Volume LXXVIV | Number 10 | October 2013
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The Voice of the Trucking Industry in Pennsylvania
National Truck Driving Championships Highlights from this year’s competition
Trucking’s Most Wanted Collision Avoidance Technology
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PENNTRUX 1
Volume LXXIV | Number 10 | October 2013
DEPARTMENTS: Chairman's Message ���������������������������������������������������������� 5
The Voice of the Trucking Industry in Pennsylvania Official Monthly Publication of the PMTA 910 Linda Lane, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011-6409 Telephone: 717.761.7122 | Fax: 717.761.8434 Visit our website at www.pmta.org
TruckPAC Recognition ������������������������������������������������������ 16 Seminar Schedule ������������������������������������������������������������ 21 Membership Reports
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President’s Prize ��������������������������������������������������������� 22
James Germak, Chairman of the Board
Welcome New Members ��������������������������������������������� 22
Rebecca Summers, First Vice Chairman Stephanie Fleetman, Vice Chairman Timmy Nelson, Vice Chairman Matthew Campbell, Vice Chairman John Keagel, Treasurer
PMTA Chapter Activities ���������������������������������������������������� 23 Word Search ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 24
Last month’s Answers ������������������������������������������������ 24
Gladys Knox, Secretary Calvin Ewell, ATA Vice President Calvin Ewell, Immediate Past Chairman Paul Berg Charles Bernier Joseph Butzer Douglas Marcello Patrick Meehan Scott Pauchnik Ron Uriah Paul Yerk PMTA HEADQUARTERS STAFF James W. Runk, President and CEO Doris Fee, Financial Consultant Wendy Palermo, Title and Registration Agent and Member Services Dean Riland, Assistant General Manager Carol Smore, Event Coordinator Kevin Stewart, Safety Director Nancy Wilkes, Communications Director PennTrux editor: Nancy Wilkes (nwilkes@pmta.org) Published by:
717.238.5751 Sarah DiCello, Publications Manager (sarah@thinkgraphtech.com) For Advertising Information: Alexis Kierce, Account Manager (alexis@thinkgraphtech.com) PMTA is an affiliate of the American Trucking Associations Annual PENNTRUX subscription rate for members of PMTA is $8.00; included in dues.
On the Cover Page 14
Highlights and award winners from this year’s National Truck Driving Championships
INSIDE PENNTRUX...
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10
Collision Avoidance Technology
Mobile Technology
The NTSB hopes to mandate motor vehicle collision avoidance technology.
Today’s technology is making weigh station bypass opportunities convenient and more affordable.
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Con-way Invests in Numerous Safety Products The third-largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carrier invests in collision avoidance technology.
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Driver Health and Wellness Fair PMTA hosted a Driver Health and Wellness Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 17, as part of the Truckload Carriers Association national driver health and wellness event.
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How Much Excess Insurance Should I Buy? Scott Nuelle, Vice President, ECBM, offers his advice on how much excess insurance your company should buy.
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HMAP-21 and Agricultural Exemptions: Hours of Service There are significant regulatory exceptions contained in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) for certain carriers and drivers.
SafetyCheck
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Transportation Industry Insurance Specialists Over 40 YearsSpecialists of Service Transportation Industry Insurance Over 40 Years of Service Experience That Counts When You Need It OnWhen and Off the Road Experience That Counts You Need It On and Off the Road
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Charlie Bernier › Scott Nuelle
TRUCKING
Kevin Forbes
A S S O C I AT I O N S
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AMERICAN TRUCKING
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888-313-3226 | www.ECBM.com Charlie Bernier, President 888-313-3226 www.ECBM.com Charlie Bernier, President 888-313-3226 www.ECBM.com 526802_ECBM.indd 1 526802_ECBM.indd 4 PENNTRUX
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4/18/11 2:35:29 PM 4/18/11 2:35:29 PM
A Word From The Chairman PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR TRUCK ASSOCIATION
MISSION STATEMENT The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association was organized to promote the common business interests of persons engaged in the motor transportation industry. It is dedicated to effectively representing the concerns of the trucking industry to members, government and regulatory agencies, and the general public. PMTA has further pledged to assist member companies in managing the impact of change in the trucking industry, and to enhance the professional and economic growth of its members. The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association’s primary functions are as follows: n
n
o work with the Legislature T and regulatory agencies to foster, promote and preserve a strong economic climate for trucking in the Commonwealth. o partner with the T enforcement agencies to develop and support safety initiatives that protect the motoring public.
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o provide a forum for T continuing education through seminars, workshops and conferences.
n
o disseminate positive T industry information to the press promoting the industry.
n
o be available to our T members for personal assistance whenever the need arises.
Jim Germak, Jagtrux, Inc. Operating Costs Drop, ATRI Says The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) tells us the average total operating cost to run a truck in 2012 fell 4.3% to $1.633 per mile. This is a slight decrease from the $1.71 found in 2011. ATRI recently released the findings of its 2013 update to An Analysis of the Operational Cost of Trucking. The research, which identifies trucking costs from 2008 through 2012 derived directly from fleets’ financial and operational data, provides carriers with an important high-level benchmarking tool. ATRI said spending on fuel became the highest single cost for carriers at 64.1 cents per mile, or 39% of operating expenses. Fuel costs climbed 5.1 cents per mile on a year-over-year basis, but driver pay and benefits dropped 7.8 cents per mile to 53.3 cents, constituting 33% of operating costs. ATRI said last year’s overall cost decline from $1.706 per mile in 2011 followed two years of increases. After the Great Recession and a sharp decline in fuel prices resulted in decreased industry costs between 2008 and 2009, industry costs steadily rose through 2010 and 2011. The slight decrease in average operating costs in 2012 was most likely due to the weak economic recovery and also the softening freight conditions experienced in the second half of the year. Over the five years of the survey, operating costs per mile have gone up and down. The report on 2012 showed the same figure in the 2008 report - $1.653 per mile. From 2008 to 2009, operating expense dropped about 20 cents per mile, and it rose in 2010 and 2011. Compared with the economy as a whole, truck operating costs are dropping while inflation continues. Operating costs fell 1.2% from 2008 to 2012 in the ATRI survey; inflation as calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was 7% for the same period. Phil Byrd, Sr., president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express and first vice chairman of the American Trucking Associations, said “Although we have seen conditions improve since the Great Recession of several years ago, an uncertain economic future means we have to be ever diligent in watching costs. ATRI’s report provides critical financial data for carriers to use in benchmarking fleet performance and seeking opportunities for improved operations.” ATRI said one objective of the repot is to “ensure that the appropriate data inputs were available for transportation planning and investment models” for highway cost estimating purposes. Since its original publication in 2008, the Operational Costs of Trucking reports continue to be one of the most-requested ATRI reports among industry stakeholders. In addition to average costs per mile, ATRI’s report documents average costs per hour and includes cost breakouts by industry sector. You can get a copy of the report from ATRI by requesting it on the website, www.atri-online.org. You can also help ATRI with another important survey. It is in the second phase of data collection on the impacts from the recent changes to the hours-of-service rules. ATRI is asking commercial drivers to provide input on the changes through an online survey at www.atri-online.org. The survey asks drivers about impacts related to miles, pay and on-duty hours since the changes to the 34-hour restart and the addition of the 30-minute rest break. Please ask your drivers to participate in this survey. ATRI will also initiate data collection from motor carriers to quantify productivity impacts resulting from the rules changes. We’ll notify you when that survey is available.
