. John has been an active member of several IMTA committees and boards. Midwest Wheel Companies have also been one of IMTA’s biggest supporters over the years and has facilities in Des Moines, Clear Lake, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and in Kansas City and Belton, Missouri. Midwest Wheel Companies is an industry leader in providing quality automotive and truck parts, equipment and services to its large customer base throughout the Midwest.

Weinrich Truck Line Driver Named to America’s Road Team

The American Trucking Associations has named Weinrich driver Randy Luschen to the prestigious America’s Road Team. Randy was one of 19 drivers chosen for the 2015 – 2016 America’s Road Team. The drivers will serve as Road Team Captains for two years and were selected from 31 ﬁnalists that competed before a panel of judges in DC.

2015 America’s Road Team - Newly selected & proudly serving the trucking industry.

an industry that delivers life’s essentials every day,” said ATA President Bill Graves. The competition tested the drivers’ knowledge of the trucking industry and communication skills. The selection process also included a review of their community service and overall safety records. The captains have 453 combined years of experience and have logged more than 30.3 million accidentfree miles. The Road Team Captains will travel around the US for the next two years as representatives of the trucking industry, speaking at community events and schools, and to the new media, public ofﬁcials and fellow truck drivers. This is a huge honor for Randy, Weinrich Truck Line and Iowa in general. Weinrich Truck Line is food grade tank operation headquartered in Hinton, Iowa.

Ruan Driver Named as a Finalist for NTTC Professional Tank Truck Driver of the Year Program

“America’s road team represents the best of what trucking can be; dedication to safety, professionalism and pride in

Chuck Carmin, Ruan Transport

Chuck Carmin, a driver for Ruan Transport, has been named 1-of8 ﬁnalists in the selection process to become the recipient of the prestigious Usher Trophy recognizing the industry’s professional tank truck driver of the year.

Chuck was Ruan’s Driver of the Year in 2013 and has been with the company since 2002. Chuck has over three million miles in his 40 years as a professional driver. Chuck served in the US Navy for four years and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, ﬁshing and playing golf. He is also an active “Trucker Buddy.”

Donna Weinrich, Randy Luschen, Gov. Bill Graves-ATA at the 2015 Road Team announcement

{16

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

The eight champions will now move to the ﬁnal round of the selection process with the winner being announced on April 30, 2015, at the 67th Annual NTTC Conference.

Members in the News Founder of Sioux City Truck Sales Passes Away

Iowa’s trucking industry lost another great leader when Gerald Lee “Jerry” Wilson passed away on January 8 at the age of 92. Jerry founded the ﬁrst Sioux City Truck Sales dealership in 1954. That dealership was the springboard of Gerald Lee “Jerry” Wilson future successful Peterbilt dealerships in Iowa and Nebraska. Jerry originally ran a gas station, drove an oil truck and sold Mack trucks out of Sioux City. After ﬁrst selling Diamond T and Mack trucks, he transitioned to selling Peterbilt trucks in 1964.

HY-Vee Awards Trucks to Safe Drivers Hy-Vee, Inc. recently held their annual Driver Awards Banquet.

Hy-Vee recognized 78 drivers for safe driving awards, but the highlight of the evening was when Assistant Vice President of Transportation, Jim Moore, announced that three drivers would be receiving special recognition. Drivers Jim Curtis and Robin Seuferer had each achieved one million miles of safe driving and were awarded a gold Hy-Vee semi tractor to operate for the company. Driver Tom Carpenter had achieved 2 million miles of safe driving and was awarded a black Hy-Vee semi tractor to operate for the company.

Today, Sioux City Truck Sales has three locations in Iowa (Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Altoona) and two dealerships in Nebraska (Lincoln and Norfolk).

GATR Truck Center President Nominated for ATD Dealer of the Year

Bob Neitzke GATR Truck Center

Bob Neitzke, president of GATR Truck Center, was 1-of-6 nominees in the running for the 2015 American Truck Dealers Dealer of the Year award, which was garnered by McCandless Truck Center President Scott McCandless.

Neitzke was part of the awards ceremony that announced the winner during the 2015 ATD Convention and Expo in San Francisco recently. Nominees for this annual award were selected by state, metro and national association leaders before a panel of professors from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business pinpointed McCandless after evaluating each dealerships performance, industry leadership and civic contributions. GATR Truck Centers is headquartered in Sauk Rapids, Minn., with two additional locations in Iowa – Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.

Jim Curtis

Robin Seuferer was recognized for accomplishing 1 million safe driving miles for the second time since beginning his carrier with Hy-Vee in 1989. He is the 18th and 63rd driver to reach 1 million safety driving miles. Robin reached his ﬁrst million miles in December of 2001 and his second million miles in January of 2015.

Robin Seuferer

Tom Carpenter was recognized as the 9th Hy-Vee driver to reach 2 million safe driving miles. Tom began his career with Hy-Vee in 1994. He reached 1 million miles of accidentfree driving in October of 2005 and 2 million miles of safe driving on May 9, 2014.

IMTA President Brenda Neville appointed to Research Advisory Committee (RAC)

IMTA President Brenda Neville was appointed to a two year term on ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC). RAC is comprised of government ofﬁcials, independent scientist, labor union ofﬁcials, academics, trucking company executives, suppliers and Brenda Neville trucking association executives. The IMTA President & CEO committee is comprised of a diverse cross-section of the industry, all who understand the importance of sound science to an industry as complex as trucking. The RAC is charged with annually recommending a research agenda for the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).

Jim Curtis was recognized for reaching 1 million safe driving miles for the second time since beginning his Hy-Vee career in 1972. He is the 3rd and 62nd Hy-Vee driver to reach 1 million miles. Jim is also the second driver to have reached 2 million miles. Jim reached his ﬁrst million miles in May of 1996, his two million miles in June of 2005, and his second 1 million miles in April of 2014.

Tom Carpenter

PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THESE DRIVERS! www.IowaMotorTruck.com

17}

Membership Update

Membership Benefit: Proactive Approach to Regulatory Environment - California Sick Leave - Potential Problem?

Jon Dill IMTA Membership Manager

Serving the members of the association is our top priority and in an effort to do that, we are constantly looking out on the horizon to see what may be popping up in the future that will impact your business operations.

We believe that a pro-active approach to regulatory and compliance efforts is essential because we realize that the vast majority of members are too busy with the day to day operations to be worrying about something that may happen in the future. We accomplish this goal by monitoring daily any new postings on the Federal Register as well as almost daily conversations with regulatory folks throughout the state and nation. We also are actively involved in several national organizations that offer insight on upcoming regulatory and compliance issues. All of these efforts are valuable tools as we work to offer our members as much expertise and knowledge on an issue BEFORE it becomes a problem. One issue that has us extremely concerned is once again some things that are happening in California that we are fearful will be a detrimental impact on IMTA members. As of July 1st, 2015, California will be implementing a new Paid Sick Leave Law that created tremendous liability for anyone that is doing business in California. It should be noted that this new law is separate from the San Francisco sick leave ordinance. This law applies to any company that has employees who work in California 30 days or more per year. The new law states that sick days must start accruing at the rate of not less than 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, beginning on the 1st day of employment or July 1, 2015 whichever is later. This equals 1.3 hours per week or 5.3 hours per month based on a 40

