36 minute read
Managing rollercoaster rates
What happens when a free market and a pandemic collide?
BY AARON HUFF
Advertisement
Freight rates began to plummet in March following stateissued lockdown orders aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19, and the downward trend continued through April to hit a fiveyear low before rebounding in May.
Automotive, retail and energy shipments were among the hardest-hit sectors, but new pockets of demand surfaced in health care, pharmaceuticals and other essential goods.
During the pandemic crisis, the volatility of rates has raised questions about the need for greater transparency into the costs and margins of freight transactions, particularly for third-party logistics providers (3PLs).
All parties in freight transactions have access to the same historical market data for rates, but this data is compiled from averages and lacks the transparency of what actually goes into a rate for a specific contract or spot-market transaction.
In the free market, the lack of cost transparency is a competitive advantage for any party in a rate negotiation. Companies on any side of a rate negotiation want to protect this information, especially since they work to create a lower cost structure than their competitors.
In interviews with shippers, 3PLs and carriers, the parties shared a common agreement on the difficulty of providing transparency of rate and cost structures, as their variables change too frequently and are too different to be a reliable source of predictable data for making decisions. Rate transparency already is commonplace in dedicated contracts between shippers and carriers in the form of cost-plus or gain-sharing models.
Rate transparency in the spot market is a different challenge, since each transaction has a unique type of freight and variable attributes such as the number of stops, dwell times and lead time, said Alex Steurer, director of operations for ReedTMS Logistics, an asset-based 3PL based in Tampa, Florida. The asset side of the business, Reed Transport, has about 100 trucks and 500 trailers.
In today’s freight market, large shippers typically negotiate contracts directly with large and mid-size carriers and
During the turmoil of 2020, a number of shippers, carriers and 3PLs say they have not only survived but also used it as an opportunity to come out ahead.
move a smaller percentage of their loads in the spot market, o en using 3PLs for spot loads to leverage their relationships with small carriers and owner-operators.
Ultimately, it is the shippers and carriers that dictate rates in both the contract and spot markets based on the lanes and types of freight, Steurer said.
In addition to supply and demand, the freight market constantly is evolving due to competition in the highly fragmented transportation and logistics industry.
Of the approximately 560,000 carriers registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 89% operate no more than 10 trucks. Of the more than 19,000 FMCSA-registered 3PLs, the largest rm has no more than a 4.7% market share in North America, according to Armstrong & Associates.
– Alex Steurer, director of operations, ReedTMS Logistics
With so much competition, “it is really di cult to make a statement that any one person or group can really control the market,” Steurer said.
The market swings e freight market has evolved at a quickened pace during the pandemic. One of the main contributing factors has been uctuation in demand combined with the unpredictability of the marketplace, Steurer said.
Foodservice providers supplied additional capacity when local governments forced restaurants, convention centers, hotels and other venues to close. ey put a large portion of their private eets into the for-hire market.
As market rates slid, the impact on carrier revenues and pro tability was more dramatic than on the margins of 3PLs, said John Elliott, chief executive o cer for Load One, an expedited transportation and logistics provider based in Taylor, Michigan. Load One has a 400-plus truck eet and a 3PL freight management business, ARC Supply Chain Solutions.
Rates swung the most during the early stages of the outbreak, which Elliott attributes to some parties “not playing nice.” In general, when the market swings the opposite direction in favor of carriers, the margins of 3PLs tend to shrink.
During the course of the coronavirus pandemic, 3PLs have seen revenues decrease and costs increase by paying more to carriers in detention and other accessorial charges, said Brandon Arnold, vice president for Intelligent Logistics, a 3PL based in Austin, Texas.
Shippers and receivers have been short-sta ed at docks, and their shipping volumes have been erratic, which has caused an increase in detention, Arnold said.
While the market has been bad for carriers, it has not been much better for 3PLs, said Anshu Prasad, CEO for Leaf Logistics, a New York City-based company that developed a freight contracting platform used by buyers (shippers and 3PLs) and sellers (carriers) to secure future transportation capacity, rates and services.