PENNTRUX 5
Trucking’s Most Wanted – Collision Avoidance Technology
F
irst came seat belts, then came air bags, anti-lock brakes, and speed control. Technology has made driving safer, no doubt about that. The next generation of safety features holds much promise, and if some safety advocates have their way, collision avoidance systems will become as commonplace as seat belts and air bags. Last November, the National Transportation Safety Board released its 2013 Most Wanted List. One of the 10 issues the organization said it would like to see the transportation industry focus on in 2013 was to mandate motor vehicle collision avoidance technology. We’re entering the fourth quarter of the year, and still no mandate. But NTSB persists. NTSB said several technologies have all been proven to aid drivers when they are faced with unexpected conditions. Some of the technology that falls under the heading of collision avoidance includes the following: • • • • • •
Lane departure warning Forward collision warning Adaptive cruise control Automatic braking Electronic stability control (ESC) Adaptive headlights
NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman said, “We know that hundreds of lives can be saved and hundreds and thousands of injuries can be prevented if the technology improves and we can avoid these run-offthe-road, rear-end and also the side-lane departure collisions.” OK, but what does research show about these technologies? Do they work, and are they worth the considerable expense? Turns out, many groups are studying just that. But first, examine the issue. 6 PENNTRUX
Regardless of a driver’s skills, sudden changes by other drivers and changes in vehicle controllability pose significant safety risks. Some of the most deadly accident circumstances involve read-end collisions, run-off-the-road, loss of control, speeding, and outof-adjustment brakes, which are often not under the control of a single person. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that run-off-the-road, rear-end, and lane-change maneuvers account for 22, 28, and 29 percent of highway accidents, respectively. NHTSA said that electronic stability control systems could reduce loss-of-control accidents by 40 percent for cars and 70 percent for sport utility vehicles. If installed on the U.S. fleet of commercial tractor trailer combination units, these systems could prevent an estimated 4,659 crashes each year, according to NHTSA. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a cost-benefit analysis of forward collision warning systems for the trucking industry in February 2009, estimating that between 8,597 and 18,013 rearend crashes could have been prevented from 2001 to 2005 had these systems been on trucks. The Highway Loss Data Institute study looked at crash avoidance technologies in large trucks. Based on an analysis of 2005-2008 crashes, it found that blind spot detection, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and electronic stability control together could prevent or mitigate as many as 28 percent of large truck crashes a year, including one out of five fatal ones. Their analysis shows that of the four technologies, blind spot detection is applicable to the largest number of crashes. ESC showed the most potential for fatal crashes, possibly preventing or mitigating 15 percent of fatal large truck crashes each year.
The American Transportation Research Board has more current analysis on electronic stability control. ATRI published “Roll Stability Systems: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Roll Stability Control Versus Electronic Stability Control Using Empirical Crash Data” in August 2012. For the research, ATRI collected a large sample of trucks equipped with roll stability control, electronic stability control and no stability control and documented the relevant crash types and associated costs for trucks with and without the roll stability systems.
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Roll stability systems (RSS) are Details at: www.paturnpike.com/ezpass/commercial generally designed to prevent two types of crashes: un-tipped rollovers and loss of control crashes (which can lead to skidding, jackknifing, or rollover). FMCSA categorized rollover as the “most harmful event” in more Tolls are about 25% less than cash with E-ZPass than 8,000 large truck crashes. While this accounts for only 2.8 percent of all large truck crashes, rollovers No stopping at tollbooths accounted for 52 percent of all large truck fatalities. Based on ATRI’s Seemless travel throughout the Northeast database of insurance industry crash Use it to pay tolls in 15 states costs, rollover crashes typically compete with rear-end crashes as the Account can be managed online single most expensive crash type. In the report, ATRI said the two forms Account information is confidential of RSS for large trucks, roll stability control (RSC) and electronic stability control (ESC), have been in the market for less than 10 years, however, adoption has been relatively swift over the last five years. RSC first became www.paturnpike.com 877.736.6727 available for truck tractors in 2002, and by 2007, installation rates were at an estimated 10.5 percent of new truck tractors sold. When the report was written, RSC installation was expected to increase to 16 percent for model year 2012 tractors. ECS installation rate was predicted to reach 26.2 percent for model year 2012 tractors. Data on that is not yet available.
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Many studies, field tests and simulation experiments were done to investigate the performance of RSC and ESC systems. FMCSA’s research found that the roll stability control system always intervened at speeds lower than what would cause an unequipped vehicle to roll. Researchers determined that 53 percent of truck rollovers occurring with excessive speeds in a curve could be prevented by RSC and a possible 69 percent reduction for those using the combined roll stability advisor and control (RA&C) system. In 2009, FMCSA and ATRI did a cost/benefit analysis on RSC. Findings showed that an estimated 1,422 to 2,037 combination vehicle rollover crashes could be prevented over a five-year period using RSC systems, providing savings of roughly $196,958 per property-damage-only rollover crash, $462,470 per injury rollover crash and $1,143,018 per fatal rollover crash.
PENNTRUX 7
are not caused by fatigued driving, but by driver error.” The Evans Network of Companies does not have any collision prevention technology on its company equipment; the network is now about 98 percent owner/operator, so the other challenge is how to create incentives for purchase and use in that business model.
