Truckload Authority - Spring 2016

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O F F I C I A L P U B L I C A T I O N o f t h e T r u c k l o a d C a r r i e r s A s s o c i a t i o n
SPRING 2016
Russell Stubbs is the
first third-generation
chairman in TCA history
RAISING THE BAR
Entry-level driver training
standards are going up
asleep at the wheel
The industry has woken up to the dangers
posed by obstructive sleep apnea
overstocked
Over-supply has the new truck market limping
along. Who’s paring down the inventory?

SPRING | TCA 2016
President’s Purview
A Spring In TCA’s Step
Spring is a wonderful time of year to welcome a renewed vibrancy and spirit for many of
us, and we all would like to see it arrive. It seems to be a bit stubborn this year and many of your
drivers have had to do their best to get through the last vestiges of winter. In D.C., the cherry
blossoms came and went quickly with the high winds and cold that stretched across many regions
of North America. Even with all that, we keep on trucking, knowing tomorrow will be a new day
with milestones to reach and opportunities to make our own.
In the last issue, I provided my inaugural purview for this magazine, the association and
inevitably you, the members. I spoke of a new year for the association and making resolutions
and now here we are, well past the promises, the good intentions or the inevitable best wishes
that had accompanied me in my endeavor to preside over this association.
At our annual convention, our board blessed a new policy that will lead to an unprecedented
membership drive and which promises a direction that most certainly will equate to a more
ambitious association than ever before. We are aspiring to great things, reaching for heights only
dreamed about and striving to be the very best for truckload and its membership. We are urging
that our members become more informed than ever before, have staff that challenge the status
quo of what once was and embrace new ideas from the minds that once believed the notion was
beyond reach.
In a recent officers’ teleconference we were able to cover a lot of ground and are moving
things forward at a rapid pace. Russell Stubbs and his team of officers know the “speed of the
captain is the speed of the crew” and he is leading in just that way. Materials for the call were
e-mailed prior to the call. One of the documents was the President’s Work Plan for the remainder
of this year. The reason I am mentioning this is for you to know it is a vigorous and balanced
work plan that includes, first and foremost, reaching out to the members and having meaningful
discussions. For those of you who attended and worked hard at our Annual Meeting and
Convention, thank you. You heard me say in my remarks on Tuesday of the meeting this is the
beginning of a discussion that I intend never to end.
Thank you for your warm welcome and candid conversations. I find all of them most helpful.
Shortly, you will receive numerous ongoing 60-second updates from me that will be timely and
brief. I believe you learn more when less is said.
With that, we will do everything possible to provide you with information on the latest hot
issues like F4A Federal Preemption, Hours of Service, Entry Level Driving Training and Safety
Fitness Determination to name a few … and to be “The Voice of Truckload.”
Happy trucking, John
John Lyboldt
President
Truckload Carriers Association
jlyboldt@truckload.org
PRESIDENT’S PICKS
Capitol Recap
Updates on safety fitness, out-of-service,
military pilot program and more.
Page 10
Not-So New Abnormal
Has mediocre economic growth become the
new normal and should we accept it?
Page 20
Growing TCA
Truckload Refueled is our new membership
initiative. Find out what it’s all about.
Page 31
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority

Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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SPRING | TCA 2016
Legislative Look-In
Raising the
Bar
After many years of trying, FMCSA finally has the
jump on standards for entry-level driver training.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
March 7 formally proposed a set of comprehensive
national prerequisite training standards
for entry-level commercial truck and bus operators
seeking to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking reflects
consensus recommendations of a negotiated
rulemaking committee comprising FMCSA representatives
and 25 stakeholders and responds to a
Congressional mandate imposed under the Moving
Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.
Public comment is sought as the next phase of
the rulemaking.
Under the proposal, applicants seeking a “Class
A” CDL — necessary for operating a combination
tractor-trailer type vehicle weighing 26,001
pounds or more — would be required to obtain a
minimum of 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training
from an instructional program that meets
FMCSA standards, including a minimum of 10
hours of operating the vehicle on a practice
driving range.
Applicants seeking a “Class B” CDL — necessary
for operating a heavy straight truck
(such as a dump truck or box truck) or a
school bus, city transit bus, or motor coach
— would be required to obtain a minimum
of 15 hours of behind-the-wheel training, including
a minimum of seven hours of practice
range training.
There is no proposed minimum number of
hours that driver trainees must spend on the
classroom portions of any of the individual
curricula.
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Mandatory, comprehensive training in all 50 states,
the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories would
apply to the following individuals under the proposal:
• First-time CDL applicants
• A previously disqualified CDL holder seeking to reacquire a license, and
• Current CDL holders seeking a license upgrade (e.g., a Class B CDL holder seeking a Class A CDL)
or an additional endorsement (necessary, e.g., to transport hazardous materials, operate a tank
truck, school bus, motor coach, or pull double and/or triple trailers).
These individuals would be subject to the proposed entry-level driver training
requirements and must complete a course of instruction provided by an entity that:
• Meets the minimum qualifications for training providers
• Covers the curriculum
• Is listed on FMCSA’s proposed Training Provider Registry, and
• Submits electronically to FMCSA the training certificate for each individual who completes the training.
“A diverse group of commercial motor vehicle
stakeholders completed a tremendous
amount of work, and that effort resulted in an
unprecedented consensus,” said FMCSA Acting
Administrator Scott Darling. “We’ve designated
2016 as our ‘Year of Partnerships’ and these
comprehensive entry-level driver training standards
exemplify our commitment to working
closely with our safety partners, including state
and local law enforcement, the safety advocacy
community, and all other stakeholders to reduce
crashes and to save lives.”
Under the proposal, military drivers, farmers
and firefighters would continue to remain
generally exempt from the federal CDL requirements.
The proposed rule also applies to entities
that train CDL applicants.
Such providers would, at a minimum, offer
and teach a driver training curriculum that
meets all FMCSA standards as set forth in the
NPRM.
Training providers meeting these requirements
would be eligible to be listed on FMCSA’s
Training Provider Registry (TPR). These providers
would have to continue to meet the required
criteria in order to remain listed on the TPR. In
addition, training providers would, at FMCSA’s
request, be required to supply documentary
evidence to verify their compliance with the
eligibility requirements. The NPRM also proposes
an administrative process for providers
removed from or reinstated to the TPR.
The proposed rule was developed with heavy
input from the FMCSA’s Entry-Level Driver
Training Advisory Committee (ELDTAC), which
met for six two-day negotiating sessions starting
in February 2015 until reaching consensus
in May 2015.
The ELDTAC included FMCSA representatives
and a cross-section of 25 representatives
from motor carrier transportation, highway
safety, driver training, state licensing, law enforcement,
labor union, and insurance organizations.
Truckload Carriers Association Director of
Safety and Policy Dave Heller is a member of
ELDTAC.
“Every truck driving school I’ve talked to has
waited on this for a number of years as far back
as I can remember,” Heller said.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association said it was generally pleased with
the proposed rule.
Commented OOIDA Executive Vice President
Todd Spencer: “We are still reviewing the rule
and will likely have some questions for clarification
on some provisions. In general, we view
the proposal positively and are encouraged to
see the agency continue to make strides toward
a final, solid rule.”
The NPRM would apply to entities that train,
or expect to train, entry-level drivers, also referred
to as driver-trainees. Training providers
must, at a minimum, offer and teach a training
curriculum that meets all FMCSA standards
for entry-level drivers and must also meet requirements
related to: course administration;
qualifications for instructional personnel; assessments,
issuance of training certificates;
and training vehicles (i.e., equipment). Training
providers must also attest that they meet the
specified requirements, and in the event of an
FMCSA audit or investigation of the provider,
must supply documentary evidence to verify
their compliance. The NPRM also proposes conforming
changes to parts 383 and 384.
The proposed compliance date is three years
after the effective date of the final rule, which
would provide states with sufficient time to
pass necessary implementation legislation, to
modify their information systems to begin recording
the training provider’s certificate information
on the Commercial Driver’s License Information
System (CDLIS) driver record, and to
begin making that information available from
the CDLIS driver record. This proposed phasein
period would also allow time for the driver
training industry to develop and begin offering
training programs that meet the eligibility requirements
for listing on the TPR.
The NPRM assumes that the rule would impact
newly trained drivers starting in 2020.
Thus, the agency says that for the 10-year
period 2020-2029, the rule would prevent 115
fatal crashes, 2,364 injury crashes and 7,857
property damage-only crashes.
Efforts to have a formal entry-level driving
training rule go all the way back to the early
1980s when the Federal Highway Administration’s
Office of Motor Carriers, the predecessor
to FMCSA, determined that there was a need
for technical guidance in the area of truck driver
training.
The need was based on a Government Accountability
Office report stating that a large
percentage of truck crashes are due to driver
error.
Research further showed that few driver
training institutions then offered a structured
curriculum or a standardized training program,
and also showed that for motor coaches and
school buses, nearly the entire capacity for entry-level
training was provided by the fleet operators,
and not by training schools.
To begin to develop a Model Curriculum, in
1986 the motor carrier, truck driver training
schools, and insurance industries created the
Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI) to
certify high-quality training programs offered
by training institutions.
The Model Curriculum, as updated over time,
remains the centerpiece of many training programs
currently offered. It provided the starting
point for the entry-level driving training curricula
requirements proposed in the NPRM.
The Professional Truck Driver Institute is
managed by the Truckload Carriers Association.
Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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CapItol recap
A review of important news coming out of our nation’s capital.
By Lyndon Finney, Dorothy Cox and Jack Whitsett
Since mid-March, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration has been engaged in its own version of
March Madness, designating three drivers, three carriers,
four motor coach companies and one limousine company
as imminent hazards to the safety of motorists on the nasAFETY
FITNESS RATING
The proposed rule updating the federal government’s
safety fitness determination (SFD) for motor carriers
will present carriers with a fixed target to remain
approved to operate that will not be affected by other carriers’
ratings, DOT officials said April 7 in a conference
call with the media.
“It’s a proposed change that lays out a new standard
for determining if a carrier is fit to operate,” said Joseph
P. DeLorenzo, director of enforcement and compliance for
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, adding
that the proposed rule would not use relative percentiles
from other carriers in determining a motor carrier’s fitness
to operate.
“Carriers always know what the target is” under the
proposed rule, he said. “In the proposed rulemaking, we
lay out specifically what the standard is. There’s a calculation
called the absolute measure. If you’re under that
measure you’re OK.” The target would not change in the
absence of a completely new rule, he added.
FMCSA published the proposed rulemaking January
21.
In it, the agency said the proposed SFD rule would replace
the current three-tier federal rating system of “satisfactory–conditional–unsatisfactory”
for federally regulated
commercial motor carriers (in place since 1982) with a
single determination of fit or unfit, which would require the
carrier to either improve its operations or cease business.
“This update will help the agency focus on carriers
with a higher crash risk. Carriers that we identify as unfit
to operate will be removed from our roadways until they
improve,” said FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darling
in an agency news release.
That’s good as far as it goes, said Dave Heller, director
of safety and policy for the Truckload Carriers Association
(TCA), but more data and inspections are needed.
“Actually having a set bar would be a good thing,” Heller
said. “[But] the data is not wholly accurate. This is just
for the carriers that have data. There are still carriers that
don’t have data. They’re not getting inspected” due to their
size, the lanes they operate in, the areas in which they are
based, etc.
“What about those carriers?” he said. “Why aren’t we
developing some kind of program” to ensure that all carriers
have inspection and safety data? “The set bar is a
good thing, but … inevitably you’re going to make decisions
based on bad data. You need to judge all carriers, not
just [the ones who have inspection data].”
Once in place, the SFD rule will permit FMCSA to assess
the safety fitness of what it estimated to be 75,000
companies a month. By comparison, the agency is now
only able to investigate 15,000 motor carriers monthly —
with less than half of those companies receiving a safety
rating, the agency said.
The proposed rule “further incorporates rigorous data
sufficiency standards and would require that a significant
pattern of non-compliance be documented in order for a
carrier to fail a BASIC,” an FMCSA news release stated.
Heller agreed that FMCSA could do appreciably more
inspections under the proposed rule.
“The math on it is accurate,” he said. “They could conceivably
do more carriers, but they’re not doing every carrier.
If they’re rating carriers unfit, is it safe to assume that if
a carrier doesn’t have an unfit rating they are fit?”
When assessing roadside inspection data results, the
proposal uses a minimum of 11 inspections with violations
in a single BASIC within a 24-month period before
a motor carrier could be eligible to be identified as “unfit.”
If a carrier’s individual performance meets or exceeds the
failure standards in the rule, it would then fail that BASIC.
The failure standard would be fixed by the rule. Failure of
a BASIC based on either crash data or compliance with
drug and alcohol requirements would only occur following
a comprehensive investigation.
FMCSA estimates that under this proposal, less than
300 motor carriers each year would be proposed as “unfit”
solely as a result of on-road safety violations. “Further, the
agency’s analysis has shown that the carriers identified
through this on-road safety data have crash rates of almost
four times the national average.”
The agency’s ruling announcement came just days
after a group representing small business industry associations
and alliances sent a letter to five congressmen
complaining that the proposal as first announced by Darling
January 11 flies in the face of the latest highway bill or
FAST Act passed by Congress.
Language in the act forbids FMCSA from publishing any
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would lead
to a major rule until the agency either issues an Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) or a negotiated
rulemaking and considers a “regulatory impact analysis” of
its repercussions on the motor carrier industry.
The agency can seek a waiver for technical or timesensitive
matters, but the letter argues that this is neither
and that it is definitely a “major” rule.
The letter argued that there are numerous studies
“showing the statistical defects of SMS scores and demonstrating
the disparate impact of such ‘on-road data’ on
small carriers.”
And it said this data is skewed because of compliance
and enforcement varying from state to state; the lack of sufficient
roadside data to measure “90 percent of regulated
carriers” as stated in a Government Accountability Office
(GAO) report; the inability to determine crash preventability
in assessing carrier safety performance and “the inherent
instability of SFDs for small carriers based on monthly
changes in their on-road safety performance data.
“The undersigned associations have repeatedly pointed
out that any use of roadside data to characterize the
safety performance of small carriers is statistically flawed
due to the law of larger numbers, which GAO has confirmed
and which Congress has required the National Research
Council of the National Academies to address.” The
letter was dated Tuesday, January 12, and signed by Scott
Klever, president of the Air & Expedited Motor Carrier Association;
Mike Pettrey, president of The Expedite Alliance
of North America; William D. Bierman, executive director of
the Transportation Loss Prevention & Security Association;
David Owen, president of the National Association of Small
Trucking Companies (NASTC ); David Purvis, executive director
of the Specialized Furniture Carriers at the American
Home Furnishings Alliance; William P. Schroeder, general
manager of the Auto Haulers Association of America; Tom
Sanderson, chairman of the Alliance for Safe, Efficient and
Competitive Truck Transportation; and Joe Rajkovacz, director
of governmental affairs and communications for the
Western States Trucking Association.
NASTC’s David Owen said he was “appalled at the
agency’s arrogance or ignorance. If I was in Congress I’d
be livid.”
The same interests wrote to Darling April 11 calling
the proposed rulemaking “premature” and accusing the
agency of “choosing simply to dig in and defend its proposal,”
rather than considering the “widespread concern”
in the trucking industry regarding the rule. The letter accuses
FMCSA of “sophistry” and of failing to provide data
requested under the Freedom of Information Act.
Asked why the agency held a conference call to discuss
aspects of the proposed rule that have already been
publicly discussed, DeLorenzo said FMCSA wished to encourage
public comments on the rule.
“Up to this point we haven’t gotten a lot of substantive
comments,” he said. “We really want to get folks’ feedback.
It’s really an important time.”
Typically, though, the agency doesn’t receive a large
number of such comments until closer to the deadline,
which is May 23, he said. TCA will be filing comments on
this issue “reflective of the views of our members,” Heller
said.
The concept of Safety Measurement Systems (SMS)
is being studied by the National Academy of Sciences
(NAS), DeLorenzo said, adding that recommendations
from the NAS study could be incorporated into a final rule.
The FMCSA has developed an online SFD calculator
as an educational tool to show carriers how their safety
fitness may be calculated under the proposed SFD regulations
using their current safety information, DeLorenzo
said. It is available at https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/sfd/
SFDCalculator.aspx.
The proposed rule also allows carriers more flexibility
in dealing with an unfit rating, DeLorenzo added.
“At that point in time it’s not a final determination,” he
said. “There are several different options” aside from an
appeal, including an opportunity to correct data.
“Also there’s simply the opportunity to come back to
the agency and say ‘we’ve made these changes.’”
out-of-service issues
10 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