This is just one example of why we are so committed taking an aggressive and pro-active approach to monitoring potential challenges you will face. hour work week. Employees under this law are able to accrue sick leave after the 90th day of employment with your company. Employers may limit the amount of sick leave to 24 hours or 3 days per year. In the event the employee doesn’t use all of his/her sick leave they are able to carry over the unused portion of the sick leave, but cannot have more than 48 hours or 6 days available in their sick leave bank. The sick leave must be paid out based on the employee’s hourly wage. In the event the employee is paid on commission or piece rate, or otherwise has a variable hourly wage, or is non-exempt, salaried employee, then the amount of pay is measured on total amount of wages (excluding overtime pay) divided by the total number of hours worked in the given pay period. Employers must give written information to each employee that advises them of the sick leave that is available to them should they need it. It is to be itemized out on the employees check statement. Employers also must display in a visible location a poster telling the employees of their rights given this new law. Also, each company must keep records of each employee’s sick leave for no less than 3 years. Employers who do not currently offer sick leave to employees but have employees who work in California more than 30 days a year are now mandated to offer this beneﬁt by July 1, 2015. Employers who currently have PTO or sick leave policies in place may want to review those policies to in an effort to be in compliance with this current law.

agreements if the agreements meet certain criteria, which would include providing for paid leave and binding arbitration. There are also penalties enforced for employers who violate this new law which could be, but not limited to administrative fees. The ﬁnes could also be civil penalties, attorneys’ fees, costs plus interest against any violating employers. They employer could also be asked to reinstate employees. As anticipated, this new rule/law is very problematic and in talking to IMTA members, there is no consistent guidance as to how companies are moving towards compliance. At this point, IMTA is in the process of collecting data and feedback from the various IMTA members that are impacted. As we collect this information, we will continue to communicate with the members as to some recommended guidelines for compliance. IMTA is also hoping to possibly offer some educational sessions in the very near future to assist members in moving towards compliance. In the meantime, if you are doing business in California and were not aware of this new law…. now you know and now is the time to start coming up with solutions within your company to address this new law. This is just one example of why we are so committed taking an aggressive and proactive approach to monitoring potential challenges you will face. We believe this is one of the most valuable beneﬁts we can offer to our membership and we are dedicated to being the very best we can be at helping you run your operation.

This new law does exempt any employees that are covered by collective bargaining

Jon Dill is IMTA’s membership manager. Jon is a graduate of Coe College and a native of Grinnell, Iowa. Jon spent 8 years working in the trucking industry prior to coming to the association. Jon is looking forward to his continued work of getting out to meet the current members and recruiting trucking companies, towers and vendors to join IMTA.

{18

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Marketing Update Fuel Program

Don’t Get Complacent with Falling Diesel Prices Continue to Maximize Your Savings Potential with the IMTA Fuel Savings Program

There’s no debating it. The current price of diesel has to put a small grin on your face, if not a fullﬂedged smile.

As one of your company’s largest Phillip Nicolino expenses IMTA Marketing Manager --- if not the biggest --- has plummeted $1.00 per gallon in the past year, trucking is finally getting relief at the pump. But don’t take this meteoric drop in price as a reason to feel satisfied. Lower pump prices should not translate into complacency. Your business has too much at stake for that. Instead, take a moment to re-evaluate what impact the current price of diesel has had for your company. Maybe, when prices where teetering $4.00 per gallon, you employed costsaving measures that no longer prove financially viable or have been made obsolete. Perhaps previous discount programs have lost their margins. Or, quite possibly, your need to offset other rising operational costs (i.e. driver wages and health care) is trumping any savings being generated by lower diesel prices. No matter what the situation may be, if question marks are surrounding your fuel purchasing practices, then consider turning to the IMTA Fuel Savings

Program. Its stability and proven value is unwavering no matter how high or low fuel prices go.

out around $2.70 per gallon in this year’s second quarter before going back up to an average of $3.25 in 2016.

Just How Valuable are You Talking?

Knowing some organizations offer programs that are based on wholesale cost margins and buying ahead, it would make more sense to capitalize on the IMTA fuel program. You will eliminate all inconsistent variables and give you a secure understanding of your savings potential.

There are 17 carriers currently participating in the IMTA Fuel Savings Program. They range in ﬂeet size from four trucks up to 175 units. In total, they purchased over 3.2 million gallons of diesel in 2014. Only factoring in the current 5-cent discount per gallon the IMTA program has to offer, the average savings per carrier last year was $9,412. Add one extra penny to account for the elimination of transaction fees (industry estimates are really 2-3 cents per gallon), and that savings rises to $11,294 per carrier. While not every company participating in the IMTA fuel program is realizing $10,000 in savings yearly, they 90 percent are recouping their annual membership dues at a minimum. That’s the value of this one program that can positively impact your bottom line no matter the price of diesel.

What are my Actual Discounts?

The IMTA Fuel Savings Program provides cash price at the pump, a 5-cent discount per gallon and no transaction fees on fuel purchases. For a carrier that buys as little as 5,000 gallons of fuel over the road each month, that would be a minimum annual savings of $3,000. It’s also important to note that these discounts are good nationwide at all Pilot and Flying J locations. That’s a network of more than 650 travel centers with 17 being located right here in the state of Iowa.

Should I Fear $4.00 Diesel Again? Whether diesel would ever spike above $4.00 per gallon again is unknown at this time. But the U.S. Department of Energy is projecting fuel prices to rise again in late 2015 and into 2016. Diesel is currently being forecasted to bottom

More details about the IMTA Fuel Savings Program can be obtained by contacting me at phillip@iowamotortruck.com or (515) 244-5193. Within 5 minutes, we can compare the beneﬁts of the IMTA fuel program against you your current purchasing strategy to determine what yields your company the best savings. There’s no risk and no obligation. Just an opportunity to lower your bottom line as much as possible.

TESTIMONIAL “The fuel program is an extra bonus to the excellent support we get from being an IMTA member, and deﬁnitely the most cost effective IMTA member beneﬁt Casey’s has experienced. The whole set up was easy, with little effort on our end to start rolling in the savings.” Vance Phillips, Transportation Supervisor for Casey’s General Stores

Phillip Nicolino serves as IMTA’s Marketing Manager and in that capacity, he is responsible for working with all of IMTA’s non-dues revenue programs. When IMTA looks at a product or service to offer to the membership, a carrier committee is appointed to help with the process. This group of carriers plays an instrumental role in providing insight, feedback and expertise in determining if the product or service should become a part of IMTA’s platform of benefits. Getting that “seal of approval” from the carriers, potential customers, is essential in ensuring that IMTA is truly meeting the needs of its members. www.IowaMotorTruck.com

19}

OPTIONS. WITHOUT THEM, WE’RE ALL BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.

Petroleum fuels almost all of our transportation. Its price – which impacts the cost of all transported products – is set globally, not by U.S. supply and demand but by the politics of the world’s most unstable regions. No matter how much oil we drill, relying on a single source of transportation fuel makes our economy unstable. America’s Advanced Biofuel, Biodiesel is here, now – growing and diversifying our transportation energy supply.

AmericasAdvancedBiofuel.org

Take your cue from Biodiesel. www.IowaBiodiesel.org 20 {20

Sponsored by the United Soybean Board, the National Biodiesel Board, State Soybean Checkoff Boards, the U.S. Canola Association, and the Northern Canola Growers Association.

Iowa Iow o aM ow Motor o r Truc ot oto T Truck ruckk Asso ruc A Association sso ssocia socia ciatio tion tio n Lifeli Lifeliner Lif feli el ner ne e

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

21}

HOW DO WE

ATTRACT DRIVERS?

THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION Randy Scheel Hightower Agency

Randy Scheel is a graduate of Coe College with a B.A. in Psychology. His career in transportation started in 1990 at CRST Expedited where he served in various capacities including operations, recruiting, terminal management, and director of driver development. He joined the Hightower Advertising Agency in August 2003 as the director of sales. He works with dozens of carriers nationwide assisting them in recruitment advertising, budget planning, lead tracking, consulting, and training. A trucking company executive was taking some much needed and deserved vacation time in a tropical location. While walking on the beach one morning, he came upon a colorful bottle with a cork stuck in the end. Plucking the cork, a smoky cloud streamed out and a genie appeared before him. “Thank you Sir, for releasing me from this bottle!” exclaimed the genie. “For this great favor, I will grant you one wish.” Thinking hard about the opportunity, the executive responded, “You know, my entire life I have wanted to take my wife to Hawaii. But she is petriﬁed of ﬂying and will never set foot on a plane. On top of that, she gets seasick and cannot go on a boat. So to make our dream come true, I wish for a highway to built from California to Hawaii so we would be able to drive there.”

{22

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

The genie gasps, “Sir! Do you realize what this involves? Do you know how much planning, materials, and people are involved? The ocean depths make it impossible to set up the bridge supports. Surely there must be something else that would make you happy.” After thinking a couple minutes, the executive responds, “OK. There is one thing. I wish to have unlimited, qualiﬁed truck drivers for my ﬂeet; each one with a perfect driving record and work history. Every orientation class would be full. All my growth needs will be met.” The genie looks bewildered. He quickly responds, “OK. For that highway to Hawaii, do you prefer concrete or blacktop?”

Like the executive in the story above, every trucking company in our state and country has the same concerns with our current environment. The potential for growth exists. The freight is available. Equipment is available or can be ordered. The only piece that is unknown is the availability of qualiﬁed truck drivers.

So how did we get into this position? First off, the term “driver

shortage” is nothing new. Over the course of the past 25 years that I have been in this industry, we have encountered other periods where there were not enough drivers to meet the needs of our industry. Our business is cyclical. However, it appears our challenges today are much more than they have been in the past.

ATTRACTING DRIVERS The great recession of 2008 and 2009 started us down this path. Our industry saw a dramatic reduction in freight and many, if not all, carriers were forced to cut back in many areas including the size of their fleets. This led to more drivers than our industry had seats for. Fleets were “culled”. Poor drivers were ushered out. Minimal hiring was done as compared to the past. Not only did this impact the experienced company driver market, it also affected other types of drivers. The reduction in freight along with high fuel prices made it difficult for many owner operators to make truck payments. In addition, fleets were not seeking them out as they were in the past in order to maintain their company trucks. Trucking schools saw a significant reduction in funding sources, carrier support, and an overall need for students. Many carriers who conducted their own student training programs either downsized the programs

signiﬁcantly or eliminated them all together. Applicants who were considering a career in trucking started looking to other industries. In other words, the pipeline of drivers and owner operators was dramatically reduced. To throw salt in the wound, we introduced new regulations over the past 6 years that have impacted our current driver force. CSA, EOBR’s, hours of service changes, and tighter driver screening are just some of the examples that have forced drivers out of our industry. Some of this is good and necessary. However, with each new change, some number of veteran, experienced drivers has decided to call it quits or retire. They simply grow tired of the ever-changing policies and procedures. Over the past few years, we have also seen an increase in other localized driving opportunities that allow drivers to make good money in a short time. For example, drilling in North Dakota and fracking in several other states allow drivers and workers the ability to make

According to the ATA, we are currently facing a 30,000 driver shortage. In 10 years they predict this shortage could be as high as 250,000.

normal annual earnings in 6 months or less. Even though the conditions in some cases are not desirable, it is enough to attract potential applicants and remove them from the pool of available drivers. So we add all of these factors up and it leads to the challenges that we face today. According to the ATA, we are currently facing a 30,000 driver shortage. In 10 years they predict this shortage could be as high as 250,000. Those statistics are extremely startling and paint a pretty grim picture for trucking in both the short and long term. But it doesn’t mean we throw our arms up in the air and view it as an impossible task.

Moving Forward. There will be several areas that need to be examined. The issue of driver pay is always being discussed. Based on the ATA’s numbers, average annual pay for an over-theroad driver in the “For Hire” truckload industry has not kept up with inﬂation since 2000. These same studies show a variance of approximately $3000 over this 14-year time frame. Since we just started a new year, driver pay has been increased by a number of carriers. In some cases, this increase was intended to help increase driver leads or improve retention. Unfortunately with so many carriers doing the increases, the increase in leads has been minimal so far. To be truly considered as a career path in the future, I believe driver pay will need to be increased signiﬁcantly and/ or time at home needs to be increased. We all know that being away from home is tough on anyone and in the trucking industry, given the demands of being a professional driver coupled with being away from loved ones for weeks at a time makes for a bad combination. The reality is that the trucking industry really needs to look at the demands of the job and really question whether the current average salary of $50,000 is good enough to attract people into the industry. Unfortunately, one or two cent increases won’t be enough to make up this difference. If we want to be serious about attracting and keeping good drivers, we are simply going to have to pay them better. Our driver pipeline needs to be addressed as well. Today we are seeing www.IowaMotorTruck.com

23}

ATTRACTING DRIVERS a big uptick in consideration for driver training programs. But it will take more than just consideration. There are fewer funding sources today than there were in the 90’s. Carriers will need to step up to seek ways to help finance tuition or work with trucking schools to assist with student training. This may include use of equipment and/or facilities and really building a partnership with these training schools. In addition, we need to consider other options with student training. This includes our current minimum age to drive interstate. In the mid-90’s, a committee was formed to put together an 18 year old training program. I was part this committee. Even though I was skeptical at first, every piece of the program was very carefully thought out and I believe a very safe and effective proposal was made. I became a believer. Unfortunately it was never approved. But this is a group of potential employees who currently graduate from high school and find other careers in the three years before they are eligible to drive interstate. By no means with this fix our problem, but it certainly one piece of the puzzle that is worth looking at. There will no quick fix or one solution fits all to this problem, our industry needs to embrace a comprehensive collaboration of well thought out ideas and solutions to attracting more people to our industry. Since I am an advertising guy, let me also share our current trends in our industry. Like technology in our trucks, technology is taking over in advertising as well. The days of print media are slowly eroding. Not too many years ago, an ad plan included a heavy dose of newspaper ads and trucking publications. There were pages and pages of truck driver ads in any Sunday classified section you opened up. You aren’t seeing that today. While print still works for some carriers and some positions, the internet is taking over. Job aggregators like Indeed and LinkUp have become more effective in our industry. Google ad word campaigns (pay per click) have been utilized. Terms like “Re-Targeting” and “Re-Marketing” are becoming commonplace. Even CraigsList, which started out as a local “for sale” site has become a useful tool for many.

{24

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

When it comes to your own company’s presence on the world wide web, keep one word in mind; responsive. If your company’s current web site was built 2 years ago or longer, chances are that it is not responsive. With so many different types of devices searching the web today, your web site must now be able to respond and be presentable to each of these devices. Not only must your web site be mobile responsive (mobile users continue to increase every month amongst truck drivers), but it must also be easily viewable on tablets, iPads, and any other type of device being used. Where in the past prospective drivers would ask your current drivers what they thought of your company, most of today’s prospective drivers use the internet to get the information they need. Your company must be easy to ﬁnd and, just as importantly, have access to a quick application form and/or phone number to be successful.