Walmart Transportation uses several collision avoidance systems on its fleet. The forward-mounted radar system is at the center of the front bumper, just visible. The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute and Meritor WABCO published a study in 2009 in which researchers concluded that, of the analyzed crashes, approximately 3,500 crashes could be prevented annually by the Meritor WABCO RSC system and approximately 4,700 crashes could be prevented by the ESC system. The decrease in the number of annual heavy truck crashes experienced with ESC installations would also result in the prevention of 126 fatalities and 5,909 injuries with a total savings of $1,738 billion. With RSC, the annual crash reduction would prevent 106 fatalities, 4,384 injuries and generate $1,456 billion in total savings annually. ESC technology costs an average of $1,160 per unit, while RSC averages $640; upgrade from RSC to ESC averages $520 per vehicle. ATRI summarized by saying both RSC and ESC are viable technologies with crash reduction potential, however, ESC technology is designed to prevent a wider array of crash types and was demonstrated in research tests to avert a larger number of incidents. Research aside, what do carriers think of the technology? Debbie Raymond from The Evans Network of Companies, said, “If we are comparing costs of the electronic logging devices, I would be a greater proponent of the early warning devices as this truly is something that could reduce collisions and save lives. I also feel it is a proactive device rather than a reactive device like on-board cameras that may or may not record the video necessary to make a liability decision for a claim.” She said she sometimes feels the trucking industry is faced with the same dilemma as the medical industry in a sense. “Why doesn’t medical insurance do more to cover test and technology that would prevent or detect disease early, the same as why doesn’t the FMCSA worry more about technology that would prevent accidents, because in reality most 8 PENNTRUX
Jim Soltis of New Enterprise Stone and Lime said they don’t have any vehicles with the technology, but he did have a few comments. “Personally, I do think side proximity warning would be a great idea. That would cover the blind spot.” He said he has some automobiles with more sophisticated electronics to help the driver, but he questions the implementation on heavy vehicles. “Automatic braking may work well on a new Mercedes Benz, but what’s to stop the brakes coming fully on at a very inappropriate time on a heavy vehicle? That makes me wonder the old question…can technology out-perform a trained human? There have been times, in my driving experience, when braking was NOT the best response.” He said taking too much control from the driver and giving it to a computer, which has limited input, is risky. Bruce Mellott from PPL Services Corp., said, “I think the technology would give a driver additional tools to avoid collisions, but ultimately the driver has to take additional action to avoid the collision.” PPL Services has electronic stability control on some newer passenger vehicles, but nothing on the commercial vehicles. Mellott said he thinks the field will grow, and eventually many of the items will be standard features. Dave Shumaker of Shumaker Trucking Co. said they have three trucks with collision avoidance technology, but he has no data on its effectiveness, although he said he believes it is a good safety feature. The real question, he said, is how to justify the expense, especially for small carriers. Shumaker received no insurance credit for having the technology. Jim Germak of Jagtrux, Inc., said they don’t use this technology, but he thinks it may be a distraction to the driver if they aren’t used properly. “I am unsure if the benefit outweighs the cost. Most drivers are reluctant to accept new technology and would require additional training and convincing to use it properly,” he said. Ward Trucking, Inc., does not have any vehicles equipped with collision avoidance technology, but Jeff Kovacik, safety manager, said he believes some of the technology has real value, including forward collision warning and electronic stability control. “I understand there’s some debate regarding lane departure systems, as they can issue false warnings, leading the driver to disregard all warnings. The statistics I’ve seen indicate an increase in accidents with vehicles using the technology,” he said. However, he said he’s read and heard from other industry safety professionals that the
forward collision warning system seems to pay for itself rather quickly. “I feel some of the technology has the potential to reduce truck crashes by a small margin, with the forward collision warning systems having the most impact. Read-end accidents are typically the most costly and damaging, both to property and persons. The technology will likely safe a few lives each year,” he said. John Tippery from CLI Transport, LLP, said they started using electronic stability control in 2008. While he has no data on its effectiveness, he believes it is worth the cost for the added safety protection to the company, the public, and their drivers. “I like the systems. Systems that can provide a little extra safety to all involved can be a benefit. I would prefer to see it as standard equipment with the manufacturers. Folks need to know it does not replace a properly trained professional driver…he/she is the most valuable for collision avoidance. These systems are meant to assist them in being safe,” he said. Small fleets without an extensive history of a certain type of accident may have difficulty justifying a return on investment. Tippery said, “It is kind of like buying extra insurance that you hope you won’t need. But if you do, it can be very valuable.” Wal-Mart Transportation began using collision avoidance technology in February 2011, and all new truck purchases since then have had factory-installed equipment factory. Lance Fry, Wal-Mart’s safety director, said the technology has been invaluable to the company in the reduction of rear-end collisions and rollover events. The company uses two different systems, depending on truck type: Meritor Wabco OnGuard system and the Bendix Wingman system. Each system uses a collision warning system (CWS), adaptive cruise control (ACC) collision mitigation system (CMS) and electronic stability control technology. There is also an in-cab dash display that shows the driver the distance and speed of the target vehicle ahead. Both systems help the driver to quickly recognize and respond to potentially dangerous situations such as rear-end collisions or following too closely. Fry said the CWS will generate an audible and visible alert when the vehicle’s following distance may result in a collision. The CWS will control speed when the ACC is engaged or a CMS event is detected. The CWS cannot be turned off and is always active at speeds over 15 mph. The ACC works in conjunction with the conventional cruise control to maintain the set cruise speed when a vehicle is not being tracked and maintains a minimum following distance when a vehicle is being tracked. This is achieved by controlling engine throttle, engine retarder and the foundation brakes
without driver intervention. When the target vehicle is no longer being tracked, the set cruise speed resumes automatically, often without the driver’s knowledge. If a rear-end collision is developing and the driver does not take action to decelerate the vehicle, the CMS automatically de-throttles the engine and applies the engine retarder and foundation brakes to provide up to 35G’s of braking power. For the driver’s safety, the ACC system does not apply maximum braking, so the driver must intervene and assume control of vehicle braking. He said he is not aware of any rear-end collision or rollover accidents involving a Wal-Mart truck with this equipment installed. “The one driver complaint heard regarding this technology is the in-cab audible alert when following too closely behind a vehicle. The alert cannot be turned off and the volume can only be lowered but not entirely turned off. The alert will end when the vehicle speed drops below the speed of the lead vehicle and the following distance is increased. This can be a difficult task for the driver in congested areas and during rush hour.” Talon Logistics, Inc. has lane departure warning systems on 40 of its trucks. According to Aaron Rensel, the systems are factory installed on these Volvo trucks. “The forward collision warning, adaptive cruise and automatic braking come in one apparatus for us. It is called Wingman from Bendix. We have that on 50 trucks. The electronic stability control, we have on 120 tractors,” he said. On their trailers, they run a spring-ride operation as compared to air ride. Rensel said, “Air-ride stability control has been around for a while. We teamed with Bendix to use and design stability control for spring ride, and we had the only two trailers in the world with this technology on them. The testing went well enough that Bendix now offers this as an option on new trailers.” Talon hasn’t had any rollovers, and the trucks that have collision avoidance on haven’t been in any rear-end collisions. Whether that is evidence they work or not is not proven, but Talon is pleased with the systems. Truck drivers who participated in a field operational test of multiple crash avoidance technologies had favorable opinions of the technology. Fifteen out of the 18 drivers preferred driving a truck equipped with the crash avoidance technologies over a conventional truck and stated that the technologies made them more aware of the environment around the vehicle as well as their position in the lane. Silvio DeAngelo, the assistant manager of fleet operations for Aqua America, said, “With distracted driving at an all-time high, a fleet manager would be irresponsible not to embrace collision avoidance technology. It will save lives.” PENNTRUX 9
10 PENNTRUX
Mobile Technology Makes Weigh Station Bypass Opportunities Convenient and More Affordable A
h, the weigh station. Pulling in can be considered a cost of doing business. And there is a true cost — shipment delays, fuel wastage in idling and getting back up to speed, and in some cases, a truck or driver being inspected and taken out of service. “A FMCSA study showed that a weigh station stop, made for as little as 5 minutes at a time, costs the operator $8.68 in fuel and lost time,” said Brian Heath, president of Burlingame, Calif.-based Drivewyze. Its core product is Drivewyze PreClear, a mobile-based commercial vehicle subscription service for weigh station and roadside inspection site bypass. According to Heath, there are 4.5 million trucks operating in North America that report to weigh stations — more than 3 million are interstate trucks. “And, only about 15 percent are currently using a bypass system — either ours, or old school, transponder-based systems,” he said. “We see the number of users rising dramatically over the coming years as mobile technology allows agencies to deploy more bypass sites, driving a higher ROI for participating carriers. With our service, just a couple bypasses per month more than pays for the service.” Heath said Drivewyze is a transparent, neutral platform that allows state agencies to reward safe fleets (as indicated by CSA scores), with bypass opportunities. “Fleet managers work hard to keep their vehicles ahead of the game in maintenance and repairs — to ensure safe and compliant trucks,” Heath said. “Their investment in safety should be recognized, and bypassing does just that. What’s more, it benefits our industry as a whole. It frees front-line inspection officers to focus their attention on the trucks that need inspections and reduces congestion at inspection sites.”