Before founding Leaf, Prasad led the Global Analytics practice of consulting rm A.T. Kearney for 20 years and conducted freight bids for large shippers. “I’m not sure brokers are feasting right now,” he said.
Motor carriers may have experiences that cause them to think otherwise, but in times of crisis, “the market is really ine cient and super-complicated to really price correctly, fairly and transparently,” Prasad said.
During COVID-19, market conditions have yet to see a freefall like that of the Great Depression, which prompted Congress to pass the Motor Carrier Act of 1935. e law established the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to grant and regulate operating authorities to carriers for speci c lanes, rates and freight types.
Congress dissolved the ICC with
the Motor Carrier Act of 1980, and the transportation and logistics industry has been a free market driven by supply and demand ever since.
The quest for transparency Shippers, 3PLs and carriers have access to the same data to track and monitor trends in both contract and spot-freight markets. The information gives all parties a baseline for rate negotiations and strategic planning.
However, the ubiquity of data and technology has not eroded the value of trust in relationships that can enable all parties to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
During a crisis, shippers and 3PLs know they could jeopardize their capacity on a short- and long-term basis if their rates go below what carriers need to be profitable, said Gail Rutkowski, executive director for NASSTRAC, a shippers association for transportation and logistics professionals who manage freight across all modes. The association also has 3PL and carrier members.
During economic downturns, the relationships that D.M. Bowman has with shipper and 3PL customers are “strengthened through the value proposition you offer each other,” said Jim Ward, the fleet’s president.
Because shippers tend to work directly with larger carriers to negotiate freight contracts, their market perspective is different than 3PLs that source most of their capacity from small carriers and owner-operators in the spot market, Rutkowski said.
Medium and large carriers have a “pretty good feel” for their cost structures, said Jim Ward, president and chief executive for D.M. Bowman, a fullservice trucking and logistics provider based in Williamsport, Maryland.
“We are equipped to make good decisions about what rates work for our fleets and what doesn’t,” Ward said.
Small carriers, by contrast, typically have a group of trusted 3PLs that become “fund managers” by using market insights and their experience to help smaller haulers maximize the yield on their time and assets, Prasad said.
Motor carriers that have a logistics division also benefit from the same type of market insights. The rate negotiations between D.M. Bowman and shippers are driven by carriers’ costs, but the company benefits from having a 3PL division
to keep a pulse on market conditions and rates to identify opportunities for the fleet, Ward said.
The freight market constantly is evolving due to competition in the highly fragmented transportation and logistics industry.
Most carriers that do business with Intelligent Logistics are small fleets, Arnold said. Trust is an important factor, since many small fleets may not have a clear understanding of their costs, he said.
Hard-earned relationships built on trust can be strained in a volatile market such as the current one. “There is a tendency for [carriers] to chase dollars without considering the impact on long-term relationships with shippers and brokers to retain their business,” Arnold said.
On the other hand, he added, “at this point, everyone is trying to keep their head above water, and there is probably a lot more forgiveness for carriers that need to go do that.”
Steurer emphasized the importance of focusing on the entire value equation in rate negotiations with carriers. The equation includes efficiency, utilization, visibility and relationships. Those that approach a 3PL as a trusted partner can benefit by combining head-hauls with backhauls and triangulating moves to achieve higher profitability and more predictable freight patterns, he said.
Rutkowski agreed that the cost factors used to determine freight rates make it difficult, if not impossible, for a shipper or 3PL to secure enough capacity in contract and spot markets to dictate rates like a commodity.
Supply and demand in the freight market also change constantly, with or without a pandemic. Add up these factors, and
TBS buys your invoice so you get paid fast after delivering the load.
Our easy-to-use TBS App gives you incredible resources right at your fi ngertips for same-day cash on your invoices. Use our TBS Portal for real-time business stats and get a Deferred Down-Payment (DDP) on insurance to help with cashfl ow. TBS is a valued partner in the success of your business.