The ﬁnal piece I will cover is Social Media. This has been the buzz phrase the past couple years in our industry. Social Media includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, and just about anything else you may hear your kids talking about while their head is buried in their phone. If your plan on Social Media is to use it to generate driver leads, you will be very disappointed. However, if your goal is to help spread the positive message about your company and increase involvement with your drivers, there are some opportunities to do so. Facebook has millions of users today and this is a free or inexpensive source to share your company’s story. It also helps combat potential negative web sites such as The Trucker’s Report, which may appear when a potential driver searches Google for information. The bottom line to the challenge of ﬁnding drivers today is that you need to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and work hard. Your company must be diverse in your marketing efforts and you must have

an open mind and a willingness to accept new ideas and ways of doing business. You need to be able to do a lot of the small things very well. Your staff must also realize that this is not a numbers game any more. Each applicant must be treated as if they are your next million mile safe driver. The relationship you start on the ﬁrst phone call is more crucial today than ever before. It is truly a driver’s market right now and you must remember that in everything you do from recruiting to retention efforts. The drivers are the foundation of this industry and in a very real sense; they are also the pulse of your company. If you don’t have drivers, well…you don’t have a company, so take the time to invest in exploring a number of different alternatives and ideas. Reach out to the younger generation and learn what really impacts them as far as communication. Look to the older generation and your veteran drivers as a source of guidance and counsel as to what has inspired them to be a driver for so many years. Be diligent, be courteous, be open minded and remember, there is no magic genie that will appear and make this issue disappear. Instead, it will take a lot of hard work and effort but in the long run, the good companies will be successful and hopefully in the next decade, being a professional truck driver will be a much sought after profession.

Driver RETENTION INSIGHT ON RETAINING DRIVERS? DAN GARDNER Safety Manager Walmart Transportation LLC.

JULIE PRUITT President Crouse Transportation Services

Treat them with respect, get them home on a regular basis, listen to their concerns and ask for their input…they probably have solutions to the issues.

Paying the drivers a good wage is critical and also offering good beneﬁts such as health insurance, retirement, paid vacations and giving them their own truck to drive. No slip seats. Being able to provide decent home time and treating them life family is important too. I think something as simple as really getting to know the driver and their family is important too. Having an open door policy so they feel like you respect their opinion is also valuable in retaining good drivers.

LARRY SPAIN Senior Loss Control Representative Acuity Insurance Keep the drivers informed of what is going on with the company. How is the company doing? Plans for the future. How is what they are doing as a driver contributing to the overall success of the company…make them as involved as possible.

CHRIS KOVACHEVICH Transportation Loss Control Continental Western Group Make them feel like they are part of the team. Everyone needs to be treated with the same level of respect.

MARVIN MCGINNIS Gasoline Transportation Manager Casey’s General Stores Respect the Driver for who he is and what he does for the company. He/She is the face of the company and to a lot of the people. Respect goes a long way…

CURT THAYER Director of Safety Florilli Transportation

SID CARROLL Senior Safety Representative Great West Casualty Creating a caring and accepting atmosphere for the driver and his family.

DAVE RIGGAN Safety Director TanTara Transportation Corp. Relationships, relationships, relationships

ALLISON MEINERS Safety Manager Ruan Retaining drivers goes hand-in-hand with happy drivers. Happy drivers have a clearer mind which in turn makes them safer. By listening, rewarding and constantly investing in good training, your ability to retain that driver is greatly enhanced.

Building a positive relationship based on honesty and facts. Follow through with what is explained to them in the recruiting process. www.IowaMotorTruck.com

25}

Driver RECRUITMENT INSIGHT ON RECRUITING DRIVERS? KRISTA HART Safety Trainer Atlantic Carriers, Inc.

LISA GONNERMAN VP- Safety Ruan

Word of mouth is probably the most effective way to recruit drivers. If you have a something good then others will want to be a part of it.

Your current drivers are your best recruiters so it is important that you always make them a priority. Word spreads quickly among drivers so take care of your current drivers and new ones will follow.

HEATH RICHARDS Safety Director Panama Transfer Honesty, Integrity and valuesâ&#x20AC;Ś everyone says that the grass is greeneron the other side of the fence, that is because it is fertilized with bull poop. Every company can say the grass is greener, but in the end drivers will see that it is fertilized with bull poop too. Be honest, have integrity and strong values and your drivers will see that. Tell your drivers what to expect so when it is time to hire and retain drivers, they will recognize that you have been up front and honest from the start.

JACKSON SAWYER Dispatcher DMTC, Inc. The best way to recruit drivers is by word of mouth, your current drivers are the best recruiters so keep them happy.

STEPHEN COLEMAN Director of Safety Dickey Transport Your current driver is the best recruiter you have â&#x20AC;&#x201C; word of mouth.

RON GANDER Operations Manager Barton Solvents, Inc. All employees are valuable in the process of recruiting drivers. Word of mouth, leads and recommendations.

DEANNA MILLER Business Relations Iowa Sleep Integrity, having a company with good integrity is important in getting good employees.

KENNY BAUMAN Operations Manager JMT Trucking Obtaining and maintaining a quality reputation.

{26

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Do you have INSIGHT to share? SEND IT OUR WAY and we will continue to post ideas on Facebook

A JOBS BOARD SPECIFICALLY FOR TRUCKING THAT DRAWS IN GOOD, QUALITY JOB CANDIDATES SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN THE INDUSTRY The IMTA developed and tailored www.IATruckingJobs.com to directly serve companies doing business in trucking that have a need Ior drivers diesel technicians and other TualiĂ&#x20AC;ed employees. &utting edge Web site technology and social media is used to aggressively capture job seekers who have a connection and background to the trucking industry. This pinpointed marketing strategy creates an unparalleled bridge to the widening gap between trucking companies and TualiĂ&#x20AC;ed employees.

SXEVFULSWLRQV OSWLRQV BHQHĂ&#x20AC;WV Annual and monthly subscriptions are available to members and non members oI the Iowa Motor Truck Association with the annual subscriptions costing less than $100 per month. All subscribers can post UNLIMITED JOBS and receive a company proĂ&#x20AC;le page that provides:

â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş &ompany %io 2verview â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş Listing of all available job postings â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş &ontact Information (address & phone) â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş Web site URL (linked) â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş Social media pages (linked)