Drivewyze provides local and long-haul carriers with weigh station and inspection site bypass opportunities at both fixed weigh stations and roadside mobile inspection sites. It automatically connects to the Drivewyze service network, regardless where the driver travels. Drivewyze provides simple visual and audible instructions for drivers to either bypass weigh stations and inspection sites, or to safely pull in. It is both safe and easy to use, with assured privacy and data protection, meeting all federal and state distracted driving laws. Aside from a 2 percent random inspection, most fleets with high safety scores can enjoy bypass rates of up to 98 percent. One reason Heath is bullish on the future of bypass is the infrastructure cost. Or the lack thereof. “It wasn’t that long ago that the only communication with a truck came through a satellite connection — very expensive,” said Heath. “Today, trucks can stay connected with a host of internet enabled devices already built-in or mounted to the vehicle including navigation, electronic logging devices, smartphones and tablets. While they help everyone from truck drivers to fleet managers stay connected, they also offer a new way of doing business. “We call it Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) transponder technology,” Heath explained. “Through our Drivewyze weigh station bypass service, it’s a game changer for the trucking industry. Traditional transponder technology — expensive poles with shortdistance radio transmitters — began more than 20 years ago and still has a relatively small number of service sites due to civil installation costs. It was the only way you could do bypass back then, but it underserves the market. Today, CMRS transponders are unique from traditional transponders. They do not require any PENNTRUX 11
roadside hardware to work and instead communicate using cellular data connectivity. We’re taking advantage of the $365 billion dollar infrastructure investment that wireless cellular carriers have made in providing data coverage.”
50 percent discount for two months after that. The Drivewyze service costs $15.75 for its multi-state service. “Combined with what NORPASS offers, that means weigh and inspection sites in 22 states and two provinces are available for bypass,” said Heath.
The Drivewyze PreClear application is automated, hands-free and uses simple visual and tone-based auditory signaling to the driver, design features which are strongly aligned with NHTSA and FMCSA distracted driver initiatives. Once it’s activated at the start of a trip, the Drivewyze application requires no further interaction. The service runs on a variety of devices, which the company recommends should always be mounted on a vehicle’s dashboard for safety. The Drivewyze application automatically plays a tone and displays a message on the screen notifying the driver of an upcoming station, and whether a bypass is granted.
Heath said that the Drivewyze PreClear service is soon to roll out its service on more device platforms. “Thanks to working with partners such as PeopleNet, XRS and Zonar, the future gets even more exciting. We started by having our technology available on tablets and smartphones — downloaded from App stores. But for fleets that have onboard systems, we’re integrating Drivewyze with their existing in-cab systems so they can easily access our services without the need for additional hardware.”
The Drivewyze bypass program is currently offered by 16 states agencies at 225 locations. Heath said new states continue to adopt the Drivewyze program and service site locations are added each month. The company recently said it has raised $7.5 million to expand its weigh station bypass system. Funding from Emergence Capital partners and iNova Capital will help achieve its goal of national coverage in 2014. Drivewyze also has partnered with NORPASS, offering its bypass customers 60 days of free service, plus a
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According to Heath, Drivewyze provides proof in the pudding about the value of bypassing. “Each month we provide a full, easy-to-understand report that shows the ROI for our customers. One well-known fleet, running a test with eight trucks, was shown it had 162 bypass opportunities over a month’s time, and was granted 157 bypasses (97 percent bypass rate). Those trucks and drivers saved 13.1 hours, 62.8 gallons in fuel, which was calculated to save their company $1,362. We even showed the benefit to the environment — bypassing reduced CO2 emissions.”
Con-way Invests in Numerous Safety Products rollover possibilities. “All these systems are daily training tools on keeping a safe environment. These five systems that I have mentioned will eventually become standard issue items on a class 8 truck. The systems that Con-way has now have made me a better driver. The #1 asset in all of these systems is awareness!” he said.
Con-way Freight’s use of collision avoidance systems is paying off in safety.
C
on-way, Inc., ranked No. 3 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers, uses many of the collision avoidance technology on its vehicles. Dale Knox, driver sales representative for Con-way Freight and a captain on Pennsylvania’s Road Team, said trucks from 2010 on up have the lane departure warning, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking and adaptive headlights. He said they don’t yet have data on the effectiveness, but “I do know our collisions have gone down about 30%.” He believes the technology is effective at mitigating collisions and is worth the expense because “you can’t measure the cost of the technology to a life.” Bill Rockel, a driver representative for Con-way Freight and a captain on Pennsylvania’s Road Team, said, “With my experience with the other systems, they help me with maintaining lane position on the highway, knowing the speed of vehicles in front of me, whether I am gaining on them or maintaining speed or they are pulling away from me. With the automatic braking system, the brakes are applied sooner than I can react in a critical situation, such as someone cuts in front of me then slows suddenly to make a turn. This is something we all deal with on a daily basis as a truck driver. I believe that with these systems we have in place at Con-way, statistics should show a definite decrease in major accidents since 2009 with our linehaul operation.” He said the electronic stability control system would also help driver in maintaining self-awareness on
Con-way Truckload recently announced it is investing $2 million in three safety technology products for all of the 525 tractors it will add to the fleet in 2013. It is purchasing front-collision avoidance, electronic stability control and lane-departure warning systems. Con-way Truckload president Saul Gonzalez said in a statement, “These systems will serve to supplement our drivers’ skills and good habits and help us contribute to safer roadways for all who travel them.” Con-way is using Bendix Commercial Vehicles Systems front-end collision avoidance for its Kenworth and International tractors and Meritor, Inc., front-end collision avoidance systems on its Freightliner tractors. The electronic stability control is by Bendix, and the lane departure warning systems are by Takata Corp.
Driver of the Month/Year Awards “Freight is hauled by trucks, but it is the spirit of the driver that gets it done.” You have outstanding drivers in your company. They are professionals who do their jobs with dedication, focus and enthusiasm. Many of these drivers exemplify the best values of the industry – safety, professionalism, service to others. Take the time now to recognize them by nominating them for the prestigious PMTA Driver of the Month awards. It takes only a few minutes to complete the application. Drivers nominated for Driver of the Month are eligible to be selected for the Driver of the Year award. Past winners have said it is a highlight of their careers, and they are grateful their companies thought enough about them to submit the application. The Driver of the Month form is available at www.pmta.org. Click on “Membership,” then “Benefits of Membership,” and “Safety.” Or contact PMTA at 717.761.7122. Nominate your drivers today. It’s a wonderful way to show that you respect them and recognize their contributions to the company and the communities they serve.