tion’s roads and highways — and rightly so.
Some of the reasons for the action border on ridiculous behavior on the part of the
parties put out-of-service.
One carrier was put OOS because the FMCSA said it failed to conduct pre-employment
background checks on drivers, failed to ensure drivers were qualified before
dispatching them in commercial operations, failed to properly monitor drivers to ensure
compliance with Hours of Service, failed to conduct random drug and alcohol tests on
drivers, and failed to ensure that its vehicles were regularly inspected, maintained and
repaired and to meet minimum safety standards.
Another carrier was put OOS for the identical reasons, plus using a driver who tested
positive for a controlled substance.
After a third carrier was involved in a fatal accident, the investigation, which revealed
the driver — himself killed in the accident — had numerous Hours of Service
(HOS) violations, the FMCSA showed up at the door of the carrier and noted they
were unable to produce vehicle maintenance records, including servicing schedules,
or documentation otherwise indicating that the company had a vehicle maintenance
program; failed to provide drivers’ vehicle inspection reports or evidence that drivers
undertook federally required pre-trip and post-trip safety inspections; lacked evidence
that defects identified in past roadside inspections had been corrected before allowing
that particular vehicle to be dispatched again; couldn’t show records for a majority
of their drivers addressing driver qualification documentation, leading the carrier to
dispatch multiple drivers that possessed suspended or invalid CDLs; had no medical
examiner’s certificates for their drivers; lacked complete records-of-duty status for their
drivers or supporting documents, such as fuel and toll receipts; and had no records
for a majority of drivers documenting that they underwent mandatory pre-employment
controlled substances tests before performing a safety-sensitive function — including
operating a commercial motor vehicle.
One of the drivers put OOS was caught operating his truck while driving under the
influence with a blood alcohol level of 0.308 percent — nearly seven times the limit set
by federal statute. On that occasion, the driver was also cited for possession of an intoxicating
beverage while on-duty or driving and for failing to retain driver logbooks for
the previous seven-day period. Previously, he had been convicted twice in Connecticut
on alcohol-related violations while operating a commercial motor vehicle and once in
Massachusetts.
Another driver on four separate occasions over the course of four days in March was
ordered OOS by state roadside safety inspectors for falsifying records-of-duty status and
egregiously violating HOS limitations designed to prevent fatigued driving. In each of the
first three instances, he willfully disregarded the OOS order and continued operating his
commercial truck, including surreptitiously removing the vehicle from a storage facility
where it had been towed.
The limo company put OOS was using a 20-year-old driver in the business of interstate
commerce and was cited for several HOS violations.
On March 25, a commercial passenger vehicle operated by Lyons Limousine was
involved in a single vehicle crash on Interstate 90 in Elgin, Illinois, resulting in the fatality
of one passenger and injury to several others. The Lyons Limousine driver involved in the
crash was only 20 years old; the federal regulations require interstate commercial drivers
be at least 21 years old. FMCSA’s investigation showed that the same under-aged driver
had been dispatched by the company on at least two other occasions in March.
Each of the four passenger carriers was found to have intentionally provided a misleading
and/or false physical address as its principal place of business. Federal safety
regulations prohibit a registered motor carrier from falsely designating its physical address/principal
place of business when the motor carrier is not engaged in business operations
related to the commercial transportation of persons or property at that location.
“I think we need to emphasize the ridiculousness of the reasons,” said Dave Heller,
director of safety and policy at the Truckload Carriers Association. “It’s the ridiculousness
on the part of the carriers and the drivers. I think it’s fair to point out that the agency is
acting in a manner that is removing operators from the road that are not operating in
the purest sense of safety. We don’t have a single carrier member that would do any of
these things.”
He applauded the agency’s initiative in taking a strong stance against carriers and
drivers violating federal regulations.
“We as an industry cannot advocate a non-compliant situation,” Heller said. “So when
they have drivers that are going above and beyond in a non-compliant fashion, it’s just
not good for our industry when we are trying to advocate for certain things. These are the
bad apples that are putting our industry in a negative light.”
What’s more, the agency’s recent actions — accomplished with limited resources
— may be only touching the surface, Heller said, noting that there are more than 500,000
registered motor carriers.
“I wouldn’t say it’s an epidemic, but there is a plethora [of non-compliant carriers],”
J. J. KELLER’S ELD INSIGHTS
HOS Exemptions & the Risk
of Non-Compliance
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) set minimum standards for
safe truck and bus operations, but not everyone has to play by the same rules.
Federal Hours of Service (HOS) rules, for example, contain some of the most
widely used exemptions in the industry. However, if used improperly, an HOS
exemption could cause significant risk to your operations. The following is an
overview of how the HOS and ELD rules apply under FMCSRs:
Exempt from FMCSRs
Some operations are entirely exempt from FMCSRs, including HOS rules.
Among those qualifying for this exemption are government-operated
vehicles, vehicles providing direct assistance during a government-declared
emergency, and vehicles performing emergency towing operations upon
police request. Additionally, CMVs involved only in intrastate commerce are
subject to state, versus federal, regulation.
Exempt from HOS
On the other hand, some motor carriers and drivers may be subject to
FMCSRs, but exempt from all HOS rules in 49 CFR Part 395 when using
vehicles for specific purposes. These include the transportation of
agricultural commodities during peak season, the use of a utility service
vehicle to maintain or repair utility-related facilities or structures, and
railroad signal system work performed by federally regulated railroad
employees or contractors.
Exempt from logs
Even drivers who are subject to HOS rules may be exempt from standard
logging requirements. Common log exemptions are:
• 100-air-mile (Section 395.1(e)(1)): Exempts drivers from normal “grid”
log and 30-minute break requirements. However, the exemption
includes tricky details regarding vehicle type, driver classification,
and time off, and requires keeping a time record versus a standard log.
• 150-air-mile (Section 395.1(e)(2)): Only available to property-carrying
drivers who are not required to have a commercial driver’s license
(CDL). The provision exempts drivers from standard grid logs, the
30-minute break, and (twice per week) the 14-hour limit.
Exempt from ELDs
In addition to the exemptions noted above, some drivers, such as those with
infrequent driving schedules or those participating in “driveaway-towaway”
operations, are allowed to use paper logs despite the ELD final rule.
Know the Risks
Though this list provides a summary of HOS exemptions, each
should be understood in detail before being implemented.
Learn more by downloading our complete “Weighing
the Risk of HOS Exemptions” whitepaper, free at
JJKeller.com/ELogs.
To learn about J. J. Keller’s Encompass® ELD and E-Log system,
see the ad in this publication or visit JJKeller.com/ELogs.
with E-Logs
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 11