SE JOB

ARC

PLO

YER

A BO

CON

TAC

TER GIS

L OG

ry ust d n gI kin -on bonus. c u e Tr nefits. Sign e n th

it Awa

You

b ithi Great pay, W es bs. niti d office jo u t or river an D Opp r ree Ca

S JOB

ht brig ive ith a ke f yw a n T a . p term com g a n n o rk i he l r wo or t re f ry o unt futu o t c h r ig l the l ly b ave ncia ou! o tr mt ts y fina i o f a d t s a a ee h r t h f y b jo s tr th e king in it indu truc ion ose the rtat s th ies o e d v p i n s i pan F an dg com life. e tr l an l r n h e t no u o i yw but f yo ar e rtat t pa go, st o ere spo tha e re ion ran . Th and s t t s h b a t e g y t o b or ge sj om nin nsp sted han ope ay c vide a c o r o r p t m r d e p s g are s an trie er in s try bein of c ute are d us stry i n du l i st min le c e in i nd u ta b kin g less om s c g s d u , a n n r i e r re he t ruck g fo the mo

a ose Cho

D FIN

S? NU I O YJ WH

IT NG I S SU

www ww w www.IowaMotorTruck.com ww.IowaMotorTr ww rTruck rTr uc .com

27} 27

2015 IMTA COMMITTEES MEET YOUR ASSOCIATION LEADERS The foundation of the Iowa Motor Truck Association has always been its strong and dedicated membership. Through the support of members from across the State, IMTA has been able to be an effective and valuable organization that consistently strives to serve its members at all levels. Effectively serving the membership is a top priority and in an effort to be the best at serving the membership, a strong committee structure is in place. These standing committees focus on the main areas of emphasis for the association and as the need arises, special task force committees are formed to take on a speciﬁc issue of concern but then they disband once the goal of the committee is achieved. The standing committees are the core of IMTA’s strength and these volunteer leaders take their roles on these committees very seriously. Regular meetings and correspondence help these committee members stay on top of their stated goals and mission. Consistency and communication are key in their ongoing success. IMTA does not hold meetings for the sake of having a meeting, instead, they focus on an issue, gather member feedback and then the committee goes to work at developing the ideas and solutions that best serve the members of the association. This framework has served the association well and IMTA is proud of its committee leaders and volunteers and is grateful for the time and commitment they share with the association. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with your IMTA leaders and stay tuned as information about the valuable work of these committees will continue to unfold as the year moves forward.

{28

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Executive Committee

The main responsibility of this committee is to oversee, assist and direct the operations of the association. Individuals on this committee are potential candidates for moving into an ofﬁcer position and eventually serving as the Chairman of the Board. A special thanks to the following individuals that are serving on IMTA’s core committees. These individuals commit a great deal of time, energy and expertise to their respective committee assignments and their contributions are greatly appreciated.

Jackie Johnsrud - CHAIRMAN Johnsrud Transport, Inc. IMTA-Chairman of the Board

Ralph Arthur Ruan Transportation Management Systems

George Crouse Crouse Transportation Services

Don Decker Decker Truck Line, Inc

Dave Dickey Harold Dickey Transport, Inc.

Murry Fitzer Florilli Transportation, LLC.

Kevin Gass Perishable Distributors of Iowa Ltd.

Michael Gerdin Heartland Express

Greg McCoy Foodliner, Inc.

Mark Olson Olson Explosives

Michael Riggan TanTara Transportation Corp.

Steve Schuster Schuster Company

John Smith CRST International, Inc.

Nick Thummel Keane Thummel Trucking

Jeff Wangsness JMT Trucking Company

Donna Weinrich-Lucht Weinrich Truck Lines

2015 IMTA COMMITTEES Truck PAC Committee

The main responsibility of this committee is to provide assistance and oversight with the advocacy efforts of the Iowa Motor Truck Association. This committee will play an important role in several different areas which include; Advocacy, Fundraising Efforts through Truck PAC Iowa and Legislative efforts.

Delwin Van Wyk - CHAIRMAN Interstate PowerSystems

Mike Bagg Central Trailer Service

Brenda Dittmer Weinrich Truck Lines

Fred Grask Cedar Rapids Truck Center

David Holdsworth Farner-Bocken Company

Jackie Johnsrud Johnsrud Transport, Inc.

Kenny Niece Niece Trucking

Dave Nelsen Freightliner of Des Moines, Inc.

Dave Neuwohner All Seasons Trucking

Michael Riggan TanTara Transportation Corp.

Steve Schuster Schuster Company

Dennis Thompson Thompson Truck & Trailer

Jeff Wangsness JMT Trucking Company

Jeff Wangsness - CHAIRMAN JMT Trucking Company

Ralph Arthur Ruan Transportation Management Systems

George Crouse Crouse Transportation Services

Kevin Gass Perishable Distributors of Iowa Ltd.

Mark Olson Olson Explosives

Michael Riggan TanTara Transportation Corp.

Steve Schuster Schuster Company

Building Committee

The main responsibility of this committee is to provide added oversight and advise the association leaders on the priorities of the ongoing maintenance of the building. The building is one of the Iowa Motor Truck Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest assets and we need to take care of that asset.

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

29}

2015 IMTA COMMITTEES ICSM Steering Committee

The ICSM Steering Committee provides oversight for the Iowa Council of Safety Management. ICSM is a division that was created for the promotion of professionalism and safety in the trucking industry. The division sponsors numerous awards and recognition programs, safety education courses and hosts monthly meetings designed to provide professional networking and disbursement of safety information. ICSM also sponsors several outreach events and activities such as the Iowa Road Team and the Iowa Truck Driving Championships. In addition, the ICSM also assists with the development of public policy that pertains to truck safety.

Allied Steering Committee

The purpose of this committee is to oversee the operations of the Allied Division. The division was designed to provide a membership outlet speciﬁcally for the vendors and suppliers to the trucking industry. It’s a key partner for the IMTA and provides the ﬁnancial support for several major IMTA events.

Adam Clark Midwest Wheel Companies

Kenneth Bauman JMT Trucking Company

Randy Miller Great West Casualty Company

Bill Roth Truck Country of Iowa

Dan Schwarz McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith, P.C.

Delwin Van Wyk Interstate PowerSystems

Lisa Gonnerman Ruan Transportation Mgmt Sys

Finance Committee

The main responsibility of this committee is to provide assistance and oversight to the association’s ﬁnancial operation. This committee also reviews the IMTA’s investment and makes recommendations in regard to investments. Keith Lamfers Schuster Company

Marvin McGinnis Casey’s General Stores

George Crouse - CHAIRMAN Crouse Transportation Services

Ralph Arthur Ruan Transportation Management Systems

Murry Fitzer Florilli Transportation, LLC.

Jackie Johnsrud Johnsrud Transport, Inc.

Mark Olson Olson Explosives

Steve Schuster Schuster Company

David Riggan TanTara Transportation Corp.

{30

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

2015 IMTA COMMITTEES Compensation Committee

The main responsibility of this committee is to conduct the annual salary review and evaluation process of the IMTA president. They will provide expectations, objectives and goals for the IMTA President/CEO.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

2015 MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE LEADERSHIP September 22-23, 2015 Downtown Des Moines Marriott

Steve Schuster - CHAIRMAN Schuster Company

George Crouse Crouse Transportation Services Adam Clark - CHAIRMAN Midwest Wheel Companies

Don Decker Decker Truck Line, Inc

Jackie Johnsrud Johnsrud Transport, Inc.

Travis Thompson - CO-CHAIRMAN Thompson Truck & Trailer, Inc.

SAVE THE DATE & CONSIDER SENDING YOUR DRIVER TO THE

2015 TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERSHIP June 11-12, 2015 Prairie Meadows, Altoona

Mark Olson Olson Explosives

John Smith CRST International, Inc.