Sign up today: 855-491-1978 • tbsfactoring.com
it becomes nearly impossible to develop and insuring a long-term predictable models for priclocal freight move, ing, said John Janson, senior director of Elliott said. supply chain for SanMar Corp., a shipA xed percentper of custom apparel and accessories. age might work
“ e cycles of good times and bad are better for long-disgetting closer together, making the pretance freight moves with higher revenue, diction of rates more di cult,” Janson he said, adding that a xed margin also said. “In addition, no one knows what is implausible since 3PLs may take losses the new normal is going to be when we on some loads while making higher come out of the virus situation.” margins on others and look at customer
For 3PLs, establishing a preset marpro tability on an overall average basis. gin for loads is not a solution for rate transparency. A xed margin, such as a Strengthening relationships percentage of load revenue, may not be A number of shippers, carriers and 3PLs enough to cover a 3PL’s costs for billing said they have not only survived the turmoil of 2020 but also used it as Anshu Prasad, CEO an opportunity to come out ahead. for Leaf Logistics, said Based on a recent survey of his analysis shows that freight brokers NASSTRAC members, Rutkowski are not faring much found that nearly all were commitbetter than carriers ted to paying their freight bills on in the current volatile market. time and honoring commitments with carriers for lanes and rates.
John Elliott, CEO for expedite carrier Load One, said a xed margin for 3PLs is implausible since they often take losses on some loads but make a higher margin on others while looking at customers on an overall average basis for pro tability.
“I’m not going to say all are doing that, but good shippers know that to maintain capacity, they need to stand by their commitments, and a lot have,” she said.
As a shipper, SanMar has focused on working directly with carriers, “knowing that we may slightly overpay sometime and may bene t from the rate at other times,” Janson said. “With our most strategic carriers, we are talking about a long-term contract that would allow for a rate to move up and down based on a percentage of spot activity.”
As a motor carrier, D.M. Bowman has “worked tirelessly to maintain our network and provide necessary capacity to service essential customers,” Ward
GET MORE
WITH
PREPASS
More Bypasses with the MOTION ™ App WITH ROADWAY SAFETY ALERTS
prepass.com/CCJ 877.867.6704
said, adding that this has required his company to increase its volume of spotmarket freight to reposition assets and support those customers.
Mid-size and large carriers generally have contracts with shippers to stabilize their businesses, but small carriers have been hit hardest during the pandemic, Prasad said. Carriers of all sizes have been working to find solutions with shippers and 3PLs that decrease freight volatility and increase predictability, he said.
By analyzing shipping patterns, Leaf Logistics builds “flex dedicated” arrangements with freight that shippers previously moved in the spot market, Prasad said. A shipper may have 30% of its freight in the spot market, but further analysis may determine that only 10% of that volume comes from spot loads.
“The other 90% has a pattern,” he said. “Flex dedicated” arrangements are short-term deals that secure capacity for shippers and 3PLs to save money and increase service over traditional spotmarket transactions.
As a 3PL, Intelligent Logistics has chosen to take less risk and focus on shoring up its existing lanes with carriers.
“[Carriers] don’t want volatility, either,” Arnold said. “They want consistency to keep their trucks moving and drivers in the seat.”
Reflecting on times when market conditions were as bad if not worse than present times, Ward is convinced the free market works best for everyone.
During the downturns after 9/11 and the 2007-09 recession, the relationships D.M. Bowman had with shipper and 3PL customers were “strengthened through the value proposition you offer each other,” he said. “Being able to work together to continue to take waste and cost out of the system, in good or bad times, is what makes a strategic partnership.”
Top Fleets Use Top Tech
More than ever, top fleets need top-tier tools to help them run leaner, safer, and more efficiently. Ensure your fleet’s future success by optimizing your DOT Compliance and Risk Management programs.
With Fleetworthy’s Intelligent Compliance Platform - COMPLY 2.0. - fleets have had success lowering costs, mitigating risks, improving Safety Ratings, and streamlining processes - all in an online dashboard.
REQUEST A DEMO OR QUOTE TODAY!
www.fleetworthy.com - 608-230-8200
Final-mile driveshafts driveshafts
Dana’s Spicer driveshafts now are available as drop-in replacements for medium-duty final-mile applications. The driveshafts are designed, engineered and manufactured to provide the performance, reliability and durability of original equipment (OE) products. Features include Spicer Compact 2020 universal joints with a maintenance-free triple-lip seal and a serviceable snap ring, Spicer center bearings that are interchangeable with OE components, and a Dana proprietary swage tube design built to provide added strength at critical speeds with clearances calibrated to OE standards.