Heller said. “The agency is putting its best foot forward trying to eliminate them from
our highways.”
Heller said he hoped smaller carriers would emulate the safety focus of trucking
associations such as TCA.
“I think what we as an industry and an organization can do is to continue to put our
best safety foot forward,” he said. “Practicing what we preach would be a best case
scenario. Leave no doubt our members are the safest one can prescribe to. That’s
what our industry can do, too, and that’s what our members do, drawing a clear and
definite line in the sand of who is safe and who indeed is not.”
Heller noticed the precedent set by the agency’s recent actions.
“There has never been such a media publication of these things that are happening,
which is good for the industry,” Heller said. “It is making those non-compliant players aware
of the ramifications that will happen to them if they continue down that road. Our TCA
members don’t have this to worry about. They are not operating in this fashion.”
Poster Salutes Drivers
A number of organizations representing the commercial truck and bus industries
on March 14 presented the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration with a poster
honoring 76 professional drivers for their millions of miles of accident-free driving.
“As an association which represents the safety interests of an industry that is constantly
under the microscope, we are grateful for the opportunity to applaud the efforts of
our commercial drivers who succeed daily in the one part of their job that truly matters,
driving safely,” said Dave Heller, Truckload Carriers Association director of safety and
policy. “Our hope is that their accomplishments don’t go unnoticed and rather than focus
on the underperformers in our industry, our nation and its elected officials take the time
to appreciate those who do set the bar for an industry that strives for perfection.”
The FMCSA said the poster will be hung in a formal event later this year.
The poster is the trucking and bus industries’ counterpoint to a poster memorializing
victims of large truck and bus crashes placed at FMCSA headquarters in December
2009 by safety advocacy groups.
mILITARY PILOT PROGRAM
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is in the process of planning the
implementation of the so-called “Military Pilot Program” that would test the ability of 18-
to 21-year-old men and women to drive interstate routes on the nation’s highways.
Currently, drivers holding a CDL must be 21 years old to drive interstate.
Drivers under 21 with a CDL can drive intrastate, but legally can’t cross a state line to
deliver to a city whose boundaries abut, even though they are in different states.
The pilot is a provision of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act
that would allow select U.S. military personnel between 18 and 21 years of age to
operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.
No date has been set to actually begin the pilot, nor does the FAST Act say how
long it must run, only that not later than one year after the date on which the pilot
is concluded, the Secretary of Transportation must submit to Congress a report
describing the findings of the pilot and the recommendations of a working group
that has been monitoring the program.
The FAST Act requires the working group to consist of representatives of the
Armed Forces, industry, drivers, safety advocacy organizations and state licensing
and enforcement officials.
Participants in the pilot must be between the ages of 18 and 21, be a member
or former member of the Armed Forces or reserve components of the Armed
Forces and qualified in a military occupational specialty to operate a commercial
motor vehicle or similar vehicle.
The Truckload Carriers Association is supportive of the pilot program.
“With the lack of data out there that surrounds the 18- to 21-year-old driver,
any effort to gather that type data we would support entirely. The 18- 21-year-old
interstate driver data is obviously an unstudied group,” said Dave Heller, director
of safety and policy at TCA.
There are some in the trucking industry that believe the FMCSA should not limit
pilot program participants to just military veterans.
Limiting the pilot, they said, will yield a very small study population.
Trucking executives and recruiters have long sought a way to get more young
men and women into trucking but readily point out that men and women ages 18,
19 and 20 who might be interested in becoming a professional truck driver are put
off by the 21-year-old requirement to drive interstate routes.
Those men and women often join other trades, and some who intend to become
truck drivers when they are old enough, never follow up because they are
now entrenched in another career.
vETERAN tRANSITION
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking that proposes amendments to the Commercial Driver’s License
regulation that the FMCSA says would ease the transition of military personnel
into civilian careers in the truck and bus industries by simplifying the process of
obtaining a commercial learner’s permit or a CDL.
The proposal stems from a requirement in MAP-21, the transportation bill
passed in 2012, to assess federal and state regulatory, economic and administrative
challenges faced by members and former members of the Armed Forces
who received safety training and operated qualifying motor vehicles during their
service, in obtaining CDLs.
This NPRM makes permanent a temporary exemption granted July 8, 2014, to
extend the skills test waiver from 90 days to one year after leaving a military position
requiring the operation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV).
It also would allow states to accept applications and administer the written and
skills tests for a CLP or CDL from active-duty military personnel who are stationed
in that state.
States that choose to accept such applications would be required to transmit
the test results electronically to the state of domicile of the military personnel.
The state of domicile would be required to issue the CDL or CLP on the basis
of those results.
This process would enable service members to complete their licensing requirements
without incurring the time and expense of returning home, the NPRM
says.
The state of domicile would be required to issue the CLP or CDL in accordance
with otherwise applicable procedures.
Currently, former military personnel who were regularly employed in the preceding
90 days in a military position requiring the operation of a CMV may apply
for a skills test waiver if they meet certain conditions.
To date, more than 10,000 separated military personnel have taken advantage
of the Skills Test Waiver.
In the November 2013 report to Congress, “Program to Assist Veterans to Acquire
Commercial Driver’s Licenses,” the FMCSA concluded that lengthening that
period would ease the transition of service members and veterans to civilian life.
The trucking industry has in the past few years turned to former military CMV
drivers to help ease the driver shortage.
The FMCSA has also launched a new Web page to serve as a one-stop shop
on initiatives and resources for military service members transitioning to civilian
life, the agency said.
Through this site, those who operated large vehicles while in uniform can identify
a clear a path to new careers in transportation and provide the truck and bus
industries with skilled, safe drivers.
12 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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Asleep at the Wheel ...
R
egarding the federal government’s Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (AN-
PRM) last month on obstructive sleep apnea
(OSA), the trucking industry would like to see
some scientific evidence linking the condition
to crashes.
The industry needs to see “sound data,”
said Dave Heller, director of safety and policy
for the Truckload Carriers Association. “Tying
sleep apnea to accidents is like the chicken
and the egg; we’ve heard it anecdotally but
we need to see it. This industry puts safety
first. It’s no problem to make changes but we
need to see that they’re justified. Most drivers
have no quibble with the fact that actual OSA
patients find a much healthier, enjoyable lifestyle
with a CPAP. The crux, however, is that
there has been no clear link shown between
OSA and a risk for crashes.”
Following a joint announcement March 8
of the ANPRM by the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad
Administration, the American Trucking
Associations said it was “pleased” that DOT is
“taking the time to solicit input and data from
the industry and the public on this important
safety issue because we believe regulations
— including one that might possibly address
obstructive sleep apnea — should be based
upon sound data and analysis.”
However, the statement added, “ … DOT
needs to understand the scope of the problem,
the number of crashes that directly result from
sleep apnea and determine if there is a need
for a solution that can improve safety, but in a
way that is both effective and cost-beneficial
to drivers and fleets.”
“This is just the starting point” as far as a
(or not); trucking wants ‘sound data’ linking OSA to crashes
final rulemaking goes, said Dr. Michael Megehee,
founder and president of Team CME, a
group of some 600 medical examiners across
the country which has a partnership with the
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
(OOIDA) to provide OSA drivers “safe,
reasonable and fair services.”
Megehee, a doctor of chiropractic, said a
rulemaking is, unfortunately, “a long process,”
but it’s “the most fair.”
In fact, Heller and other stakeholders say
a final rule could be as many as four years
away.
“We welcome this,” said Megehee, adding
that with FMCSA’s guidance thus far it had
been difficult for medical examiners “to know
what was going on. We’re excited and supportive
of a future rulemaking.”
FMCSA called on Megehee in 2005 to help
the agency get its registry of certified medical
examiners up and running and he helped
write the ME certification tests and develop ME
training.
Indeed, most trucking stakeholders agree
that a rulemaking would be better than the
previous guidance for several reasons, not
the least of which is that drivers and carriers
can give their on-road experiences and suggestions.
They said they were glad to see that
FMCSA not only said it wants to “ensure consistency”
in a final rule but that the agency was
urging stakeholders to beware of appearances
of impropriety regarding testing and treating.
Lest drivers and carriers believe comments
about ups and downs with OSA, CPAP machines
and sleep tests won’t be given more
than a cursory glance by FMCSA, stakeholders
say “not so.”
By Dorothy Cox
Said OOIDA’s Scott Grenerth, director of
regulatory affairs and a former owner-operator:
“This is one issue where driver comment
won’t be a problem.” After all, he said,
truck radio lines light up at the mention of the
words, sleep apnea.
But, said Grenerth, the “absolute, No. 1
over-arching top of the list” on the OSA issue
is if there is really a bona fide link between
sleep apnea and crash risk. FMCSA is acknowledging
they need the data to prove this, he
said.
Just days after FMCSA released its ANPRM,
which is the fact-finding stage of the rule, a
University of Minnesota Morris study was released
that said truck drivers diagnosed with
OSA who refuse treatment have a fivefold
increase in the risk of serious, preventable
crashes. The study was drawn from data supplied
by Schneider, which also helped fund the
project, and its OSA services provider, Precision
Pulmonary Diagnostics (PPD).
“Conducted by faculty, staff and student
researchers and supported by the Roadway
Safety Institute [a DOT transportation center]
at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities,
this is the largest study of sleep apnea
and crash risk among commercial motor vehicle
drivers to date,” stated a University of
Minnesota news release on the study titled
“Non-adherence with Employer-Mandated
Sleep Apnea Treatment and Increased Risk of
Serious Crashes.”
According to the American Academy of Sleep
Medicine, the report — made public March 22
— involved 1,613 truck drivers with OSA and
an equal number of control drivers who were
matched by job experience and tenure with
14 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

the trucking firm. Drivers who were diagnosed
with sleep apnea were prescribed positive airway
pressure (PAP) therapy and were given
an auto-adjusting machine that could be used
both at home and in the truck sleeper berth
while on the road. Objective treatment adherence
data were downloaded from the PAP
machine’s internal memory chip.”
Jon Anderson, professor of statistics at
Morris, said, “I expect our sleep apnea findings
will be carefully considered in the rulemaking
process on sleep apnea standards for
truck drivers and train operators just launched
… by the U.S. Department of Transportation.”
Stakeholders are wondering just what WILL
be in the final rule.
“Who knows” what will be in it; that will
depend on what kinds of comments come in,
which is why it’s important for drivers to comment,
said driver and OSA patient Bob Stanton,
co-coordinator of Truckers for a Cause, a
patient support group for truck drivers under
treatment for OSA, and who is also active in
lobbying and educational efforts as they apply
to FMCSA medical certification guidelines.
FMCSA needs to hear “from everybody,”
agreed Heller. “They need them [comments]
to form the rulemaking. I advocate for anybody
to send comments. People may say government
never listens but they will read the
comments.”
One of Stanton’s major questions about a
sleep apnea rule has to do with drivers who
have tested negative for OSA. “I can’t get a
straight answer on how long a negative test is
good for,” he said.
No one knows for sure, either, whether
there will be specific body-mass index (BMI)
or neck size criteria. It’s Megehee’s belief that
a sleep study shouldn’t be ordered on those
two things alone, but also on “observed apneas”
or cessations of breathing by spouses
or partners, and that a “comorbidity” or cooccurring
condition such as diabetes, also be
present.
Another of Stanton’s concerns is whether
FMCSA will continue to allow at-home sleep
tests or mandate sleep lab studies, which are
more expensive and can sideline a trucker for
a greater length of time — adding to the costs
incurred.
However, Heller said when it comes down
to it, “Is the cost [of testing] justifiable? Yes it
is. Drivers need to be proactive on their medical
cards; it’s not our medical card, not our
CDL, it’s theirs.”
Another question is if home testing is allowed,
how will the rule handle chain of custody
for test results to assure the findings are
from the person ordered to take the test?
Then there’s the time being off the road involved
in getting an in-lab study. Because of
the growing awareness among the non-trucking
public about sleep problems and sleep deprivation,
it’s harder than ever to get a timely
appointment at a sleep center, several stakeholders
pointed out.
Drivers should go to a medical examiner at
least 45 days before their medical certificate
expires, Megehee suggested. If tests and/or
other medical procedures are required, the
driver can be given a determination pending
category, which allows 45 days for all testing
to be completed. Then a certificate can be issued
without the driver having to take another
exam or his or her certificate expiring in the
meantime.
He also suggests that drivers perform
their due diligence in researching which
medical examiner to use from the National
Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.
They may be on the register but “they’re all
different,” Megehee said. “Look for a doctor
willing to help you.”
Heller echoed Megehee’s warning to check
medical examiners out and “make sure they’re
reputable,” and, he added, “don’t hesitate for
a second opinion.”
As to the possibility of lawsuits challenging
a final rule, stakeholders contacted believe litigation
is certain to accompany a final rule.
Indeed, some health professionals may
have erred on the side of caution by ordering
a sleep test when it wasn’t necessary, to
stave off possible lawsuits.
“There have been companies that spent
millions on sleep apnea testing that probably
wasn’t necessary,” said Megehee, adding that
in cases of drivers having the very mildest
form of sleep apnea, some have actually been
issued a CPAP or PAP machine “before they
had their test.”
Stanton referred to an article about Greyhound
Lines being forced to pay $6 million to
settle claims by five bus passengers injured in
a rollover accident in 2013.
The plaintiffs claimed the bus driver fell
asleep while speeding on Interstate 71 during
a trip from Cincinnati to Detroit on September
14, 2013, flipping the bus several times
— a month after DOT had ordered the bus
company to give the driver an overnight sleep
study and limit his medical certificate to three
months. The motor coach company didn’t follow
through, saying its driver, Dwayne Garrett,
didn’t have sleep apnea but choked on
a sip of coffee.
In April 2015 plaintiffs’ attorney Ryan Zehl
of Houston obtained an order from the trial
court requiring Garrett to undergo a sleep
study and Greyhound appealed the court’s
decision. A court of appeals upheld the trial
court’s ruling and tests found the driver to
have “moderate to severe sleep apnea.”
The article appeared in a Courthouse News
Service posting March 9 datelined Dallas.
According to Zehl, “This is the first time
plaintiffs have obtained orders from both a
trial court and appellate court requiring a commercial
driver to undergo an overnight sleep
study.”
The comment period for the sleep apnea
ANPRM is 90 days. For more information or to
see how to comment, go to https://www.
fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L17364.
“It’s easier when they come from carriers;
we’re encouraging members to file comments
as well,” said Heller. “The agency needs realworld
information from carriers that truly reflect
operations from a fleet standpoint; that’s
what they need to hear.”
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 15