Lisa Gonnerman - CHAIRMAN Ruan Transportation Mgmt Sys

Keith Lamfers - CO-CHAIRMAN Schuster Company

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

31}

Foundation Update

IMTA Chairman of the Board, Jackie Johnsrud Commissions Sculpture Jackie Johnsrud loves the trucking industry. Having spent most of her life in the industry, she has a strong desire to always ﬁnd ways to portray a positive image and underscore the importance of the industry, especially the drivers. Jackie has always been proud to be involved with the Iowa Motor Truck Association and is always looking for ways to do something different and unique to build pride into the industry through IMTA. Several months ago, Jackie decided to so something that would combine both of those passions and through several conversations and discussions, she came up with a very unique idea. As the front entrance renovation was progressing, the new and improved design provided the opportunity to make a statement. As one of the major contributors to the campaign, Jackie started visiting with building committee members and inquired about ways she could do something that was more unique than simply having her company’s name on a plaque. “I was happy to support the capital campaign because I am very proud of our headquarters building and it symbol to our industry. Once the front entrance renovation was completed, I felt that we needed to utilize that area in somewhat to tell our story given the number of different people and groups that are in and out of our building on an almost weekly basis,” said Jackie. Over time, after several conversations, the idea emerged to have some unique artwork at the entrance of the building and Jackie was more than happy to roll up her sleeves and start working with a local sculptor to design a unique and special tribute to Iowa’s trucking industry. “We really had no preconceived notions or ideas as to what we wanted. We simply started a conversation with local sculptor Jon Brommel and the over time the design concept was created and we are very excited about the project. Obviously it is hard to create something that everyone will like or appreciate but we certainly believe that this artwork will be very special and unique,” Jackie continued.

{32

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Johnsrud Transport President and CEO Jackie Johnsrud presented a check in the amount of $35,000 to the Iowa Motor Carriers Foundation and IMCF Chairman Murry Fitzer, owner of Florilli Transportation, on January 21. The donation will be used to build a sculpture outside the Iowa Motor Truck Association ofﬁce building that will be a symbol of several exemplary qualities of the trucking industry – including pride, strength and professionalism.

The main priority in the discussion was creating something that symbolized the value of the driver as well as the value of the industry as a whole. The ﬁnal design entitled “Delivering the World” will be simple but effective in conveying that message. And without giving too much of it away, the sculpture will contain a steering wheel as well as globe and will uniquely capture the true essence of the trucking industry in a unique and compelling manner. The sculpture will be located near the front entrance of the IMTA

building and will have some special lighting incorporated into it as well. The sculpture will be unveiled at the 2015 Management Conference when the opening reception taking place at the IMTA ofﬁces. “Like the trucking industry, this sculpture will be around for a very long time and will be a lasting tribute to the industry far into the future. It will be made of metal and other strong materials that further symbolize the strength and resilience of the trucking industry,” said Jackie.

LIKE THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, THIS SCULPTURE WILL BE AROUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND WILL BE A LASTING TRIBUTE TO THE INDUSTRY FAR INTO THE FUTURE.

Foundation Update SCULPTURER JOHN BROMMEL

“Delivering the World” Sculpture in the Works!

JOHN BROMMEL was born and raised in Des Moines and still resides there now. His informal education in art started as a childhood interest which grew into a habit of daily study. Five years in a trade school and 35 years as a steamﬁtter taught John invaluable knowledge of welding and working with carbon steel, stainless steel, brass, copper, aluminum and bronze. He is truly a life time learner. In 1979 John started sculpting in wood. Ten years later he taught himself to sculpt in stone. Then about 1998 he ﬁnally migrated to sculpting in metals. He started doing airbrush paintings in 2004 and the rest is history. Now his artwork is making statements all over the Des Moines area and the State of Iowa.

As the idea to put some artwork at the entrance of the IMTA office emerged, one didn’t have to look far to find an artist/ sculptor for the job. With all the various outdoor artwork that is on display in Des Moines, a simple drive around the various communities led the group to Jon Brommel. He specializes in sculptures made of various metal products and his artwork can be found not only in Des Moines but throughout the state of Iowa. Fittingly, Jon also had a connection to the trucking industry. His favorite uncle was a long time truck driver and had instilled in Jon a deep appreciation for the trucking industry. “My art is a never ending journey of discovery and invention. I avidly recycle and repurpose material, drawing from diverse technical genres, searching out new and innovative applications. I greatly enjoy the interplay of energies and ideas in the execution of commissioned works. The work ethic and sense of efficiency practiced in my 35 years as a steamfitter are invaluable in the execution of my work,“ said Jon.

“From our first conversation with Jon, he was very enthusiastic about the project and loves the trucking industry. It has been enjoyable to work with him because he has an understanding and appreciation of the trucking industry,” said Jackie Johnsrud, IMTA Chairman of the Board and sponsor of the sculpture. www.IowaMotorTruck.com

33}

{34

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Next Generation Speaks Leadership Class Supports Phil Kennedy

political world. But despite his respect and appreciation for the trucking industry, his real passion and love was evident when he talked about his role as a husband and father.

IMTA’s leadership program is one of the most valuable programs that the association offers. It not only provides great sessions for both personal and professional development, it sets the stage for creating some very important and valuable relationships and friendships with others in the class. Creating those friendships is probably the most important aspect of this program. You can never have too many contacts in the industry and the leadership program provides the perfect atmosphere to build those relationships. While we only meet for four days, some long lasting friendships are created and that was certainly the case in 2014. All of us in the class had a lot of common interests outside of the fact that we were all involved in the trucking industry. Not only did we have a lot of mutual respect for one another, but we also had a lot of fun during class and outside of the sessions. It is because of those friendships that we are taking a somewhat different approach in this month’s “Next Generation Speaks” column because one of our good friends from the 2014 Leadership Class if facing a big battle with cancer. Phil Kennedy was a member of the 2014 IMTA Leadership Class. Like all of us, he showed up for the ﬁrst class and wasn’t quite sure what he was getting himself into. But like the rest of us, he quickly fell into a comfort zone and became a valued friend and leader to all of us. Phil had a way of contributing that always put us at ease. He had been in sales for almost a decade and it was easy to ﬁgure out why he had been so successful. He was sincere and genuine in everything he said. He loves his job with Motor-Ways, Inc. and loves the trucking industry. Phil wasn’t shy about his politics and encouraged us all to get involved and pay attention to what was going on in the

Phil and Kayla were expecting their first child when the leadership class started. It became very apparent, very quickly that Phil couldn’t wait for the birth of his son. His excitement and love of that unborn child was evident in every word he spoke. Our graduation ceremony was on September 24th in Cedar Rapids and Phil didn’t want to miss it so he showed up and took part in the celebration…although the real celebration began the next day with the birth of his son Kason. When we all got word that he had a new baby boy, we were very excited and a jubilant string of emails were shared among the group. We had another milestone to celebrate for a fellow classmate and more importantly, a good friend. It was through that same close bond of networking that we got word about Phil’s cancer diagnosis. We were deeply saddened to learn that Phil was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer on December 5th. How could our young, enthusiastic and healthy classmate be so sick? Like most people that hear that news, there is first shock and disbelief and then there is this overwhelming desire to do something. As emails and phone calls were exchanged, we all felt helpless yet also felt compelled to do something. Phil’s treatment is going to be aggressive because this is the second time he has fought cancer. The first time was when he was a 20 year college student at ISU. This treatment will be brutal, first

Phil at the 2014 IMTA Leadership Class Graduation.

radiation and then extensive chemotherapy which will require hospitalization and this could go on for 6 months. As a class, we continued to talk with one another and many good ideas emerged as to what we could do to show our support and help during this tough situation. We finally decided that our best approach was to set up a mechanism to raise money for the family as they go through this extended treatment. We hope that you will consider making a donation to Phil Kennedy and his family. We are confident that he will win this battle and he will be able to join us again next fall at the second LEAD IMTA conference. But in the meantime, we are hopeful that our efforts will be successful in helping the family with the ongoing medical expenses and allow his wife Kayla and son Kason to be by his side throughout his journey to recovery. There are no generational bounds when it comes to helping someone in need and we wish Phil and his entire family the very best as they move forward in the biggest fight of their life. 2014 IMTA Leadership Class Aaron, Matt, Mallory, Justin 1 & 2, Whitney, Jennifer, Ashley, Andrew, John, Marty, Brad, Matt, Jason, Scot & Staci

Ways you can contribute to the Phil Kennedy Family Benefit Fund Support Wristbands Sponsored by Motor-Ways Inc. - $5.00/wristband – contact the IMTA ofﬁce to place your order www.gofundme.com/Team-Phil

Brenda Dittmer, Phil and Jon Dill at the 2014 LEAD IMTA Conference.