PENNTRUX 13
On the Cover Wal-Mart Transportation Driver From Kansas Takes 2013 Bendix National Truck Driving Grand Champion Prize G
ary Harms, a Wal-Mart Transportation professional truck driver based in Olathe, Kansas was named the 2013 Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion. Gary’s driving skills and knowledge of transportation and truck safety information topped those of 422 other professional truck drivers from all across the United States in the National Truck Driving Championships, held in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 76th annual “Super Bowl of Safety” is sponsored by the American Trucking Associations. En route to his title, Gary has logged 30 years as a driver, with over 1.7 million miles behind the wheel. Gary began competing in his state truck driving championships in 2007, and this is his second trip to the National Truck Driving Championships. In 2011, Gary placed first in 4-axle class. Congratulations to the Pennsylvania team for representing the state with professionalism. Two Pennsylvania drivers received second place in their classes: Leo Flack, A. Duie Pyle, sleeper berth, and Sal Vincelli, FedEx Ground, step van. The other drivers for the Pennsylvania team were as follows: Bruce Walker, CVS Pharmacy, three axle; Dean Herb, Giant Food Stores, LLC, four axle; Tom Allison, Wal-Mart Transportation, five axle; Lew Hunter, Old Dominion Freight, flatbed; Bob Dolan, Con-way Freight, straight truck; Ron Fitzgerald, UPS Freight, tank; Bill Rockel, Con-way Freight, twins.
In their respective classes, drivers tested their expertise in the driving skills they use daily. The competition course inside the Salt Palace Convention Center challenged their knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry. The skills course tested drivers’ ability to judge distances, maneuver tight spaces, reverse, park, and position their vehicle exactly over scales, before barriers or around curves. “Gary truly represents what is best about our industry,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “To win the title of Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion, Gary bested more than 420 of America’s safest, most professional, drivers and he and his company, Wal-Mart Transportation, should be congratulated for their efforts.” Gary also won the individual sleeper driving competition. He succeeds Don Logan, a professional truck driver with FedEx Freight from Eskridge, Kan., as the National Grand Champion. Bruce Renton, a driver for Holland from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was named 2013 Rookie of the Year after competing in the straight truck division. Renton has 13 years experience behind the wheel and over 900,000 accident-free miles. The Kansas state truck driving championship team won honors as the highest scoring state team, with Wisconsin coming in second, followed by Vermont.
The contestants were the state champions in nine truck types from all 50 states. Collectively, they have driven 605,654,659 accident-free miles.
2013 National Champions Straight Truck Class 1. James Carver, Maryland (Owings) 2. Judd Adams, Con-way Freight, Utah (Taylorville) 3. Daniel Jones, FedEx Freight, Kansas (Topeka)
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3-Axle Class 1. Roland Bolduc, FedEx Express, Massachusetts (E. Longmeadow) 2. Eric Courville, FedEx Freight, Louisiana (Breaux Bridge) 3. Jason Harrington, Con-way Freight, North Dakota (Bismarck)
Leo Flack of A. Duie Pyle, is shown driving the sleeper truck during competition at the National Truck Driving Championships. Leo is Pennsylvania’s 2013 Grand Champion and has 1.75 million safe driving miles to his credit. 4-Axle Class
5-Axle Class
1. Ralph Garcia, ABF Freight System, New Mexico (Rio Rancho) 2. Thomas Griffin, FedEx Freight, Connecticut (Wallingfod) 3. Jeremy Steger, Con-way Freight, Wisconsin (Fond du Lac)
1. George Johnson, UPS Freight, Virginia (Aylett) 2. Harold Snyder, North Carolina (King) 3. Ivan Nikolic, FedEx Ground, Illinois (Chicago)
Flatbed Class
Tank Truck Class
1. Richard Wayne Crowder, FedEx Freight, Kentucky (Lanesville, Ind.) 2. Larry Rhein, FedEx Freight, Arkansas (Harrison) 3. Paul Brandon, FedEx Freight, Connecticut (Oxford)
1. Ina Daly, Con-way Freight, Arizona (Avondale) 2. Tony Spero, ABF Freight System, Connecticut (Stratford) 3. Jason Matte, FedEx Freight, Mississippi (Flowood)
Twins Class
Sleeper Berth Class
1. Timothy Melody, ABF Freight System, Idaho (Fruitland) 2. Alfonso Saavedra, Con-way Freight, California (Watsonville) 3. Barry Kraemer, Con-way Freight, Wisconsin (New Holstein)
1. Gary Harms, Wal-Mart Transportation, Kansas (Olathe) 2. Leo Flack, A. Duie Pyle, Pennsylvania (West Chester) 3. Timothy Sproles, UPS Freight, Tennessee (Bristol, Virginia)
Step Van 1. Justin Kingsley, FedEx Ground, Oklahoma (Tulsa) 2. Salvatore Vincelli, FedEx Ground, Pennsylvania (Allentown) 3. Michael Forchetti, FedEx Express, Maryland (Frederick) PENNTRUX 15
2013 National Truck Driving Championship Winners Grand Champion
National Rookie of the Year
Gary Harms, Wal-Mart Transportation (Olathe, Kan.)
Bruce Renton, Holland (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
State Team Trophy
Vehicle Condition Award
Kansas
Don Logan, FedEx Freight (Eskridge, Kan.)
Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award
Life-Time Volunteer Award
Ralph Garcia, ABF Freight System, Inc. (Rio Rancho, N.M.)
John Killilee, Meridian, ID
Perfect Score on Written Exam Judd Adams, Con-way Freight, Straight Truck, Taylorville, Utah Ina Daly, Con-way Freight, Tank Truck, Avondale, Ariz. Donald Logan, FedEx Freight, Flatbed, Eskridge, Kan. Timothy Melody, ABF Freight System, Twins, Fruitland, Idaho Jeffrey Thompson, FedEx Freight, 3-Axle, Olathe, Kan.
TruckPAC Recognition The trucking industry faces challenges on many levels. In such critical times, we need to maintain a firm and unified voice. Legislators face thousands of bills every year, and PMTA’s Political Action Committee and lobbyists make sure they understand how new laws affect our industry. You can help maintain and increase our political visibility and strengthen our positive force in forming policy. By donating to TruckPAC, you enable us to maintain our high profile and defeat, support and/or alter laws that have an impact on your businesses. To contribute to TruckPAC, contact PMTA at 717.761.7122.