A D V E R T I S E M E N T
TA and Petro Announce
Citizen Driver Award Honorees
April 1, 2016
Denis Litalien has been on the road for 44 years and is a
well-known, hard-working professional who has touched
the lives of many individuals. Leadership and community
service go hand-in-hand for Denis. It comes naturally to
him and people gravitate to his gentle, positive nature
and his great ability to bring people together. He was
awarded a Highway Angel Certificate from the Truckload
Carriers Association for putting out a car fire on the
highway in 1998, as well as Shaw’s Good Samaritan
Award in 1996, recognizing his aid to motorists. He is
also a14-time State Champion in the New Hampshire
and Maine State Truck Driving Championships, and a
7-time Top Five finisher at the National Truck Driving
Championships.
For 42 years, Bill Ater Jr. has been a wonderful asset
and ambassador for the trucking industry. He is a
compassionate, hard-working professional with
contagious positivity. He has a heart for people in need,
going out of his way to make sure they are fed, sheltered
and safe. Bill is an active member of his church, and
values God, family and work—in that order. He has been
very involved with FEMA’s hurricane relief efforts. He’s
responded in the aftermath of 12 hurricanes, bringing
truck loads of supplies to devastated areas. After
Hurricane Katrina, he took a displaced woman under his
wing to feed her and help her find permanent housing. He
then made it a point to visit her and check upon her for
several years afterwards. After an Oklahoma hurricane, he
took a week off from work to volunteer and help clean up.
Mary “Candy” Bass has certainly made the most of her
41 years as a professional driver, creating a model for
others in the industry to follow. From her countless
volunteer activities to her willingness to help others,
no matter the time or cost, she’s an inspiration to all who
meet her. When she saw a documentary on wounded
veterans at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, she
became determined to do something to help. She wanted
to let them know that they had not been forgotten. She
founded the “Hats for Heroes” charity, a program that
would donate baseball caps to those who have had head
injuries or burns. The caps allow these veterans to go
outside, and also hide wounds or scars that might make
them feel out of place.
In all that Jon “Doc” Osburn does and has done in nearly
3 decades in the trucking industry, he believes in putting
others first. He’s never too busy to lend a hand and
goes out of his way to help those in need. He is intent
on promoting a positive image for professional truck
drivers—which is why he currently represents OOIDA
as the driver and spokesperson for their “Spirit of the
American Trucker” tour truck. Jon encourages drivers
WESTLAKE, Ohio
to make their voices heard by voting and commenting
on issues relating to the trucking industry. OOIDA
has awarded him their Safe Driving Award for 28 safe
years and 2.79 safe miles. Jon has also been an active
volunteer for the World’s Largest Truck Convoy For
Special Olympics since 2004.
Bill Taylor is a decorated veteran who began his trucking
career over 30 years ago while servicing the Army
in Vietnam. When he and Robyn met years later, she
decided the ever-changing view from a truck window was
much more interesting than her desk job, and decided
to join him. She got her license in 1999, and they hit the
road together. They support their local schools, sharing
both their truck and experiences with the students. For
years, Bill and Robyn have been involved with the Trucker
Buddy program, a pen-pal program matching drivers to
classrooms of children in an effort to educate and mentor
them. They are currently buddies with 18 classes in 3
different schools! They were named Trucker Buddies of
the Month in June, 2002. Bill and Robyn continue to
contribute to their country and community. They support
POW efforts and are active in helping veterans. And
they are strong champions for owner/operators, often
lobbying congress in regards to the laws effecting the
trucking industry.
Bill Underwood, behind the wheel for 53 years, has
driven an unheard-of 7.9 million accident-free miles. A
man of great integrity, he is intent on doing things right.
He helped a young girl that was stranded in Mississippi,
this past summer. Concerned about her welfare, Bill
drove her to a TA that was near her hometown. Working
with the TA general manager, they called the local
police to see if they could lend some assistance. The
girl revealed she was actually a runaway, and just 14
years old. Thanks to Bill’s compassion and immediate
response, she was saved from a situation that could have
been very dangerous. Though Bill is confident in his
accomplishments and self-worth, he is a humble man. He
does not see his acts as anything extraordinary.
After 24 years on the road, Michael Zanella still has the
look and presence of a consummate professional. He’s
driven 2.67 million miles without a preventable accident,
and has received many safety awards, including honors
from Road Safe America, OOIDA, and Pizza Hut’s Driver
Safety and Production Committee. He was Pro Driver’s
Driver of the Year 2005, Mid-State Systems’ Top Driver
of 2003, and Midnight Trucking Radio Network’s 2003
National Award for 1 Million Miles. He serves as spiritual
advisor to two prison inmates through letters and visits,
and volunteers for various Masonic functions and works
with disabled veterans as-needed in the community.
Arlington, TX
Driving Career: 42 Years
Career Mileage: 2.5 Million
Temple, TX
Driving Career: 41 Years
Career Mileage: 4 Million
Biddeford, ME
Driving Career: 44 Years
Career Mileage: 4 Million
Boise, ID
Driving Career: 28 Years
Career Mileage: 2.75 Million
Enfield, CT
Driving Career: 30 Years
Career Mileage: 4 Million
Alta Vista, KS
Driving Career: 53 Years
Career Mileage: 7.95 Million
Columbus, OH
Driving Career: 24 Years
Career Mileage: 2.67 Million
A D V E R T I S E M E N T

From Where We Sit
Truckload Carriers association convention edition
“There is a relatively strong likelihood that the most likely economic scenario is continued slow, steady growth.”
Economist John Larkin
“This is the real deal right here. I want to give a special thank-you to all the Highway Angels whose stories have been
told and the many whose stories have not been told. I appreciate everyone in this audience for keeping the trucks
rolling.”
EpicVue Highway Angel of the Year Josh Grimaldi
“As we look to shape the future and as we do that together, we must resolve to double-down on the basis of what
makes an association great. We resolve to set the agenda on TCA’s member-driven network.”
TCA President John Lyboldt
“I am relentlessly positive about the bright future of this great organization. … I will remind each of you what
Henry Ford once said: ‘When everything seems to be going against you remember — the airplane takes off against
the wind, not with it.’”
Outgoing TCA Chairman Keith Tuttle
“Our TCA mission statement describes this organization perfectly in stating ‘The TCA is the only national trade
association whose sole focus is the truckload segment of the motor carrier industry.’”
Incoming Chairman Russell Stubbs
“Even the Democrats are not nutty enough to nominate the Democratic socialist who has maple syrup in his
coffee. Bernie Sanders has been in public office since the early 1980s. Some of his greatest antagonists in Vermont
politics are not Republicans but Democrats who are irritated that he calls himself a Democratic socialist and runs
and wins as an independent. He’s so crazy not even the Democrats are going to nominate him.”
Keynote speaker and political pundit Karl Rove
“My keys to success are a little bit of luck and a lot of experience. Always expect the unexpected.
The biggest thing is, it always could be worse. Don’t get in a fighting match. It’s not
going to do any good, and it’s going to give you high blood pressure.”
Owner-Operator of the Year Edward Tricco
18 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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SPRING | TCA 2016
Sponsored by
Tracking The Trends
President Obama would have us believe that the still-struggling economy is the “new
normal.” Wrong: It’s the “new abnormal,” Steve Forbes told Truckload Authority in the
summer of 2013, and it’s still true today.
The global economy is not hitting on all
eight cylinders and the trickle-down impact is
likely to affect the trucking industry, John Larkin,
managing director and head of transportation
capital markets research at Stifel, Nicolaus
and Co., told delegates to the recent Truckload
Carriers Association Annual Convention.
He also said an increase in liability insurance
might be a good thing and said the reason
that the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers
Association opposes most all federal trucking
regulations is that the regulations could put
more independent contractors out of business.
“There is a relatively strong likelihood that
the most likely economic scenario is continued
slow steady growth,” Larkin said after he shared
data on numerous economic indicators ranging
from population demographics to the housing
market to the size of the freight market.
“It doesn’t appear to be a catalyst to push
us off the cliff into a recession barring a terrorist
event or some type of external issue like
that. It does appear that if we’re patient, the
truckload supply-and-demand dynamic will be
merged and will be more persistent because of
the underlying regulations that are making it
difficult to be productive and make it difficult
to recruit and retain compliant drivers. I would
guess this is going to kick in during late 2017
and be a big issue in 2018 provided the economy
continues to grow at a slow pace.”
Larkin said all other logistic sectors would
benefit from the truckload capacity shortage.
“More shippers will be reaching out to 3PLs
By Lyndon Finney
to help them source capacity and to optimize
their networks,” he said. “The LTL carriers will
benefit from some truckload overflow freight.
Intermodal will also benefit from some of those
long-haul high density lanes. Usually in collaboration
with the intermodal market, a truckload
carrier will partner with a railroad to save those
precious drivers and expensive power units in
order to serve those markets that are intermodal
compatible, which by the way is most of the
markets.”
But collaboration is shrinking, which is the
reverse of what should be happening, according
to Larkin.
“We heard about collaboration a lot in 2014
when capacity was tight,” he said. “Everyone
was perking together. And when capacity loos-
20 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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John Larkin told delegates to the Truckload Carriers
Association Annual Convention in March that the
various sectors of trucking need to return to the collaborative
efforts of an era when capacity was tight.
ened up, I don’t believe I’ve heard the word
collaboration in three or four months, but I
have heard of a return to Neanderthal pricing
strategies on the part of some 20 percent of
shippers. It’s very disruptive when people are
demanding price reductions when carriers are
trying to stabilize their workforce and invest in
the most efficient rolling stock in the future.”
The 3PLs will be a bigger factor in the future,
Larkin said.
“It’s probably useful to figure out how to
work with the 3PLs rather than to fight them,”
he said. “Not all are looking for the lowest
price. Some are helping their shippers find the
right fit out there and to optimize their supply
chains. LTL carriers have found a way to work
in a harmonious fashion with a lot of the very
good 3PLs and I would suggest some of the
bigger truckload carriers are just now beginning
to take a look at that. It’s a way to access
a much larger customer base and in many
ways can be cheaper than having a salesman
out there running around in a company car
with an expense account.”
There are still non-compliant 3PLs in the
marketplace.
“I had one person tell me one of the most
reputable 3PLs took a load and moved it from
Dallas to Chicago, a distance of 2,050 miles, in
one day with a solo driver. We know that driver
was not compliant and this particular shipper
says he sees that all the time when dealing
with supposedly reputable brokers. If you look
at the number of situations where the carrier
veil has been penetrated and the 3PL has been
found liable for an accident, it’s a very small
number. I think the liability lies with the trucker
unless somehow the broker has made an awful
mistake. I don’t think there’s going to be much
of a litigation risk to the 3PLs. I think there is
some possibility of a higher insurance limit being
pushed out onto the trucking industry. They
are trying to get that minimum pushed up in
Congress from $750,000 per carrier per occurrence
to $4-4.5 million.
“That might be a sensible thing to do given
the way these settlements are going and given
that the cost of insurance is going to be rising,”
Larkin said.
Larkin said he’d also heard that the number
of insurance carriers who’ll be offering liability
insurance in the future will be shrinking and that
insurance companies will become more diligent
in choosing which carriers they will insure.
Federal regulations will impact capacity in
the future, Larkin believes.
“There’s no question when the whole litany of
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations
are implemented — speed limiters, ELDs,
more rigorous medical check-ups — all of these
changes are going to shrink the number of compliant
carriers, shrink the number of potentially
compliant drivers and reduce the productivity
across the industry,” Larkin said. “The cheaters
won’t be able to cheat any more. There’s a reason
that OOIDA fights nearly every one of these
regulations because the small members can’t
compete economically if they have to follow the
rules on a level playing field. They are at a disadvantage
because they pay more for their trucks,
they don’t get as much in trade for their used
trucks, they pay more for fuel, the trucks are older,
they are not as fuel-efficient, they don’t have
information systems to balance their networks,
they are reliant on brokers who skim off as much
of the revenue as they can for their own.”
Larkin also said:
• The 4.9 percent unemployment rate is
somewhat misleading. More reflective of the
current economic environment is the 9.7 U-
6 rate, which counts not only people without
work seeking full-time employment (the more
familiar U-3 rate), but also counts “marginally
attached workers and those working part-time
for economic reasons.”
• People are living longer and working longer.
With a declining fertility rate, there soon
won’t be enough 20- to 30-year-olds to take
care of those who’ve reached 70 or 80, which
brings into question the viability of Social Security,
and
• The driver shortage is a huge problem and
it’s not going away.
Other economists have jumped on Larkin’s
bandwagon recently.
FTR, a transportation intelligence company,
said its Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) continued
to soften in February because of a weakening
of the freight environment early in 2016.
FTR said the current reading at 8.27 reflects
FTR’s forecast for a slowdown in truck loadings
from an average of 4 percent thus far in the
recovery to 2 percent for full-year 2016.
There are still positive indicators for
trucking including high-capacity utilization
and positive rate assumptions, according to
Jonathan Starks, FTR’s chief operating officer,
who said the TCI is expected to begin
a steady rise heading into 2017 because of
expected regulatory capacity constraints, and
will continue to be positive into 2018 save for
the risk of recession or the possibility of temporary
spikes in fuel prices reacting to weak
U.S. production.
“The market has certainly softened in 2016,
yet there are still enough positive indicators
to keep the freight markets afloat despite the
weakness,” Starks said. “Freight loads are looking
to slow this year, but 2 percent growth is still
a reasonable environment for truck operations.
What it doesn’t do is create pressure on capacity,
which is what would be needed to improve
the rate environment. A key focus will be whether
the manufacturing sector can stabilize and
begin to grow again. I believe it will, but it may
still be a quarter or two before fleets start to
benefit from that activity. The rate environment
has deteriorated but unless the market sinks
further we should expect to see contract rates
begin improving in the second half of the year.”
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported
in early April that a rocky start to 2016 is taking
its toll on the outlook for U.S. economic and
job growth this year.
While the stock market has recovered much
of the ground lost earlier in the year, forecasters
in the newspaper’s monthly survey of economists
trimmed their estimates for employment
gains and for economic growth as market volatility
and signs of a cautious consumer leave
the economy stumbling.
The average forecast in the survey calls for
growth in gross domestic product of 2.1 percent
in the year ahead, down from an estimate
of 2.4 percent last month.
The markdown was most dramatic for the
start of the year: The economy is likely to grow
at a 1.3 percent annual pace in the first quarter,
down from an estimate of 2.1 percent a
month ago.
“Lackluster growth is a bigger risk than a full
recession,” Lynn Reaser, an economist at Point
Loma Nazarene University, told the Journal.
Lackluster growth but no recession has been
the story of the U.S. economy in recent years.
It has been nearly seven years since the economy
emerged from the longest and deepest
recession since the Great Depression. Hopes
for a period of strong growth have been dashed
repeatedly.
The Journal surveyed 69 economists who
collectively said the odds of a recession declined
slightly over the past month.
The average estimate of the probability of a
recession in the next year slid to 19 percent in
the survey taken in early April, down from 20
percent last month and 21 percent the month
before. Despite that slight decline, the odds remain
nearly double their level of last summer.
The Journal said the economists it surveyed
are worried about risk from the U.S. political
system, too, where populist presidential candidates
have pledged dramatic overhauls of U.S.
policies toward trade and immigration. A plurality
of economists last month said the election
of businessman Donald Trump or Vermont Sen.
Bernie Sanders could pose a significant risk to
the economy next year.
22 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