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

35}

Truck Rides

Iowa Trucking Industry Takes Over the Capitol Iowa’s trucking industry made a very visible statement on February 4th when 15 trucks circled the Capitol and offered lawmakers the opportunity to take a ride in the truck. Despite the cold temperatures over 40 lawmakers jumped on the opportunity to ride in a truck. “We were excited to hear that the trucking industry wanted to offer rides to lawmakers and feel it is a great way for lawmakers to gain a better understanding of the industry,” said Iowa Speaker of the House, Kraig Paulson.

Senator Tod Bowman, who is the Senate Transportation Committee Chairman, played an instrumental role in getting many senators to participate in the truck rides.

The 25 minute rides started at the Capitol and offered a glimpse into city driving as well as interstate driving. In addition, road team members, members of the safety council and board members were on hand to help get the legislators into the trucks and also talk to lawmakers about the industry and its importance to Iowa. “We have made it a priority to really focus on image building activities in 2015 and these types of hands on, grassroots efforts are the most effective in my opinion. This has been a highly successful event and I am very pleased with the response and interest shown by lawmakers,” said IMTA Chairman of the Board Jackie Johnsrud, who was the brainchild of the event. In addition to lawmakers, members of the media were also on hand and provided additional coverage of the event. The event falls on the heels of the ongoing debate regarding road funding. The trucking industry has been supportive of a gas tax increase and this event was another opportunity to highlight their support of road funding.

Johnsrud Transport supplied its four military trucks to support the event. Picture here in front of the Capitol was the truck dedicated to the United States Marine Corps.

“Roads are the lifeblood of our state, without good roads and bridges, trucks are unable to deliver the products we all depend upon. Investing in roads is a top priority and we are happy to see some progress being made during this legislative session,” said IMTA President Brenda Neville. House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. Josh Byrnes has been good advocate for trucking inside the Capitol, and he is someone who has always been welcoming of the IMTA with opportunities to tell trucking’s story whenever necessary.

{36

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Truck Rides

Iowa Trucking Industry Takes Over the Capitol

Multiple types of trucks were made available by IMTA members for the Legislative Truck Rides event, including van, tank, ďŹ&#x201A;atbed and curtain side trailers.

Anyone looking up the hill to the Iowa State Capitol saw an impressive display of trucks.

The event was picked up by a few Des Moines area media outlets that were also interested in talking with a professional truck driver. Current Iowa Road Team member Dallas Williams, of Caseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Stores, was made available for an interview.

IMTA members were happy to help support the Legislative Truck Rides and establish a strong presence for everyone to see outside the Iowa State Capitol building.

Kevin Gass, Representative Todd Taylor and Jackie Johnsrud

www.IowaMotorTruck.com

37}

Truck Rides

Iowa Trucking Industry Takes Over the Capitol

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR PROVIDING TRUCKS FOR OUR “TRUCK RIDES” AT THE CAPITOL EVENT BTI Special Commodities Decker Truck Line Green Products Company Johnsrud Transport Mid Seven Transportation Niece Trucking Perishable Distributors of Iowa Ruan Transportation Schuster Company TanTara Transportation Walmart Transportation

Iowa Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen was one of the 40-plus legislators who accepted IMTA’s invitation to take a ride in a truck.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE DRIVERS THAT PARTICIPATED Barry Blanchette – Schuster Company Derrell Carpenter – Johnsrud Transport Dean Filmer – Decker Truck Line Alan Hollopeter – Green Products Company Robert Meyer – Johnsrud Transport Jon Niece – Niece Trucking Calvin Ray – Johnsrud Transport William Tornquist – Johnsrud Transport Kris Vander Kamp – PDI Randy Van Zee – TanTara Transportation Brian Wallace – BTI Special Commodities

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING ROAD TEAM MEMBERS FOR BEING ON HAND TO HELP WITH THE EVENT

Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt, who is pictured outside 1-of-the-4 Johnsrud Transport trucks with driver Derrel Carpenter, said she was taking her ﬁrst ride in a truck after getting urged by a number of her constituents in the Cedar Rapids area.

Rick Barre – Con-way Freight Rhonda Hartman – Old Dominion Freight Line Jed Hinds – Walmart Transportation Mark Howard – Ruan Transport Scott Marnin – Con-way Freight Dallas Williams – Casey’s General Stores Rep. Dave Maxwell hopped into the TanTara Transportation Corp. truck with plenty of enthusiasm for the experience.

{38

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Truck Rides

Iowa Trucking Industry Takes Over the Capitol

Ruan’s truck makes a pass in front of the west entrance of the Iowa State Capitol to pick up one of the 30-plus legislators who accepted the IMTA’s invitation to ride in a truck on February 4.

Rep. Sally Stutsman, who is a member of the House Transportation Committee, was one of the ﬁrst legislators to head outside for a truck ride, which was given by Johnsrud Transport and William Tornquist.

Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink (right) was escorted around Des Moines by his hometown carrier – Decker Truck Line – and past Iowa Road Team member Dean Filmer.

Kevin Gass, Lisa Gonnerman, Speaker of the House Kraig Paulson and his wife Kathy, Jackie Johnsrud Green Products truck pulling up to the Capitol www.IowaMotorTruck.com

39}

All NEW! Western Star 5700 Serious Trucks - Ready to go to work!

PRESENTING THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST EXTREME EFFICIENCY TRUCK When Western Star decided to build a new fuel efficient truck, they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the industry dictate what that truck should be. They set out to create something different. Something with the tough performance and traditional look of a classic truck, but built for the modern age. They didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overlook a single detail along the way, combining Western Starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extreme heritage with Daimlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advanced engineering to improve efficiency, aerodynamics and profitability so significantly, it will be sending everyone back to the drawing board. And the results are nothing short of incredible.

www.truckcountry.com DIVISION OF TRUCK COUNTRY

www.stoops.com

Let us show you how the new aerodynamic Western Star 5700XE saves on fuel, with cab comfort and safety features that give you increased productivity and efficiency on the road every day! Contact us for more information!

20 Locations in Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio See our websites for contact information

$ $ $

{40

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Final Word

Please Consider Entering a Driver in the 2015 Iowa Truck Driving Championships

Lisa Gonnerman 2015 Iowa Truck Driving Championships Chairman

Each June, Iowa hosts a premier event for professional truck drivers. The Iowa Truck Driving Championships is a ﬁrst-class event that truly inspires and motivates every participant in a very positive way.