Platinum ($1000 +) Don Bowman Calvin E. Ewell Stephanie Fleetman Brian Fulmer James A. and Linda L. Germak Wayne S. Herr Sheila M. Horwith
Samuel Lansberry McNees PAC Richard Adams Mellon J. Harold Summers Rebecca Summers William T. Ward
Gold ($500-$999) Paul Berg William Burns Joseph A. Butzer and Elizabeth A. Hamilton John Conrad Tom Fautt Five Star International, LLC Phil and Cyndi Garber
Kenton J. Good Michael and Debbie Herr Jeffrey S. Johnson Timmy T. Nelson John H. Summers Charles L. Whittington Gladys Wright Knox
Silver ($250-$499) Harvey Daniel Alderfer Drew and Kerri Behmer Larry D. Bender 16 PENNTRUX
Karl Gontkof Ken and Cindy Kametz Jason P. Kutulakis
Charles Bernier Ronald and Pamela Bowman Harold L. Brake Thomas M. Brown R. Frank Campbell Kevin Forbes James M. Garber
Grant S. Markley Michael Redden W. Robert Renner Jay Shaub David A. Shumaker Kimberly M. Wise
Bronze ($25-$249) Abom Kutulakis, LLP Landis Martin G. Frank Arters Jay H. McCormick Paul Bitting Milliron Associates PAC James Michael Boring Eric Moses Troy Boring Samuel Nucifore, Jr. Matthew Campbell Pitt Ohio LLC J. Daniel Frock Joseph J. Poplawski Richard and Alma Galasso Matthew Rhoads Lester and Mary Good Craig Risser Kelly S. Hawthorne Douglas E. Rosbach Dennis R. Howell David Spera Wayne E. Inners William D. Staffieri Samuel Kieffer Curtis N. Stambaugh George Kress Ronald D. Uriah Alexander Manna John Wensel Christian Manna Gary E. Whistler Gerald J. Manna Gary S. Wright Marcello and Kivisto, LLC Barry and Karen Young Earl R. Martin This list includes contributions from January 1 through August 28, 2013. Your contributions to TruckPAC allow our association to have a stronger legislative voice. TruckPAC contributions should be sent to: PMTA, 910 Linda Lane, Camp Hill, PA 17011.
Driver Health and Wellness Fair Gave Professionals a Fresh Perspective On What It Means To Be Healthy
Apples and advice – Kevin Stewart, PMTA’s safety director, shines apples for drivers and gives them a bit of safety information. The most common question of the day was, no surprise, related to hours of service.
N
ational Truck Driver Appreciation Week seems an appropriate time to not only thank drivers for their contributions to our communities but also to offer information, suggestions and resources on health and wellness. PMTA hosted a Driver Health and Wellness Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 17, as part of the Truckload Carriers Association national driver health and wellness event. Eighteen states hosted health and wellness fairs held in conjunction with National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. The events took place at TravelCenters of America/Petro Stopping Centers locations and were coordinated by corresponding state trucking associations and/or various companies and organizations. Pennsylvania’s event was at the TA/Petro on Linglestown Road in Harrisburg.
the calorie and sodium counts on each, an eyeopener for many visitors. Another eye-opener was a scale and a body mass index calculator from Josh Franklin, Wellness Coaches, USA. He talked to drivers about finding ways to exercise. TA/Petro had samples from its StayFit menu. Judy Ward, medical/health coordinator from Ward Transport and Logistics Corp., talked about the “Seven Habits of Highly Healthy People.” Representatives from Occupational Athletes, Inc., demonstrated stretching and back exercises and described their Road Athlete program. Bob Dolan from Con-way Freight shared his tips for staying fit and healthy on the road. Laurie Wiker from Health Promotion Solutions gave blood pressure and glucose screenings and talked to drivers about prevention and management strategies. PMTA staff members gave out Pennsylvania apples, hats with a driver wellness logo, pins and notepads. TA/Petro provided water and pedometers to give to drivers. Steve Sichterman, vice president of business development for TripPak SERVICES, A Xerox Company, and chairman of TCA’s Health and Wellness Taskforce that organized the events, said, “I really believe these health fairs are making a difference in the lives of some of our professional truck drivers out there. Often, people get caught up in their routines and just don’t realize they
Some commonalities existed at each fair across the nation. All locations offered blood pressure and glucose screening, and TA/Petro provided giveaways and samples from its StayFit menu. The rest of the action varied with activities as diverse as the geographic locations themselves. PMTA’s health fair featured Joe Drugo of Ward Transport and Logistics Corp. who talked to drivers about making healthy food choices on the road. He had a sampling of fast food sandwiches and showed
Occupational Athletics, Inc., had cards and stickers with diagrams of exercises drivers can do in the cab or outside the truck. Back injuries are very common among drivers, and stretching and strengthening are ways to prevent them. PENNTRUX 17
need to make changes until it is too late. Our fairs focus on showing people simple changes they can make now, while there is still time to do something about it.” Franklin of Wellness Coaches, USA, said, “You never know what will stick with someone. If one person learned one thing and made one change, then we have done our job today.” Along with TCA, Comdata, McLeod Software, Progressive, TA/Petro, U.S. Bank, XRS, and Bayer were official sponsors of the health fairs. They not only helped cover expenses for the event, but they also paid for special baseball caps and pins.
Josh Franklin, right, of Wellness Coaches, USA, talks to a professional driver at the PMTA Driver Health and Wellness Fair.
Bob Dolan of Con-way Freight, left, talks to fellow professional drivers about staying fit and healthy on the road.
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How Much Excess Insurance Should I Buy? By Scott Nuelle, Vice President, ECBM
A
s insurance brokers with years of transportation experience, we often get asked a very straight-forward question…How much excess insurance should I buy? It is probably one of the most difficult questions to answer, because the answer to that question will be different for every transportation company and relies on a number of different factors. The very first factor to consider is cost. For most small trucking companies, the cost of buying excess insurance simply makes it extremely difficult to carry high limits of liability. In the cycles of the insurance market, there are years where there are very few markets and high pricing and years with lower pricing and more players. There is never an “excess” of insurance companies looking to underwrite trucking company umbrella policies. During those times of cheaper premiums, some companies that would not normally buy excess insurance do. Those that are already buying excess insurance tend to buy more limits because it is relatively inexpensive to do so. In times, like today, when insurers are leaving the excess market, prices tend to increase, and buyers either purchase no excess limits or lower limits due to the increased cost. A factor that often forces companies to buy excess insurance is the contract requirements of their clients. We are seeing more contracts that require our clients to maintain some level of excess insurance above their primary limits. As shippers start to understand that they can be pulled into these lawsuits, we may see more of them requiring higher limits. Another key factor to consider is the assets of your company that you are seeking to protect. The amount of insurance that you purchase should reasonably reflect the assets of your company. Many companies have employed attorneys to structure their organization in a manner to protect assets. We advise clients to at least consider what would happen if those best laid plans somehow failed to achieve the desired goal. With that in mind, the final determining factor comes down to the level of risk aversion of the company owner. Through the years, we’ve had clients that are completely
risk averse and want to ensure that their company and all their assets are completely protected. They often refer to it as “sleep insurance.” We have had clients that perceive the exposures of not buying excess insurance as minimal. They often tell us, “I’ll roll the dice.” We are all well aware that when our trucks are on the road, we don’t have as much control of our environment as we would like. Regardless of the safety programs or training methods we use for our drivers or the technology employed in our vehicles, our exposure to being in the wrong place at the wrong time still exists. The more trucks and miles traveled, the greater exposure we have. The legal system varies by state, but generally when people are hurt, courts are going to look for ways to compensate them for their loss. Often the deck is stacked against the truck involved in the accident. Increasingly, we have seen cases where our clients have had to pay even though it was not their truck at fault in the accident. The courts have become very lenient or creative in allowing plaintiff attorneys to pull in third parties in order to get their clients the money they are seeking. For instance, if a third party is hauling under their own authority but pulling a trailer with your name on it, you could be forced to pay. In a recent case, we saw a judge go against all prior case law to rule that our auto policy should pay even though the company involved in the accident was operating under their own authority and not working for us at the time. Our involvement was only that we contracted with this other company on a regular basis to move overflow loads for us. My point is just that your exposure could now go well beyond what you traditionally believe. Unfortunately, there is no set formula to answer the question posed in the headline. The decision to buy excess insurance or how much to buy is a fluid answer depending on the circumstances of each company and the insurance market at that given point in time. Everyone should be having this discussion with their insurance broker every year they go through their insurance renewal. Regardless if you are a small company or a large one, this evaluation should be one that occurs each year. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because that large loss has not happened for a few years. Take the time to evaluate your exposures, the current legal climate and court rulings, and the state of the insurance market to make an informed business decision. PENNTRUX 19