Overstocked
By Jack Whitsett
Class 8 preliminary heavy truck orders fell
to 15,800 units, analysts reported April 4,
the weakest performance for the month since
2010. The demand fell 37 percent from the
same period last year and 12 percent from the
previous month, said Columbus, Indiana-based
ACT President and Senior Analyst Kenny Vieth,
while medium-duty orders rose 4 percent over
last year.
WardsAuto of Southfield, Michigan, reported
April 11 a 2.9 percent drop in March Class 8
sales from the same period in 2015, to 20,034.
The company reported a 7.1 percent decline in
year-to-date sales from 2015, to 51,859.
Vieth said ACT’s final March sales data
would be released several days later.
“Medium-duty and heavy-duty demand,
as mirrored by new order activity, remain on
divergent paths that are tracking their niches
in the broader economy,” Vieth said. “In
the case of medium-duty demand, a decent
jobs market and rising incomes continue to
support discretionary spending and improved
housing activity, but ongoing weakness in
the freight-rich manufacturing sector and excessive
inventories in the broader economy
continue to weigh on new heavy-duty demand.”
The Class 8 drop resulted from “the ongoing
overcapacity narrative, a resulting weak freight
rate environment, weakness in late-model
used truck values, and excessive new vehicle
stocks,” said Vieth.
Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles
at Bloomington, Indiana-based FTR, said
April 5 that “Orders were slightly below expectations
as the market continues its downward
slide. Fleets are being very cautious in the current
uncertain economic environment. Freight
has slowed due to the manufacturing recession,
so they have sufficient trucks to meet current
demand. Some fleets are also delaying
replacing older units until conditions improve.
There are very few dealer stock orders, since
inventories are sufficient and OEM lead times
are short.”
OEMs have reacted in recent months with
massive layoffs. Volvo Trucks let 734 workers
go from its New River Valley Assembly plant in
Dublin, Virginia, in December. Freightliner said
in January that almost 1,000 workers would
be cut from its Cleveland Truck Manufacturing
Plant in Cleveland, North Carolina. And in
February, Freightliner parent company Daimler
Trucks North America announced 550 further
cuts at the Cleveland plant and 700 layoffs at
its Mount Holly, North Carolina, truck manufacturing
plant.
“These workforce adjustments are in response
to a sustained reduction in orders and
a diminished build rate, and are expected to be
temporary, based on future market developments,”
a Daimler news release said.
The weak sales are no surprise, Vieth said,
though few expected the low 2016 numbers a
year ago.
“If we go back to the middle of last year …
the expectation was that the economy continues
to grow and the good times would continue
into 2016,” he said. “Manufacturing turned soft
in early 2015. We had no freight growth in the
last three quarters of 2015.”
Inventory has been a persistent problem for
the industry, Vieth added.
“At the end of 2015 the industry had 67,000
units of inventory,” he said. “There was some
excessive inventory building [during 2015].”
“The industry needs to get rid of [about]
20,000 units of excess new truck inventory,”
Vieth said. We don’t see any catalyst that is
going to immediately shift the economy to
a stronger growth pattern. We don’t see the
overcapacity fixing itself in 2016.”
Longer term, Vieth saw some light, with
capacity tightening in 2017, “which bodes well
for 2018.
“Given market conditions there has been a
general high-side surprise … for retail sales,”
Vieth said. “That is indicative of the OEMs and
the dealers working together to start to pare
down that excess new truck inventory. We’ve
started to see inventory turn in the right direction,”
he said, adding that the industry needs to
reduce to about 45,000 tractors.
FTR’s Ake also expressed some cautious
optimism.
“Manufacturing is expected to improve soon
and this is expected to increase freight levels
and stabilize truck demand,” he said. “OEMs
continue to reduce production rates in response
to an expected 26 percent drop in build this
year. Inventories remain high and retail sales
have moderated, so order rates should remain
subdued in the short-term.”
For more information on ACT, go to actresearch.net.
FTR is on the Web at FTRintel.com.
WardsAuto can be found at wardsauto.com.
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 23

SPRING | TCA 2016
A Chat With The Chairman

Sponsored by
Foreword and interview by Micah Jackson
Famous American cowboy humorist Will Rogers once opined, “If you get to thinking you
are a person of some influence, try ordering someone else’s dog around.” The first thirdgeneration
chairman in TCA history, Russell Stubbs clearly understands the moral of Mr.
Rogers’ sentiment. His reverence for the chairmanship and humility to be entrusted with
such an honor is palpable when conversing with him. Like Will Rogers, Mr. Stubbs lives
the cowboy way. He and his family make their home just outside Fort Worth, Texas, on a
gorgeous piece of God’s country and a stunning western-themed home designed by his wife,
Dawn. They are a trucking and cattle ranching family. On a beautiful day in early April we
sat down with Chairman Stubbs for the first of what promises to be an illuminating and
lively “Chat” series with him over the next 12 months.

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The honor of being chairman after your dad
and grandfather — I would imagine being a
third-generation TCA chairman is a unique
thing. Talk about what that means to you.
The history of the Stubbs family and Weller
family before us means a lot. Many of the carriers
and trucking companies out there, not just
in our association but throughout the country,
are family and you see both second and
third generations come up. So when I stepped
up and accepted the chairman’s gavel at the
convention … that really meant something. My
dad’s still with us, but my grandfather isn’t. I
know they are both very proud.
You mentioned Stoney Stubbs Sr. and Mitt
Stubbs, both very highly respected men.
What are the most impactful lessons they
taught you?
Hard work. A great work ethic is something
our family has had. My grandfather Stoney
grew up on a farm and I don’t think a day ever
went by that he wasn’t working, whether it was
at FFE or as a kid on the farm or anywhere in
between like when he waited tables in college.
My dad was a little different. He led more by
example. He let me experiment and make mistakes,
like walking into brick walls nose first.
You felt that pain for yourself, and you learned
from it. I got the benefit of both styles of leadership.
My grandfather was “I’m going to show
you how to do it, and here’s how you do it”
while my dad was “I’m going to give you some
stuff and you go learn it yourself and when you
make mistakes, you’ll figure it out.”
Again, as a third-generation trucking family
member, did you ever have your sights set on
a different career path?
When I was really young, I thought
I wanted to be a veterinarian. I grew up
around animals. I’ve always loved animals.
But in the back of my mind and heart, I
knew that I wanted to work for FFE and be
in the business. I wasn’t pushed to do that
by my father or grandfather. It was something
I wanted to do and I had my sights
set on it.
What was it about trucking then and what
is it about trucking now that lights you up
inside?
When I was in high school, I really didn’t
know what trucking did for the economy. I
knew the basic facts and that was that goods
moved from Point A to Point B. And I always
took great pride in seeing the FFE trucks
going down the road and knowing that was
part of my family’s history. For me, the big
trucks were so cool to look at back in the
“Smokey and the Bandit” days. The truck
drivers were good ole boys and knights of
the road. Today what really lights me up inside
is the vital role trucking plays on the
U.S. economy. Maybe it’s the simple reality
that we bring food to the grocery stores
that ends up on the dinner table at night and
that it couldn’t happen without us. That sure
makes me feel good.
You are a proud cowboy and live a cowboy
lifestyle. What is the cowboy lifestyle and
what is the cowboy mentality?
Well you know it’s a lot like the trucking mentality.
It’s a lot of self-made men and women.
It’s a lot of pull yourself up by your bootstraps
and handle your own business. But it’s also a lot
of sharing, collaboration and help. As you know,
being involved in trucking associations, carriers
get together and talk about best practices such
as who has the best tires, tractors and software
to buy. Cattlemen do the same thing. We share
best practices when it comes to purchasing our
cattle trailers, what feed to buy and fertilizers
to use. A rancher down the road is working his
cattle and we’re helping him and next week he’s
helping us work ours. We compete, but we’re
friendly competitors. It’s a great relationship
and very similar to trucking.
You said earlier that you loved animals.
You obviously still love animals. Talk about
some of the animals you own.
My wife Dawn and I, and it comes from
her side of the family with a working cattle
ranch in Ponder, Texas, just west of Denton
in Denton County, have a little over 100 head
of momma cows, Black Brangus cross-bred
cattle. We have what they call a cow-calf operation
where all the cows have their calves
in the spring. We raise them through the
summer and then we sell them when they
are weaned off their mothers. That’s been a
passion of mine since I met Dawn. It’s her
ranch to run and I’m kind of the stable boy as
26 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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“When I was really young,
I thought I wanted to be a
veterinarian. I grew up around
animals. I’ve always loved
animals. But in the back of my
mind and heart, I knew that I
wanted to work for FFE and be
in the trucking business.”
— Russell Stubbs, 2016-17 TCA Chairman
28 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

far as that goes. I spend a lot of time chasing trucks and drivers and
she spends the time chasing cattle. We enjoy doing it together. I’m
more of a weekend-type rancher. We have 10 or 12 ranch horses.
I used to rope calves in high school. Both my sons grew up rodeoing.
My wife was actually a barrel racer through college and even
into our 40s we both competed. So really it’s kind of a family affair.
I also have a Labrador Retriever that’s a duck- and dove-hunting
dog.
Let’s shift gears. Talk about what your focus is going to be with
TCA as chairman and what message you want to get out with
members.
My focus is obviously stability since we’ve had some turnover
in the office of president. We’ve hired a wonderful man in John Lyboldt,
who comes with so many good credentials and brings team
and consensus building, which is what TCA needs. John is hands-on
and he has the skins on the wall as well as experience. We have
a wonderful staff. Debbie Sparks, Bill Giroux, Dave Heller and Ron
Goode are all very experienced people and having them row the
boat in the same direction under a proven leader like John is really
important. When I say build consensus I’m talking about the carriers
as we go through issues where we may differ with ATA, such
as the twin-33 challenge of last year, and it’s not dead yet, it’s just
lying in the weeds. [There are] others such as size and weight and
Hours of Service we need to stay on top of. We need to build a consensus
on when TCA needs to step in or when to work with ATA, so
that we have the greatest impact. I think most of our members are
ready to see more advocacy from TCA.
WE NEVER REST
Speaking of members, where do you see opportunities to continue
to improve the member experience?
We’ve been labeled — and some of it self-labeled — as the education
association. Similarly, ATA has been labeled as the advocacy
association. I believe those labels will soon change a little. Not
dramatically, not do a 180 [degree turn], but to better assist the
needs of the truckload member. Education is important for TCA and
we’ll continue down that path. We’re doing that with our new TCA
wellness program and the WorkForce Builders Conference. Wreaths
Across America, The Wall That Heals and the Scholarship Fund are
great image initiatives that add value to our members and their
outreach initiative, but I believe it is important that TCA keep the
members aware of key issues coming up that will affect our businesses.
We need to know the association is going to have our backs
and go knock on the doors on Capitol Hill if that’s what is needed to
push an issue forward. TCA is the only association that represents
the truckload segment of the industry. We handle over 80 percent
of the freight and drive about 90 percent of the miles traveled.
We are a huge group and we need to understand who we are and
continue to focus on the issues that are important for the truckload
industry and to speak with one unified voice.
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What can TCA do to help make the driver’s job a better lifestyle?
Driving is a tough job. Everyone in the industry knows that we are
all continuing to improve the job experience for our drivers. We’ve
invested in nice, comfortable tractors, onboard computing, access to
Wi-Fi, all in an effort to achieve a quality of life. Carriers are segmenting
drivers to limit cross-country trips where they can drive 500
miles and swap a load with the goal of getting them home that night.
But that’s not always an option for a mid- to small-sized carrier. We
need to work together to find solutions to make the job better. Overthe-road,
long-haul trucking is not going to go away, but we have
to find ways to make the job better. To help achieve this, I believe
the TCA wellness program and inGuage benchmarking will ultimately
positively impact the motor carrier, which then can create a better
quality of life for the driver. If the company is healthy I think the
image initiatives such as Highway Angel and Driver of the Year help
make drivers feel better about their job. As I said earlier, trucking is
a key part of the economy, but the truck can’t operate without our
drivers, which means they are the key part of the economy.
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www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 29