Dana Inc., www.spicerparts.com, 800-621-8084 Cordless impact wrench
Snap-on’s CT9075 18-Volt ½-Inch-Drive High-Output Cordless Impact Wrench is designed for heavy-duty applications and is engineered to provide 900-ft.-lb. of tightening torque and 1,200 ft.-lb. of breakaway torque. A digital microprocessorcontrolled switch controls three forward and reverse settings that are independent of each other to provide the ability to use the impact in full power in one direction and in partial power in another without using the selector switch. A built-in brake can stop the anvil quickly to prevent throwing fasteners and sockets, while the brushless motor prevents tool-slowing buildup. The CT9075 weighs 8.7 pounds with the battery, and its bright 100-lumen LED headlight illuminates dimly-lit work environments. The kit includes two of the company’s MonsterLithium batteries and a charger with a built-in USB port.
Snap-on, www.snapon.com, 877-762-7664
Headphone and headset devices
Rand McNally’s latest ClearDryve headphone and headset devices for professional drivers are wireless stereo headphones that convert into mono headsets by removing one ear cup for added flexibility. The three latest models are ClearDryve 220, a two-in-one wireless headphones/headset with a pliable boom microphone and plush over-the-ear cups for an acoustic seal; ClearDryve 210, a twoin-one wireless headphones/headset with a pliable boom microphone and soft on-ear cups for a lighter fit; and ClearDryve 100, a headset with a soft on-ear cup and a cushioned head pad that converts into headphones with the purchase of a second ear cup. The wireless devices are designed to block and/or eliminate more than 90% to 95% of ambient sound and to provide clear sound and added comfort.
Rand McNally, www.randmcnally.com/ cleardryve, 877-446-4863 In-frame toolbox
Minimizer’s In-Frame Poly Tool Box is designed for mounting behind the cab to accommodate limited space outside the frame and under the hood due to increased environmental regulations. The box fits on 27- to 28.5-inch frames and is engineered to provide clearance for the driveshaft built into the bottom of the box. It comes in black and is built to not rust, crack, break or need paint. The box can hold traditional tools and up to two Group 30 or Group 31 batteries.
Minimizer, www.minimizer.com, 800-248-3855
Retread line
Bridgestone’s Bandag MaxTread line features Bandag retreads as a standalone single-unit tire offering rather than a traditional tire cap and casing. The line includes fitments for light-truck, waste, longhaul, severe-service and pickupand-delivery applications and is suited for small to midsize fleets that may be in the beginning stages of adopting a retreading program, as well as fleets that need a single replacement tire while on the road. The MaxTread line includes: drive position, BDM, BDLT, BDV, DR5.3 and DR4.3; trailer position, TR4.1 and Eclipse; and all-position, BRM.
Bridgestone Americas, www.bandag.com, 844-748-7323
Regional tire line
BFGoodrich’s Route Control S and Route Control D Regional Tires are designed for wetweather conditions in less-than-truckload and last-mile applications. Features include added retreadability, advanced compounding suited for high-scrub environments and an enhanced sidewall that helps resist curb impact and withstand shocks.
Route Control S (steer/all-position) is engineered for long tread life and even wear. Optimized microsiping technology fights the onset of irregular wear, while zigzag flow-through grooves help with water evacuation and grip. It is available in sizes 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 275/80R22.5 and 285/75R24.5, with size 255/70R22.5 (Load Range H) arriving in the third quarter. It also is available in urban size 245/70R19.5, with size 225/70R19.5 arriving in the third quarter.
Route Control D (drive) is designed for added traction with a long-wearing tread and has an open-shoulder directional tread pattern. It is available in sizes 11R22.5 and11R24.5 (Load Range H) and 275/80R22.5 (Load Range G). It also is available in urban size 245/70R19.5, with size 225/70R19.5 arriving in the third quarter (Load Range H).