SafetyCheck MAP-21 and Agricultural Exemptions (Part 1): Hours of Service M
oving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) was signed into law by President Obama on July 6, 2012. While designed as a bill to fund surface transportation programs there are many provisions that affect the motor carrier industry. There are significant regulatory exceptions contained in MAP-21 for carriers and drivers who transport agricultural commodities or supplies for agricultural purposes and drivers who operate “covered farm vehicles.” Covered farm vehicles will be discussed next month in Part 2. The first exemption is contained within section 32101(d) of MAP-21 and creates an exemption from the hoursof-service requirements for any driver engaged in the transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies for agricultural purposes, provided the transportation occurs during the planting and harvesting season as defined by each state. Pennsylvania has determined its planting and harvesting season to be January 1 through December 31. The hours of service exception applies to: • D rivers who transport agricultural commodities to a location within a 150 air-mile radius from the source; • D rivers transporting farm supplies for agricultural purposes from a wholesale or retail distribution point of the farm supplies to a farm or other location where the farm supplies are intended to be used within a 150 air-mile radius from the distribution point; or
• P roducts directly related to the growing or harvesting of agricultural commodities during the planting and harvesting seasons within each state, as determined by the state, and livestock feed at any time of the year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration did publish a final rulemaking on March 14, 2013 incorporating the changes into section 395.1(k) of the FMCSR’s. Additional information can be found on The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website, www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/what-we-do/MAP-21/ Map21.aspx or by contacting Kevin Stewart, Safety Director, PMTA, at 717.761.7122 ext. 107 or email at kstewart@pmta.org.
Be Seen. Be Heard.
• D rivers transporting farm supplies for agricultural purposes from a wholesale distribution point of the farm supplies to a retail distribution of the farm supplies within a 150 air-mile radius from the wholesale distribution point. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR’s), Section 395.2 specifically defines the terms “Agricultural Commodity” and “Farm Supply for Agricultural Purposes” respectively as: • A ny agricultural commodity, nonprocessed food, feed, fiber, or livestock (including livestock as defined in sec. 602 of the Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 [7 U.S.C. 1471] and insects).
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To advertise in this publication contact Alexis Kierce, Account Manager alexis@thinkgraphtech.com
717.238.5751
thinkgraphtech.com
PMTA 2013 Seminar Schedule Recognition of Substance Abuse Training for Supervisors – Presented by PMTA Seminar includes discussion and videos to help in determining reasonable suspicion of alcohol misuse and/or use of controlled substances by employees. The training meets the federal requirements of Part 382.603 – 3 HOURS
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 – 9:00 am – 12:00 pm $100 – member $185 – non-member Hours-of-Service Compliance Seminar – Presented by PMTA Seminar includes review of 49 CFR, Part 395, related interpretations and exemptions, along with work projects on familiarization and auditing a driver’s Record of Duty Status (logbook) – 5 HOURS
Tuesday, October 22, 2013 – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm $150 – member $225 – non-member DOT Compliance Seminars – Presented by PMTA Attending this class will better prepare you for compliance to CSA. The seminar will include discussion and overview of state and federal laws and regulations governing the motor carrier industry and commercial motor vehicles e.g. driver qualifications files, commercial driver licenses, hours of service, drug and alcohol tests, etc. Each attendee will also receive the management edition of the current FMCSR Handbook.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm $150 – member $225 – non-member Motor Fleet Safety Basics/Managing Motor Fleet Safety Programs – Presented by NATMI This is a comprehensive course on all aspects of fleet safety.
October 1 – October 5, 2013 – 8:30 am – 5:00 pm $1475 NEW – Cargo Securement – Presented by PMTA This class will consist of current federal and state regulations governing securement of cargo, specific requirements for heavy vehicles and equipment, common violations discovered during roadside inspections, practical application exercises, and out-of-service criteria.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013 – 8:30 am – 12:00 pm $100 – initial attendee $80 – additional attendee(s) from same company All seminars are presented at PMTA Headquarters, 910 Linda Lane, Camp Hill, PA 17011 unless otherwise noted For any questions or REGISTRATION FORMS, call PMTA at 717.761.7122 or email Carol at csmore@pmta.org Register online at www.pmta.org/seminar
New Address? I f you have a new address, phone number or email address, please let PMTA know. We want to make sure you continue to receive news and information that help you as a trucking industry professional. Use this form to notify us of any changes. Old Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Name ___________________________________________________ Company ______________________________________ Phone ___________________________________________________ Email __________________________________________ New Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Name ___________________________________________________ Company ______________________________________ Phone ___________________________________________________ Email __________________________________________ Return this form to PMTA, 910 Linda Lane, Camp Hill, PA 17011, or fax to 717.761.8434 PENNTRUX 21
President’s Prize Each year, PMTA’s president awards a special prize to the person who has excelled in sponsoring new members during the membership year (May 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014). Recruiting new members for PMTA isn’t difficult. When you are talking to colleagues or clients, mention how you benefit from PMTA membership. PMTA member companies have a greater driver retention rate than non-member companies, a fact that is sure to resonate with any trucking company. On behalf of its members, PMTA communicates daily with the Pennsylvania State Police, DEP, Department of Revenue, PUC, FMCSA and many other agencies that affect your businesses. PMTA can help you stay current on the hot issues and can be your backup system for information on regulations, rules, taxes, drug tests, environmental regulations and much more. If you need more information on how PMTA can benefit a business, contact us at 717.761.7122. Current PMTA members are the best advocates for the association. Everyone in the trucking industry needs to be concerned about your business, the industry, the state and the nation. Join PMTA in the forefront in battling those who propose rules and fees and mandates that would cripple companies and the industry.
The President’s Prize is based on a point system — three points for a new carrier member, two points for a new trade member and one point for a new associate member. The prize is a navy blue blazer with the PMTA keystone logo and two free registrations to PMTA’s Annual Management Conference, excluding meals, hotel and activity costs. Any employee from a PMTA member company may compete for the prize. Only paid-in-full memberships that have the sponsoring member’s name written in the space provided will be recognized. Sponsor’s names cannot be changed once they are submitted to state headquarters. The statistics are current as of August 30, 2013.