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Were you pleased with this year’s annual
convention?
Absolutely I was. Because it was nice to
put a bow on Chairman Tuttle’s year. He had
a very difficult year with the turnover in our
president. He invested a lot of time on the
Search Task Force, the group responsible for
interviewing and hiring the new president.
During this time, he and I were on the phone
two or three days a week. It was rewarding
seeing the task force come together and
approve John Lyboldt as president. It was
with even greater pride that we witnessed
the Executive Committee unanimously approve
him. The convention was great fun
because I was able to introduce him around
to the membership, almost like bringing your
brother or child somewhere to brag and show
them off. I’m so proud of John and I have a
lot of hope in him.
I want to focus on the Scholarship Gala,
raising a lot of money for the scholarship
fund. Talk about how that event has just
become bigger and bigger.
It really has. For years we relied on a silent
auction in the back room of another reception.
A few years ago with the help of Freightliner and
Pilot Flying J, we were able to put on a standalone
night for the sole benefit of the Scholarship
Fund. You get a great group of people in a
room with a couple of videos of the kids who’ve
received a scholarship saying they wouldn’t
have been able to go to college if it hadn’t been
for you; that kind of gets the momentum going.
Mix in the live auction with a hot item, peer
pressure and the bidding heats up. One of my
favorite parts is the Past Chairmen’s Scholarship
Fund. There’s nothing like seeing your father’s
and grandfather’s name on there. It’s these
types of initiatives that make you know the momentum
will grow in years to come.
Give Truckload Authority readers a little
better idea of what to expect at the first
annual WorkForce Builders Conference,
because I’m not sure that a lot of members
understand what that conference is going
to be all about and the value to them.
OK, well it’s going to be not just about drivers.
It’s going to be about recruiting and retaining,
educating and training all employees,
drivers being a key piece of that. We’re talking
about safety people, we’re talking about fleet
management people, we’re talking about even
grooming upper management and I know in
my company we did not do a very good job
of training entry-level and middle management.
You watch and you learn the job and if
you’re good enough you advance and if you’re
not, you don’t. We don’t put the money and
the professional training that other big corporations
do into grooming our workforce and
hanging on to them. Retention is huge, obviously,
on the driver side of it, but it’s also
big in the maintenance field. Technicians are
just as hard to find as truck drivers, and so
are good personnel in the safety department,
in operations, fleet management sales. So
it’s going to be huge and we’ve got a great
speaker coming in. Patty Cox is going to share
a bunch of ideas and insights. You know she’s
a consultant for employees, HR–type stuff,
training and retention. So I’m really looking
forward to it.
Given your chairman responsibilities over
the next 12 months, tell me what are you
most excited about and give us a preview of
what your schedule’s going to be like.
I’m most excited about being the chairman.
I was fortunate enough to be the chairman
of the Texas Trucking Association about 10
years ago. That was my first time as a thirdgeneration
chairman. I’m excited about the
new direction that John Lyboldt brings. I’m
excited for our members to get to know him,
for us to align with new organizations and
to see our staff develop our membership.
I think it really boils down to seeing the
organization moving forward. I believe this
new direction will attract a lot of truckload
carriers into the fold.
I want to know which former chairman has
given you advice about this next year?
All of them have. I think Shepard Dunn,
probably more than anybody. I don’t want to
cut Keith [Tuttle] out because Shepard, Keith
and I are all three sort of attached at the hip.
But I’ve probably had more conversations with
Shepard. He and I talk two or three times a
month on both personal and TCA issues. We’ve
become really good friends through this.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
30 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

SPRING | TCA 2016
Member Mailroom
“What’s the best way
to
GROW
TCA?”
Good question. This was a key strategic topic at the
Truckload Carriers Association Board Meeting in March
at TCA’s annual convention.
Growing TCA directly affects our ability to serve the
industry and pursue the many outreach initiatives that
allow us to give back to the trucking industry that we love
and serve. Wreaths Across America, Heroes to Highways,
The Wall That Heals and the U.S. Capitol Christmas
Tree are projects that we are honored to invest our
resources in.
Beyond these initiatives, TCA’s extensive education,
training programs and certifications, our advocacy for
legislation that will better serve the truckload market, and
our many programs designed for fleet executives, human
resources managers, as well as other key staff, are why
TCA is a valuable partner.
The best way to grow TCA so we can continue the
work we are doing is to grow our membership base.
The association took an important step this past year by
hiring a full-time membership specialist whose job is to
communicate the TCA value proposition to both current
and prospective members.
It soon became clear to the membership team that the
most effective way to tell the TCA story is from the perspective
of a current member. Whether they are for-hire
carriers or associate members, prospective members
want to know, “How can TCA help us to become more efficient
and profitable in this ever-changing marketplace?”
That’s why the Board of Directors voted unanimously
at its March meeting to adopt a peer-to-peer membership
initiative that has been titled Truckload Refueled.
This initiative officially adds outreach to TCA board
member responsibilities. Each board member will be
contacting two prospective member companies monthly,
in writing and by phone, to begin a conversation about
what TCA membership has meant to their company.
Each board member has a different perspective and a
unique story. And they want others to know how being a
member of TCA has positively impacted their company,
culture, and bottom line.
As an organization, we could not be more excited that
our leaders will become the most vocal advocates for
all that TCA is doing for trucking. Stay tuned for more
information on the success of Truckload Refueled as we
observe how these grass-roots conversations reenergize
our growing industry.
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 31

SPRING | TCA 2016
Talking TCA
j o h n ly b o l d t | p r e s i d e n t
B Y d o r o t h y c o x
Some people think compassion means feeling sorry for someone.
Some think it’s more like having empathy and feeling someone’s hurts
and triumphs with them.
But Truckload Carriers Association President John Lyboldt was taught
early on that it means caring enough for someone enough to tell them the
hard truth, or as Lyboldt puts it, “the good, the bad and the ugly” to effect
change for the better. But it has to be built on trust, which — Lyboldt
noted — takes a long time to develop.
He remembers a team member he worked with who was “sitting on her
hands” and not living up to her potential and who was actually contemplating
leaving the division they were in.
So Lyboldt took her aside in his office and “I called her out on it … Just
sitting there talking to her I impacted her life in a great way. I was able
to effect change in the way she thought about things and she didn’t leave
the division.”
Unfortunately today, he observes, “There are a lot of people who don’t
want to take the time and in the positions I’ve been in to really work on
the people side of it to me, that is it. It’s the most important part of what
I do. So that one individual became a director; she graduated with a
four-year degree. She was very, very successful in what she’s done with
her life.” That, he said, is “a sign of commitment with a lot of compassion
behind it.”
Talk to him for any length of time and it’s evident that Lyboldt is bringing
this unflinching compassion, plus his excitement and zeal, to the
Truckload Carriers Association, where he was named president November
25, 2015, and took office December 21.
Even before he applied for the job as TCA’s new president, Lyboldt researched
the organization thoroughly, pulling financials and talking to two
different esteemed economists about what trucking and specifically truckload
freight mean to the U.S. economy. “John,” they told him in two separate
phone calls, “it’s the No. 1 indicator of the health of this country.”
Lyboldt said, “I always thought it was cars and trucks and housing and
they said, ‘That’s two and three.’”
So he began picturing in his mind “what the truckload carriers meant
to our country from an economic contribution standpoint. But then I started
researching and understanding a little bit about the humanity, and the
types of things that they did.”
And he told the TCA interview team, “What excites me about this opportunity
is that I think I can make a difference and I’m passionate about
it. …”
When he got the call from Keith Tuttle that he’d been chosen as the
new president out of 70 candidates Lyboldt said simply, “Wow. Thank
you.
“I felt like this is exactly what I needed to do and this is exactly the
organization I needed to do it in,” he recalls.
But to know why that fit is such a good one, we have to go back to
Lyboldt’s growing-up years, to find out what molded and shaped him.
The youngest of nine children (five sisters and three brothers), Lyboldt
was born and grew up in Rochester, New York, in a house that overlooked
Lake Ontario.
It was in Rochester that a community of Jesuits “really taught me
about compassion,” Lyboldt said, adding that his mom used to cook for the
Jesuits for a couple of years “because they really didn’t have very much.”
And his family was one of 12 families which started McQuaid Jesuit
High School, which Lyboldt later attended and graduated from in his junior
year.
“I really didn’t get it” at first about compassion, he said. “I kind of got
it but I really didn’t get it until I got older and then I realized what it was
they were really strong on, what they really wanted us to understand.”
The Boy Scouts also helped to mold him.
“My backyard was Lake Ontario … I was fortunate to live out in the
country and I spent a lot of time in the woods with friends and was very
sports minded,” Lyboldt said. A close family friend was big into scouting
and introduced him to a Boy Scout troop, and he said, “It was a big deal
because at that time mom and dad were done with the camping; they
were quite a bit older and they’d already been through the camping routine
with the rest of the family so at 12 I was introduced to Scouts and it
was a great thing for me.”
He loved the leadership part of scouting and was chosen to attend a
leadership course run by the Air Force — setting a pattern of holding leadership
positions that advanced him through school, sports and throughout
his career.
Choosing a career at first, however, was not a slam dunk. Lyboldt’s
dad was a dentist, his mom had been a registered nurse, a brother was
a dentist, one sister was a dental hygienist and another was a registered
nurse. Even a career aptitude test said he should be a dentist. “I thought
my dad had rigged it,” he said, chuckling.
It seemed in the cards that the youngest Lyboldt child would become a
dentist so he studied biology at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York,
but he said, “I just wasn’t sure that it was the right thing for me.” Finally,
after a visit to Tufts University Dental School, he knew it was time to deliver
the news to his dad that he wasn’t going to be a dentist.
“He was quiet for a minute then he says, ‘Why?’ And I said, ‘I just don’t
think I’m going to be happy doing it’ and he said, ‘That’s the best answer
you could have given me. Don’t do it.’”
Then he dropped the bombshell: “I’m going to play professional ball
(golf).”
“You’re going to do what?” his dad said. “John, you’ve got an education
… .”
“Dad,” he said, “I need to do this.” So Lyboldt drove down to West Palm
Beach, Florida, and within six weeks had a position at the PGA of America
and within a year was assistant golf pro. He also worked at organizing
tournaments for the PGA and met his wife Lynne there as well as many
well known in the golf world including Craig Harmon and Jack Lumpkin.
Now a couple, the two realized that for many, the pro golf lifestyle necessitated
leaving family behind up North and heading down to Florida in
the winter and that in addition to being separated from family, the pay for
the most part was only good six months out of the year.
So he returned to Le Moyne and got a degree with a major in biology
(because he already had most of the hours) and focused on computer science
and business.
Upon graduation, Dale Carnegie picked Lyboldt up as a trainer and
he found himself working with an automobile dealership. They hired him
away by doubling, then tripling, his salary and by that time, Lyboldt said,
“our second child was on the way,” so he took it.
While there he supported a dealer, helping him set up a minority dealership,
“and it was probably one of the best experiences of my life,” Lyboldt
remembers, “just a great opportunity in leadership and helping him
32 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 33