BFGoodrich Commercial Truck Tires, www.bfgoodrichtrucktires.com, 877-496-4243
Two-position sealed connectors
TE Connectivity’s SuperSeal Pro Two-Position Sealed Connectors for inline applications are lightweight and suitable for a variety of wire-to-wire and wire-to-device commercial lightweight and suitable for a variety of wire-to-wire and wire-to-device commercial vehicle applications such as sensors, lights, gauges, actuators, switches, solenoids and various chassis wiring setups. The connectors are designed to offer 17A-currentcarrying capacity and vibration resistance, improved terminal retention and proper positioning, enhanced seal retention, improved flammability protection and easier assembly because of their preassembled color-coded options.
TE Connectivity, www.te.com/ict, 800-522-6752
LED indicator light
VCC’s CL Series is an ultra-rugged steady LED indicator light designed with a prominent bezel and a robust bright nickel-plated brass housing to handle high-vibration environments. It is suitable for frontto handle high-vibration environments. It is suitable for front- panel installation for signaling, automation and control, main power, maintenance and warning indication. The light is assembled to allow waterproof mounting in heavy-duty applications and is available with ultra-bright (daylight-readable) lighting in an operating voltage of 2V to 60V, 120VAC and 240VAC. It is offered in four single colors – red, yellow, green and blue – and in red/green bi-color.
VCC, www.vcclite.com, 800-522-5546
Composite tubing for fi fth wheels
Polygon’s PolySlide Composite Tubing for pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders is designed to replace metallic material in a variety of cylinder applications such as fifth-wheel actuation. Supplied as a cylinder tube ready for customer assembly or as a fully engineered cylinder assembly, the tubing is made of continuous filament-wound glass fiber and polymer resins that combine together to form a high-strength component that exhibits dimensional stability, is noncorroding and is nonconductive. A translucent version also is available.
Polygon Composites Technology, www.polygoncomposites.com, 800-918-9261
Handwashing station
National Fleet Products’ Handwashing Station is designed to allow water or hand sanitizer to be dispensed virtually anywhere, with application-specific hardware that enables the unit to be mounted to a wide variety of vehicles. The portable vehicle-mounted black or translucent tank comes in 6.5- and 10-gallon sizes and is made of rugged, durable virgin polypropylene with an additive that makes it resistant to UV rays. An integrated removable soap dispenser serves as the cap to the filling port, and a separate cap also is available. The spring-toggle water spigot is built for easy operation, and because it automatically stops water flow when no longer depressed, it helps eliminate recontamination because there is no need to touch it again once hands are clean. The spigot is recessed and side-mounted to help protect it from damage. The vehicle-mounted unit is available with frame- and body-mounting hardware that is compatible with virtually any type of heavy-, medium- and light-duty truck, as well as work trucks, box vans, agriculture and construction equipment, trailers and more.
National Fleet Products, www.nationalfl eetproducts.com, 763-762-3451
Final-mile drive, steer tires
Cooper Tire’s Roadmaster RM257 drive and for enhanced grip and performance. The RM170+ steer tires are both 19.5-inch tires open-shoulder tire has three tread blocks in suited for the final-mile pickup-and-delivthe center and 3D siping that facilitate better ery segment and are designed for improved grip in wet weather conditions, while staghandling and longer wear. The RM257 gered shoulder pockets and chevron grooves features an aggressive tread and a Threehelp provide added bite and performance in Peak Mountain Snowflake certification snow and mud. Lateral tie bars help stabilize the tread blocks to enhance even wear and promote better handling, while the compound’s formula helps the tire resist cutting and chipping. The Roadmaster RM257 tire comes in size 225/70R with Load Range F and G 18/32nds of tread depth, and 245/70R with Load Range G and H and 19/32nds of tread depth. The Roadmaster RM170+ is designed for added durability and improved handling and wear through enhanced compounding to provide more miles to removal and a softer ride. The steer tire also can serve as an all-position tire in applications where deepbiting traction isn’t required. It has a wide footprint that facilitates longer, more even tread wear, and its V-shaped tread groove helps with traction and stone rejection, while sipes on the outer tread help with wet weather grip. It comes in size 225/70R with Load Range F and G and 15/32nds of tread depth, and 245/70R with Load Range G and H and 16/32nds of tread depth. The tire also will be available to fit 265/70R, 285/70R and 10R22.5 sizes.