Sponsor Company Chapter Total Shawn Cassell
Mainline Excavating, Inc
South Central
3
Calvin Ewell
H.R. Ewell, Inc.
Lancaster
3
Mark Laurusevage Great West Casualty Co.
Northeast
2
Brian Becker
FedEx Ground
York/Adams
1
Lana Rote
Eastern Industries, Inc.
North Central
1
Welcome New Members PMTA takes pleasure in welcoming the following new members who have enrolled in September and salute those who secured them. Any new member not listed with an individual sponsor was secured by State Headquarters or a PMTA chapter. All new members are from Pennsylvania unless otherwise noted. (Chapters are in parenthesis) Daniel McEntee
Cindy Landis Old Glory Express Inc., Willow Street (Lancaster)
Edgar McLane Oxmoose Trucking, Middletown, (South Central)
Daniel Sunderland Sun Motor Cars, Inc., Mechanicsburg (South Central)
Universal Well Services, Inc., Meadville
Gregg Bucher PSI Pumping Solutions, Inc., York Springs (York/Adams)
Rob Wolfe smartdrive, San Diego, California (Out of State)
Jen Poffenberger Brothers Liquid Transport, East Earl (Lancaster), Sponsored by Calvin Ewell
Michael Bush National Risk Management Services, Inc., Chagrin Falls, Ohio (Out of State)
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Member of the Month Congratulations to Calvin Ewell chosen as PMTA’s September Member of the Month. Calvin is a member of the Lancaster Chapter, and we all applaud his efforts. You, too, can be eligible to become Member of the Month. Each month, any member who has recruited a new member will be entered into a drawing, and from that drawing a Member of the Month will be chosen and will receive special recognition in Penntrux and an award from PMTA.
Chapter/PMTA Activities Please join the Lancaster, South Central and York/Adams
PMTA’s Safety Management Council meets monthly on the third Thursday of each month except for during June, July and August. The next meeting is Oct. 17. For more information, contact Kevin Stewart at PMTA, kstewart@pmta.org.
chapters for a special open house, hosted by Utility/ Keystone Trailer Sales, Inc., 1976 Auction Road, Manheim, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 5-8 p.m. Dinner buffet is 5-6:30 p.m. Industry specific vendors will display, and there will be door prizes and an iPad giveaway. The event is free. To register and for more information, go to www.utilitykeystone.com/pmta2013.
PMTA is repeating the popular and relevant hours-of-
service seminar on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at PMTA headquarters in Camp Hill. The class includes a review of 49 CFR, Part 395, related interpretations and exemptions, and work projects on familiarization and auditing a driver’s Record of Duty Status. Gain clarification on some of the new HOS rules. Cost is $150 for members and $225 for non-members. Please visit www.pmta.org to register.
The Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter board of
directors meeting and fall membership dinner is Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Plymouth Country Club, Plymouth Meeting. Registration is at 4:30 p.m., followed by the presentation. Matt Huttlin, vice president, employee benefits division of ECBM, will give an overview of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act and how it will affect your business. Dinner follows the presentation. RSVP to Dave Spera by Oct. 11 at dspera@comcast.net, or 610.277.3501.
The Lancaster Chapter membership meeting is Tuesday,
PMTA added a seminar, Cargo Securement, on
Oct. 22, at Eden Resort, 222 Eden Road, Lancaster. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Ed Saxman, marketing manager for Volvo, will share Volvo’s and Mack’s plans to bring an engine to market that is fueled by DME (dimethyl ether) fuel. The evening is sponsored by Pa. Truck Centers. RSVP to Jay Shaub by Oct. 18, 717.625.7448, or jays@saudereggs.com.
Wednesday, Oct. 9, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., at PMTA headquarters, 910 Linda Lane, Camp Hill. The class will consist of current federal and state regulations governing securement of cargo, specific requirements for heavy vehicles and equipment, common violations discovered during roadside inspections, practical application exercises, and out-of-service criteria. Cost is $100; additional attendees from the same company pay $80. Contact PMTA at 717.761.7122 or visit our website at www.pmta.org to register.
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© 2013 The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved. M-16993-3 New 11-1
NL-4-SimplyBest-PA.indd 1
Northland is a proud member and supporter of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association.
5/2/13 4:39 PM
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PennTrux October Word Search Word Search by Myles Mellor Find the trucking words listed below incrosswords the puzzle and each circle Myles Mellor is one of the top crossword writersand in thephrases world, publishing more than 100 and puzzles month. He has published over 6,000 crosswords in newspapers, magazines, electronic devices and websites in the U.S. and internationally them. They may run across or up and down or diagonally in any direction. and has By Myles Mellor
published numerous crossword books in Barnes and Noble and Books a Million stores nationwide.
Anteater Backout Backtoyou Balloontires Bambi Bearcave Bedbugger Bikinistate Birddog Bobtail Boyscouts Bulldog Camera Flipflop Goodbuddy Saltshaker Yard
F G D S C U Z Z B I R D D O G T C
X Z L B A L L O O N T I R E S Q W
B A C K T O Y O U C T H B C E S R
I B Y Z S A L T S H A K E R T V D
J E E S Z N M I G O O D B U D D Y
D D Q P C X V B P R B D H T K B F
B B U E S O J E I F V J B L C I A
U U S U E B U F X H L E Z L B K X
L G F I D R S T O K A O G F A I N
L G H J A S L O S R T H P X Z N H
D E W X G O O C C J J R Q G C I Y
O R H A N T E A T E R P Z A N S N
G P T Y T R V K N G X A M Q Y T G
V T G Q V E F S D F I E H I A A N
R M B A C K O U T P R S G J R T C
N W N T F A M Y P A W M A M D E N
Last Month’s Answers B G Z N D R F C P P H O Q C S B L
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X O O I B F S Z B O B T A I L M T
A H W T X T P X A P S B H C E E D
B T R G B B R R I E R I Q A F M N
Y O O D X D K C D H C V N T O B C
B L B Z I I K H A K F T C C H W I
E Y O S N L Y M E F O O M U I N P
A I O G E I M N F W A O K X E T I
R E L P X E C V N S T C C G L F Y
E O A Y R O K J T I I R V E U G G
T R B L O T D A O U L B R E A K C
K O A P L V K N S H R P F A I N V
M N C T W D L M A F O K E R L B X
E A K A Z O U N J C E F E X B V W
H M D P T Y D J L C P K Q Y O N Q
Y P O I J L B G A T E W A Y D M H
O N O G E W A L L I G A T O R A K
J N R G S H A K Y T O W N E K U Y
Protecting Your Truck Mile After Mile We understand that trucking isn’t just a business. It’s a way of life. Protecting your truck and keeping it on the road is your number one priority. It’s our number one priority, too. That’s why we offer more coverages – so you can choose what works best for you.
Sentry Insurance Pennsylvania Sales 1-877-832-1835 transportation_agentsupport@sentry.com
Property and casualty coverages are underwritten by a member of the Sentry Insurance Group, Stevens Point, WI. For a complete listing of companies, visit ForTruckersOnly.com. Policies, coverages, benefits and discounts are not available in all states. See policy for complete coverage details. 75-590D
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