work through the details of running a good dealership, the first store the
individual ever had, and I worked there for over two years.”
But the car dealership business wasn’t nine-to-five and his wife reminded
him that they had left the pro golf business because it took so
much time away from family and now he was working in the car business
six or seven days a week.
“I didn’t have an answer for her,” he said.
But he looked in the Rochester, New York, paper and saw an ad there
for a director of finance and insurance for the Rochester Automobile
Dealers Association “and something came over me; I just felt like, ‘wow,
that could be something I would be interested in doing.’”
After three rounds of interviews he was hired and a year and a half
later when the president of the association retired, he put Lyboldt up for
the job and at 29, he became president of RADA.
It would be a baptism by fire.
Sixteen Chevrolet dealerships had been indicted by the Attorneys
General Office for price fixing “so that was just starting when I took over
as president and I had 21 employees and I was barely making payroll so
I stepped into that,” he said.
His first three months as RADA president were spent in a courtroom
“and it was grueling,” he said.
“To give you an idea, if a dealer is convicted of a felony, their franchise
with the manufacturer is null and void. Everything they’ve worked
for goes away.”
Also “at the time, they had got a couple of dealers to turn state’s
evidence so I had kind of a split membership going on.”
And in an unprecedented move, the dealerships and their attorneys
decided not to call witnesses; “we elected not to defend, which in this
case took a lot of guts.”
The case stemmed from a tent sale the dealers had held and because
individuals got better pricing at the event than they did in a normal sale,
although it was different for each dealer. “But because it was a collective
effort they felt like it was collusion.”
The judge questioned them soberly, asking if they knew what it
meant electing not to defend. “And of course we did,” Lyboldt said. “And
he called the jury back and of course the state’s objecting; they want us
to call a witness but the judge said, ‘Nope, they’re not going to defend;
they’re not going to call a witness.’”
After deliberating about three hours the jury came back with “not
guilty, not guilty, not guilty.”
The case had been big headline news, with pictures showing the dealers
being handcuffed and indicted.
When they left the courtroom victorious, Lyboldt said he would do the
talking and told the others, “No high fives; we’re going to be a professional
group of people walking out of the courtroom.”
But when they came out the courtroom doors, the only person there
was the janitor, mopping the floor. Later there was small story about the
trial’s outcome buried back in the paper with a headline that read: “Dealers
found not guilty.”
Lyboldt went back and got to work, surrounding himself with “a lot
of good dealers around me” and built a “rock solid” program and got he
association on solid financial ground as well.
He gained a reputation for “creating — creating new business models,
developing new arrangements, not only in business but also in education
and training.”
Thus he was approached at a meeting of National Automobile Dealers
Association (NADA) by the immediate past chairman, the current chairman
and the incoming chairman, who asked him to come to NADA as vice
president of dealership operations, explaining that “there was some work
that needed to be done.”
He arrived at NADA on May 28, 2007, and proceeded to work through
a lot of procedural changes.
Then 2008, 2009 and 2010 hit, and banks began to pull away from
some of their dealer finance loans.
So he rolled up his sleeves and went to work with the legal team at
NADA, even working on the White House task force, and put together some
statistics and “some compelling stories” to take and present to the New York
Federal Reserve Chairman to get help in mitigating the closure of car dealerships
that was going on because of the economic downturn, the shrinking
ABS (Asset Backed Securities) sources and the declining floor plan options.
“This affected the marketplace because … there were few out there
doing that type of business and it was tough,” he said.
“President Obama wasn’t happy with us; he came out three times
against us but we were able to get people who wanted to take a look at
this and understand it … and we won that battle.”
34 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org

“So we were actually able to work on the
Chrysler and GM bankruptcies and hired two
law firms and we were able to get 400 Cadillac
stores reinstated and saved many other dealerships
from the immediate closures.”
He served also as vice president of dealer
services and had risen to senior vice president
of dealer services at NADA when made the move
to TCA.
He explained that his budget had grown at
NADA and so had the number of employees but
it had turned into a job that was heavily administrative
and he missed “the things I had honed
my skills on in Rochester, all of the advocacy,
the diplomacy, the public speaking, working in
the community, across the entire association,
making some tough calls when calls had to be
made. … And I did this to myself. We took it
from an inefficient operation to one that was extremely
profitable and successful.”
So Lyboldt said he went through a period of
struggling at NADA, being unhappy. He even
went so far as to hire a career coach to help
him find out what was wrong. The answer was
simple: He wasn’t doing what he loved to do
— mentoring, training people, summoning the
compassion to tell people the sometimes unwelcome
truth and most importantly — impacting
peoples’ lives for the better.
His coach concurred. “John,” she told him,
“the only way you’re going to get back to where
you were and happy is to be a president and
CEO.”
That was in August of last year. In September
he saw the TCA ad for president on the website
of the American Society of Association Executives,
which he’d belonged to “forever.”
So he did his research and became enamored
with the importance of truckload freight
to the economy and when he went to the TCA
job interview he liked the way they went about
the process. There was an easiness, a give-andtake,
and “I felt like I had known them for 20
years.”
“I was myself,” he said, “I had nothing to
prove to anybody. I gave them answers that
were important responses but at the same time I
questioned them a lot … I was impressed with the
way they were organized. They asked the right
questions and they wanted to know more.”
It was already a good fit, so when Lyboldt
got the call he had been chosen president, the
excitement he thought was lost was back. “I
hadn’t had that feeling in a long time,” he said.
And to cinch the deal, his wife Lynne, after
asking him if he was sure he wanted to leave
NADA, said, “Great, let’s go.”
Q & A With john lyboldt
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: April 6, 1956, St. Mary’s
Hospital, Rochester, New York.
MY TRADEMARK EXPRESSION IS: Be brief, be bright,
be gone.
MOST HUMBLING EXPERIENCE: A golf swing analysis
with Jack Nicklaus.
PEOPLE SAY I REMIND THEM OF: Nashville District
Attorney Glenn Funk – Google it.
I HAVE A PHOBIA: Losing my life partner, Lynne Lyboldt.
MY GUILTY PLEASURE: New Castle Imported.
THE PEOPLE I’D INVITE TO MY FANTASY DINNER
PARTY: Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, Phil and Amy Mickelson,
Brue Springsteen and Patti Scialfa.
I WOULD NEVER WEAR: A turtleneck sweater.
A GOAL I HAVE YET TO ACHIEVE: A hole-in-one.
THE LAST BOOK I READ: “Caddy for Life.”
LAST MOVIE I SAW: “Fool’s Gold.”
MY FAVORITE SONG: The staff would tell you “they are
all my favorite.”
IF I’VE LEARNED ONE THING IN LIFE,
IT WOULD BE: Compassion.
MY PET PEEVE: Loud people.
THE THING ABOUT MY OFFICE IS: Organized.
ONE WORD TO SUM ME UP: Considerate.
MY HARDEST PROBLEM AS A PROFESSIONAL IS:
Seeing people not living up to their potential.
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 35

TCA Honors America’s
best fleets
®
Sponsored by:
By Jack Whitsett
Truckload carriers Bison Transport
and FTC Transportation, Inc. won the
Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
2016 Best Fleets to Drive For award
March 8.
FTC, located in Oklahoma City,
won the smaller carrier category,
sponsored by in-cab entertainment
service provider EpicVue. Bison, of
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, topped
the larger fleet category, sponsored
by Bose Corp., manufacturer of Bose
Ride system. The awards were presented
at TCA’s Annual Convention at
the Wynn Las Vegas Resort.
Bison won the Best Fleet award
for the second time in a row and has
made the Top 20 finishers’ list six
times, TCA reported. FTC won for the
first time after three previous Top 20
placements. FTC is the smallest fleet
to make the Top 20 finalist list.
“What happens in a trucking
company every day is the biggest
opportunity for increasing revenue
and net profit,” said TCA President
John Lyboldt. “The leaders and their
teams who have figured this out
are examples for all of us to learn
from. The Best Fleets winners raise
the bar for all of us to reach for, and
they provide a road map of success
in building a sustainable work
force. Anyone who loves what they
do knows they are valued, important
and respected.”
CarriersEdge, the Canadian software
training company, partnered
with TCA to sponsor the award.
CarriersEdge CEO Jane Jazrawy
praised the winners’ safety records.
“It’s interesting that both of our
Best Fleets overall winners are also
previous grand champions in the safety
arena … it may well be that their
safety numbers are outstanding because
of all the other things that they
do,” she said.
Nominees were evaluated on driver
compensation, pension and benefits,
professional development, driver
and community support and safety
record, among other areas.
Bison takes particular pride in the
Best Fleets to Drive For award, said
Director of Safety and Driver Development
Garth Pitzel.
“What makes the Best Fleet to
Drive For so special is we were nominated
by a driver and we had to have
150 drivers complete an online survey,”
he said.
The company uses the Internet to
promote and reinforce driver communication,
added Pitzel, who has been
with Bison for 22 years, 15 in his current
position.
“We’ve created an Internet-based
system. All memos are electronic so
[drivers] have access to them 24/7,”
he said. “We have put their pay [information]
there because if their pay is
there they’re going to use the site.
“We’re constantly doing surveys
and questionnaires asking them their
opinion. We also ask the family,” Pitzel
said. “We have a driver advisory
board that consists of almost 30 drivers.
We have two daylong meetings
with them and update them on what
the business is doing.”
FTC constantly seeks ways to
improve drivers’ jobs and teamwork
among employees, said Emory Mills,
the carrier’s director of safety and
driver administration.
“A constant conversation among
our team is ‘how do we improve, what
can we do better?’” she said. “From his
first day at FTC, [President] Travis Arnold
has instilled in each of us the old
saying by Henry Ford: ‘If you always
do what you have always done, you
will always get what you have always
gotten.’ What that means to each of
us is that complacency is not allowed
and good is never good enough,” she
said.
“Our employees stay with us because
in return for their service they
get honesty, respect, and to be part of
a team whose focus is to help others,”
Mills said. “We work to meet the individual
wants and needs of each driver,
as one driver’s needs will never be
the exact same as their fellow driver.
Whether they have a need for more
miles, or want more home-time with
their family, or they need someone to
talk with, every driver is treated with
respect and as the individual they
are.”
Left to right, Jane Jazrawy of CarriersEdge, Garth Pitzel
of Bison Transport and Al Anderson of Bose Corp.
Left to right, Jane Jazrawy of CarriersEdge, Travis Arnold
of FTC Transportation, Inc., and Lance Platt of EpicVue.
FTC, similar to Bison, is program-driven, Mills said.
“We have put a lot of focus on two-way communication
through multiple forms including such ways as in-cab communications,
monthly newsletters, monthly safety committee
meetings which are co-chaired by members of our driving
force, open door policies from maintenance to safety to
executive personnel … and social media, so we can celebrate
our team and share information with employees and their
families,” she said.
“Another program, which we put into place several years
ago and have found to be very successful, is our driver mentor
program. Although drivers have at least two years of
experience when they join our team, we send them out with
one of our tenured drivers for their first pick-up after orientation.
This gives the new driver someone who they can call
with questions and ask advice of, someone who shares in the
same types of job duties,” Mills added.
Finally, FTC offers benefits “uncommon in a fleet of FTC’s
size,” TCA reported in a recent news release.
Mills confirmed the company’s belief in a solid benefits
package.
“At FTC we believe in putting everything back into programs
and our people, with special emphasis on our drivers,”
she said. “Over-the-road drivers make sacrifices for their
careers, including time with their families and many of the
conveniences most of us take for granted. It is our goal to
lessen their burden through every means possible. With that
in mind, a large portion of our budget is allotted for safety
programs, benefits, and pay.”
36 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