Cooper Tire and Rubber Co., www.coopertire.com, 800-854-6288
PPE lineup
Rolling Strong’s online store now offers personal protective equipment (PPE) for fleets and drivers to help combat COVID-19. Included are masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and disposable thermometers, all provided at volume-based discounts.
Rolling Strong, www.rollingstrong.com, 913-551-0105
American Trucking Associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mce .trucking .org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Ancra Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ancracargo .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Automann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . automann .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Bestpass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . getbestpass .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CCJ Innovation Nomination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ccjinnovators .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Direct Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . directequipmentsupply .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Drivers Legal Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . driverslegalplan .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10, 11 E-Zee Oil Kaddee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ezeeoilchange .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Equipment Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . equipmentexperts .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 FleetPride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fleetpride .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Fleetworthy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fleetworthy .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Howes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . howesproducts .com/HOF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Instructional Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . instructiontech .net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Isuzu Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . isuzucv .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 LKQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lkqheavytruck .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Mack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . macktrucks .com/fairvalue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Napa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . napatruckservice .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC New Tech International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . seallube .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Overdrive Small Fleet Champ-Pilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one9fuelnetwork .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Pedigree Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pedigreetechnologies .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Penske . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gopenske .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Peterbilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . peterbilt .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC PrePass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . prepass .com/CCJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 ProMiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . promiles .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 R&L Fleet Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rlfleet .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 RigDig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rigdigbi .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shell .us/transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34, 39 St . Christopher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . truckersfund .org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 TBS Factoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tbsfactoring .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 TCA DOY Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . truckersnews .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 TruckPro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . truckpro .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Wheel-Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wheel-check .com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
GET AHEAD OF YOUR TRAINING PLAN
Tailor Your Fleet’s Training Schedule
Plan out and schedule your online training year ahead of time. You can tailor it to new hires, old timers, job titles, locations or any other group you plan. You can even have post-infraction assignments ready to go. See how easy Sentix® Pro makes training.
PLAN YOUR TRAINING AT INSTRUCTIONTECH.NET
PREVENTABLE or NOT?
Oak tree, you’re in Doe’s way
On the sunny fateful day of his accident, tractor-trailer driver John Doe had stopped for a monumentally satisfying Giant Cheesedog & Fries Super Lunch at Tubb’s Truck Stop (“Burp!”). Now he was southbound on two-lane two-way Porker Pike with a reefer load of Mrs. Peachy’s Pies in tow. In the mood for a belated dessert, Doe shed a lemon-yellow gummy bear from his bulging bag of road rations.
For that brief moment in time, all was well. Posted at 35 mph, Porker Pike was a tree-lined rural road running smack-dab through the State Game Lands near Greensboro, North Carolina. It also was a heavily-traveled truck route, hosting a steady stream of tall trailers, so Doe made sure to stick to the speed limit. Just as he glanced down to grab his CB mic and respond to another trucker’s “Breaker, breaker” … “BOOM!” “CRACK!” Great jumpin’ horny toads, what just happened?
Tractor-trailer driver Immediately, Doe activated
John Doe was on a two-lane treehis right-turn signal, pulled o the road and popped out of the cab for a looklined road when see. Egad! Part of a giant he was distracted oak branch now decorated the top of Doe’s 13-foot momentarily and hit a 6-inch reefer, and ... oh no! hefty limb, damaging e right front corner was his reefer. Was this a mangled, big time! Claiming that he had no preventable accident? control over Mother Nature lowering a limb, Doe contested the preventableaccident warning letter from his safety director. Asked to resolve the issue, the National Safety Council’s (NSC) Accident Review Committee upheld the “preventable” ruling. NSC decided that Doe must have dri ed carelessly o the edge of the road to hit the he y limb. A er all, none of the other tall rigs constantly traveling the busy road had run into it, even at night.