From the moment the professional truck drivers arrive, they are treated as though they are royalty, complete with the red carpet and the pomp and circumstance that a VIP is worthy of. In this case, the VIPs are the drivers and their families and every detail reminds them of their value and importance. Throughout the event, the focus is put on showing appreciation and gratitude for the drivers and their family. We do a champagne toast; we have elaborate staging which allows for both the drivers and their spouse or guest to walk across on more than one occasion. We give a number of special gifts and souvenirs to the participants so they will always have something to remind them of this special weekend. No stone goes unturned in our efforts to pamper and spoil the drivers. We do this to further support the main objective of the truck driving championships and that is to make every participant feel special and more importantly, PROUD of the job they do. The long term investment of this special treatment is that when they driver leaves the event, they carry that same pride into the job they do on the road for the next 363 days of the year. I am quite certain if we did some research, we could draw a strong and direct correlation to a positive safety record and the drivers that participate in the truck driving championships. I believe that too many IMTA members discard the positive impact this event will have not only on the driver that participates but their overall safety efforts as well. Studies have shown that a little appreciation

I HAVE SEEN HOW ONE DRIVER CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT COMPETING AT THE TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS, THEIR ATTITUDE, ENTHUSIASM AND COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONALISM WILL INCREASE THREEFOLD OR MORE. and respect goes a very long way in impacting the behavior of that employee. I have seen ﬁrsthand the impact this event has on our drivers and that impact is felt long after the event is over. I am constantly promoting the Iowa Truck Driving Championships and I have heard almost every excuse imaginable as to why a company is not participating. I understand the demanding nature of the industry especially now as all companies are struggling to ﬁnd drivers. But I would argue that now more than ever is the time to focus on sending a driver to the truck driving championships. I believe the rewards of investing in the retention of your good drivers far outweigh any amount of money you spend on recruiting drivers. Here is an opportunity to send your top performing driver to an event that will further reward them for the outstanding job they do for you. Sure it will cost some money and it will take the driver out of the truck for 2 or 3 days. But I would estimate that the ROI of sending just one driver to the championships will far exceed even your projections.

and also convey a positive image to your customers. In addition, that driver will have renewed commitment to operating as safely as possible. If for no other reason but to have another opportunity to come to the championships….and they aren’t eligible if they have any accidents 1 year prior to the event. I know that the advantages of sending a driver to the championships far outweigh the disadvantages. So please consider sending a driver to the event. You have a really great opportunity to become part of a very special tradition. I hope you will make this the year to seize that opportunity and see just how valuable the Iowa Truck Driving Championships can be to your ongoing retention efforts. I look forward to seeing you in June. Lisa Gonnerman 2015 Iowa Truck Driving Championships Chairman

I have seen how one driver can make a difference and I am conﬁdent that after competing at the truck driving championships, their attitude, enthusiasm and commitment to professionalism will increase threefold or more. That one driver will talk to other drivers in your company, will consistently outperform www.IowaMotorTruck.com

41}

2015 Iowa Road Team

The Members of the 2015 Iowa Road Team Have Begun Their Year of Representing the Iowa Trucking Industry.

The Iowa Road Team is utilized at various events throughout the year to promote safety and the trucking industry. A large part of what they spend their time doing during the year is presenting the “Share The Road With Trucks” program, which they present at driver’s education classes around the state. Other activities will include a ride-along with the Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement ofﬁcers, spending a day at the Capitol, meeting with FMCSA personnel in Ames and Iowa DOT personnel in Ankeny, and giving talks to other groups around the state.

MEMBERS OF THE 2015 IOWA ROAD TEAM

Dallas Williams Casey’s General Stores

Rick Barre Con-way Freight

Scott Marnin Con-way Freight

Rhonda Hartman Old Dominion Freight Line

Mark Howard Ruan Transport Corp.

Wayne Brumwell Walmart Transportation LLC

Like previous Iowa Road Teams, the members of the 2015 team are highly qualiﬁed, professional individuals, and we are proud to have them representing IMTA and the trucking industry. We are excited about working with the Road Team and look forward to a great year. We are conﬁdent that they will do a great job of representing IMTA, their employers, and the trucking industry. We encourage our members to consider inviting members of the Iowa Road Team to attend events, meetings, or functions within your company or community.

TO SCHEDULE A ROAD TEAM MEMBER FOR YOUR EVENT, OR TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ROAD TEAM, CONTACT THE IMTA OFFICE AT 515-244-5193. {42

Iowa Motor Truck Association Lifeliner

Jed Hinds Walmart Transportation LLC

THOMPSON TRUCK & TRAILER, INC.

COMMERCIAL TRUCKS

THOMPSON IDEALEASE Cedar Rapids, IA (319) 364-2491 Davenport, IA (563) 326-4002 Decorah, IA (563) 382-8761 Dubuque, IA (563) 557-8170

Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021;

,QWHUQDWLRQDOÂ® 7UXFNV ,VX]X 7UXFNV $OO 0DNHV 3UH 2ZQHG 7UXFNV ,GHDOHDVH 7UXFN /HDVH 5HQWDO $OO 0DNHV 3DUWV 6HUYLFH

AND MORE...

Â&#x2021; 7 UDLOHUV 9DQV )ODWEHGV 7DXW /LQHUV Â&#x2021; 1HZ 8VHG DQG 5HWUHDG 7LUHV Â&#x2021; 1$3$ 3UHPLHU 3DUWV

Waterloo, IA (319) 233-8313 Sterling, IL (815) 625-7798 THOMPSON UTILITY TRAILER SALES Davenport, IA (563) 388-7772 Peosta, IA (563) 557-8170 THOMPSON TIRE AND RETREAD, INC. Davenport, IA (563) 326-4002 Dubuque, IA (563) 585-2388

PARTNERS FOR THE LONG HAUL

www.ThompsonTruck.com

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID AMES, IA 50010 PERMIT NO. 14

717 East Court Ave Des Moines, IA 50309

2UGHU

1/,1(

ZZZ PLGZHVWZKHHO FRP

MIDWEST WHEEL HAS YOUR WINTER NEEDS COVERED Winter Fuel Treatments

Diesel fuel treatment with HAFI® technology prevents fuel gelling & waxing for g HD diesel vehicles

Pow-R 365 NEW!

™

5 IN 1 Diesel Treatment

Effectively Treats ULSD & Biodiesel p tto o Blends up 20%! (B20) 0)

P/N 207064 Helps Improve Fuel Economy Anit-Gel for Winter Protection ULSD Compliant & Biodiesel Compatible One Bottle Treats 250 Gallons

Iowa

DES MOINES

1436 E. Ovid Ave. 515.265.1491 FAX 515.265.4120 PARTS FAX 800.314.4329 PARTS 800.888.0248 OFFICE

TRUCK PARTS SUPER STORETM

MIDWESTWHEEL.COM

CEDAR RAPIDS

CLEAR LAKE

200 50th Ave. S.W. MAIN 319.365.4453 FAX 319.365.6327 PARTS FAX 877.706.6085 PARTS 800.332.5435

840 Hwy. 18 W. 641.357.7101 FAX 641.357.8190 PARTS FAX 800.548.9674 PARTS 800.397.5630

DAVENPORT

SIOUX CITY

8502 Northwest Blvd. MAIN 563.322.2671 FAX 563.322.5940 PARTS 800.553.1886

MAIN

1819 E. 4th St. MAIN 712.252.7969 FAX 712.252.6149 PARTS 800.943.3534

Missouri

Tire Chains KANSAS CITY 5801 E. Front St. 816.471.1552 FAX 816.471.0813 PARTS 800.821.7402 MAIN

BELTON

604 North Scott Ave, Suite AA MAIN 816.318.9111 FAX 816.471.0813 (KC) PARTS 866.318.9111