TCA Honors America’s
safest fleets
Sponsored by:
By Jack Whitsett
Bison Transport and FTC Transportation,
Inc. were named safest truckload carriers
in North America March 9 for the second
consecutive year by the Truckload Carriers
Association (TCA). The National Fleet Safety
Awards, which capped TCA’s annual convention
at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort, are
sponsored by Great West Casualty Co.
“Due to the tight competition, it is extremely
difficult to earn the grand prize in
this contest once — let alone the same two
companies two years in a row,” said TCA
President John Lyboldt. “These fleets have
well-crafted and carefully implemented
safety programs that not only work, but
take these companies to a higher level.
They absolutely deserve the honor a second
time.”
Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada,
Bison Transport won for truckload carriers
in the large carrier division, which includes
companies with annual mileage of at least
25 million miles. FTC, of Oklahoma City,
won for the small carrier division (less than
25 million miles).
“Like any company, Bison strives to
make a profit,” a TCA press release noted,
“yet it puts its safety record at the forefront
of everything it does, knowing that safety
impacts the sustainability of the company
and the livelihoods of people and families.”
A large part of Bison’s safety program
revolves around the slogan, “You’re Safe
With Me,” promoted through campaigns,
signing and awards, TCA said, “providing
necessary and consistent reinforcement to
all employees of the value of Bison’s safety
culture and the value of their actions.”
Bison’s Safe Driving Reward Program
provides financial incentives as well, allowing
a top-level safe driver to earn as much
as 15 percent above his regular compensation,
TCA reported.
Bison Director of Safety and Driver Development
Garth Pitzel said, “It all comes
down to programs. We have a phenomenal
driver program and safety program. The
important part is to tell them what you do
and then you go out and show them what
you do.”
Bison’s programs “are the foundation,”
Pitzel said. “We believe in those. We choose
and believe in these programs and use
them in our decision-making process every
day. We set out to make the lives of our
professional drivers better.”
Pitzel pointed to Bison’s “Right to Decide”
program as “the single most important
policy we have in our business.”
Under the program, drivers can decide
for themselves if they are able to drive or
need to come off the road for reasons of
health, weather, etc. The driver need only
report the situation to Bison management,
owner-operator Edward “Mark” Tricco, the
Driver of the Year winner, said.
The purpose of the program, aside from
safety, is “To hold people accountable and
at the same time let them know that they
are the one responsible,” Pitzel said.
FTC makes safety a part of every employee’s
annual performance review, with
safety scorecards through which employees
can earn a variety of incentives.
FTC includes two months of special activities
including mock DOT inspections,
employee weight loss challenges and ridealongs.
New employee assistance and driver
mentoring also support FTC’s safety culture,
according to TCA.
FTC places emphasis on the connection
between safety and a driver’s good health,
said Emory Mills, director of safety and driver
administration. “Without good health, it
stands to reason our employees would not
be able to fully focus on safety in the workplace,”
she said. “Just as most companies,
we offer a full range of benefits which include
health and dental insurance, disability,
etc. Where we may differ from some of our
fellow companies, though, is the emphasis
placed on health and well-being throughout
the year and incorporated into many of our
programs. For instance, each January we
kick off a company-wide weight-loss challenge;
we offer smoking cessation and other
health and wellness information and tips
through communications, newsletters and
social media; and we’ve contracted with
an employee assistance program that gives
our employees and their families access in
person, via telephone, and even online to
assistance with everyday issues.”
FTC also makes time for safety testing,
Mills said, through inspection quizzes.
“With regard to the safety side of Health
and Safety Awareness Month, last October,
in what has turned out to be one of our
most well-received and successful training
tools, we incorporated pre-trip inspection
pop quizzes which were given to every
safety professional,” she said. “Our maintenance
team placed one tractor and trailer
out of service and then salted it with more
than 20 defects.”
In addition, FTC has modified driver bonus
programs to fully include safety goals.
“We have made several changes over
the years to both reward [drivers] for excellence
and keep the spotlight on our first
priority — safety,” Mills said. “As a result,
we modified our former quarterly fuel bonus
into a safety and fuel conservation bonus.
Essentially, our drivers have to achieve a
total of five safety goals before being qualified
for the bonus based on their overall fuel
economy. If they are not able to achieve
even one of the five safety goals, they are
disqualified for the entire quarter’s bonus.”
“We went on to revise both our sign-on
and driver referral bonuses to also include a
safety element. To achieve the bonus, they
GREAT WEST CASUALTY COMPANY
The Difference is Service
Bison Transport President and COO Rob Penner,
left, accepts the National Fleet Safety Award for
large carriers from Patrick Kuehl, executive vice
president of Great West Casualty Co., which sponsors
the competition.
FTC Transportation, Inc. President Travis Arnold, left,
accepts the National Fleet Safety Award for small
carriers from Patrick Kuehl, executive vice president
of Great West Casualty Co.
must have had zero preventable accidents or incidents
during the six months leading up to each payment or
they are disqualified from that portion. The same is
true for the driver referral bonus program, but in this
instance the payment of each of the three payments on
this bonus are reliant on the newly hired driver’s safety
performance, not the referring driver.”
38 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

TCA Honors America’s
Top Drivers
Sponsored by:
By Jack Whitsett
Edward “Mark” Tricco, an owneroperator
leased to Bison Transport
of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and
Danny Smith, who drives for Big G Express,
Inc. of Shelbyville, Tennessee,
won the 2015 Driver of the Year awards
presented last month by the Truckload
Carriers Association. The awards were
presented at TCA’s annual convention
in Las Vegas. Each received a $25,000
cash prize.
Bison President and COO Rob
Penner praised Tricco, who has racked
up more than 4.4 million accident-free
miles in a 35-year career.
“Bison is a strong, safe and healthy
organization because of independent
businessmen like Mark,” Penner said.
“He does not hesitate to take opportunities
to learn and develop his business.
Aside from being a great professional,
he is also a great person. We are very
proud of Mark.”
Big G Express, Inc.’s Vice President
of Safety Kristi Seibers called Smith,
who has driven over 3 million accidentfree
miles in 35 years, “the type of driver
every safety department dreams of.”
“Not only does he follow the laws
and policies put into place, but he also
acts as a mentor to other drivers and
helps promote safety throughout the
fleet,” she said. “He goes above and beyond
to promote safety and a positive
image for the trucking industry.”
Tricco, despite his outstanding record,
refused to take his accomplishment
too seriously, managing to keep
a sense of humor regarding his driving
exploits.
When asked the key to his success,
Tricco said, “I drive on the sidewalks.
It’s safer.”
Attempting a serious answer, he attributed
his record to “a little bit of luck
and a lot of experience. Always expect
the unexpected,” he said. “The biggest
thing is, it always could be worse. Don’t
get in a fighting match. It’s not going to
do any good, and it’s going to give you
high blood pressure.”
Tricco said helping others is another
key to a successful, safe trip.
“If somebody’s broken down on
the side of the highway, I’ll try to help
them.”
Bison’s attitude toward drivers is a
big help, Tricco said, and a key reason
he’s been an owner-operator for the
company for 20 years. The company,
through its “right to decide” program,
respects a driver’s decision on whether
it’s safe to drive, he said.
“You can call the office and tell them,
‘I got to sit down,’” he said. “They won’t
force you to get out and drive. As long
as you contact the proper authorities
Left to right, Brad Holthaus of Randall-Reilly; Company Driver of the
Year Danny Smith of Big G Express, Inc.; Randy Vernon of Big G Express,
Inc.; and Jon Archard of Love’s Travel Stops.
Left ro right, Amy Boerger of Cummins, Inc.; Owner-Operator of the
Year Edward “Mark” Tricco of Bison Transport; Garth Pitzel of Bison
Transport; and Brad Holthaus of Randall-Reilly.
here at Bison … they’ll tell you to park it.
If you’re sick on the road, they’ll make
arrangements for another driver.”
Smith, a captain on America’s Road
Team and a former captain of the Tennessee
Road Team, has been a finalist
for Driver of the Year twice before, a
TCA news release reported.
He attributed his success to “developing
and learning good safety habits
in the very beginning. It’s like second
nature to be safe.”
Smith said he checks his equipment
every morning and maintains a reasonable
speed.
“I’m not a very fast driver. I’m
steady. I always get there,” he said.
“I have to give a lot of thanks to
God,” Smith said. “Bad scrapes happen.
We all have been there. Sometimes you
don’t know how you escaped.”
Family plays a large part in his driving
record as well, Smith added.
“Without the support of family behind
you it’s very hard to survive,” he
said. “I’ve got the best wife and kids
in the world. I work for a really great
company that supports me.
“They treat me like family. I’m very
fortunate that 21 years ago I made one
of the best decisions of my life [to join
Big G].”
Smith said he is happy to mentor
new drivers.
“The first 90 days is the most critical
time” for new drivers, he said. Many
times it’s just a matter of giving the
new driver Smith’s phone number.
“A lot of times they get frustrated
and they don’t know who to talk to,”
Smith said. “They can make a phone
call. I can walk them through it. I may
never meet the guy. Part of that for me
is giving back to the company because
they’ve been so good to me.”
Smith said Big G isn’t afraid to tackle
new technology.
“We try to stay ahead,” he said.
“Sometimes I’m kind of the guinea pig
for that.”
Smith also admires the company’s
method of capital improvement.
“Their philosophy is ‘We won’t do
something until we have the money
to do it,’” he said. “Five years ago Big
G became an employee-owned company.
Every year we get more shares.
My ESOP (employee stock option plan)
account doubled last year. If I can get
better fuel mileage, that’s just more
money at the end of the year.”
The prestigious Driver of the Year
contests recognize the top company
drivers and owner-operators in the
U.S. and Canada who provide reliable
and safe truck transportation in moving
the nation’s goods. The overall winners
are selected from the finalists based on safe driving, efforts to
enhance the public image of the trucking industry, and positive contributions
to the winners’ local communities. For the owner-operator
candidates, business skills are also judged.
The runner-ups — Glen Horack of Elkland, Missouri, who is leased
to Prime, inc., of Springfield, Missouri; Guy Broderick of Cambridge,
Ontario, who drives for APPS Transport Group of Brampton, Ontario;
and David McGowan of Marinette, Wisconsin, who drives for WEL
Companies, Inc., of De Pere, Wisconsin — each received checks for
$2,500.
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 39

Members of the Truckload Carriers Association gathered in
Las Vegas March 6-9 for the 78th annual convention. It was
the inaugural meeting for new TCA President John Lyboldt,
who hosted a member reception the night before the convention
began. In the first general session Monday morning,
former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to President
George W. Bush and current political analyst Karl Rove gave
his insight on the 2016 presidential race, TCA Chairman Keith
Tuttle reviewed a successful year and John Lybodlt spoke
about the bright future of TCA.
Monday evening, guests at the annual Scholarship Gala,
which carried a disco theme, raised $275,000 for the TCA
Scholarship Fund.
Tuesday, incoming TCA Chairman Russell Stubbs addressed
the membership and economist John Larkin presented his outlook
for 2016. Tuesday evening, the annual banquet featured
presentation of the Driver of the Year awards and the Safest
Fleets awards and ended with comedian Jeff Allen keeping the
attendees laughing.
Wednesday morning, digital expert Johnathan Perelman
talked about growing a business with sharable data.
1. 2015-2016 TCA Chairman Keith
Tuttle addresses the delegates during
Monday’s general session.
2. Comedian Jeff Allen kept the audience
laughing all night during Tuesday’s
Annual Awards Banquet.
3. Convention registrants were treated
to breakfast each morning.
4. Outgoing Chairman Keith Tuttle gets
his green jacket from former chairman
Shepard Dunn.
5. New TCA Chairman Russell Stubbs
gives his inaugural Chairman’s Remarks
address.
6. TCA members assisted behind the
registration desk, as well as in the Trucking
in the Round workshops.
7. John Larkin talks about trends and
the economic outlook during a general
session.
8. Truckload Authority Publisher Micah
Jackson and Sales and Creative Director
Raelee Toye Jackson presented TCA
Chairman Keith Tuttle with a framed
Truckload Authority cover.
2
9. Cummins, Inc. and Love’s Travel
Stops sponsored Driver of the Year
contests.
10. TCA President John Lyboldt
hosted a member reception.
11. LaunchIT Public Relations’ Susan
Fall was named the 2015 Rigster of
the Year for bringing in the most new
members for 2015. Membership Committee
Co-chair Al Anderson, left, Mike
Eggleton Jr. of Raider Express look on.
12. Decades, a popular Las Vegas
cover band, performed at the Scholarship
Gala.
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7
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40 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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20
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13. Shoe shines and smartphones go hand-in-hand.
14. Freightliner Trucks and Pilot Flying J underwrote the
entire Third Annual Scholarship Fund Gala.
15. Jonathan Perelman’s Wednesday presentation was
titled “Growing Your Business with Shareable Content.”
16. Women In Trucking sponsored a workshop.
17. Prime, inc. professional truck driver Josh Grimaldi
accepts his “EpicAngel” trophy during Monday’s session.
Lance Platt, CEO of EpicVue and Highway Angel spokesperson
Lindsay Lawler look on.
18. Guests mingle at the reception honoring Chairman
Keith Tuttle.
19. It was a full house to hear Karl Rove speak during
Monday’s general session.
20. Freightliner Trucks’ photo booth was a huge hit! Wigs
and props were available for those interested.
21. Highway Angel Spokesperson Lindsay Lawler sang the
national anthem and “O Canada.”
22. Ambassador Club members celebrated a five-year
incremental milestone.
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TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 41

TCA Honors 2015
highway angel
Josh Grimaldi, a professional truck driver for
Prime, inc. of Springfield, Missouri, has been named
the Truckload Carriers Association 2015 Highway
Angel of the Year, a contest sponsored by the Truckload
Carriers Association and EpicVue.
As the 2015 “EpicAngel,” Grimaldi was honored
during the opening general session of the annual
TCA convention in March.
“This is the real deal right here,” Grimaldi said
while holding the trophy given to him by Lance
Platt, CEO of EpicVue. “I want to give special
thanks to TCA and the Highway Angel program.
I definitely have to thank Prime for giving me the
chance to be able to drive and for showing me
what safety is really all about. And I want to give
another special thank-you to all the Highway Angels
whose stories have been told and the many
whose stories have not been told. I appreciate
everyone in this audience for keeping the trucks
rolling.”
“Josh has only been working as a professional
driver for about a year now, but he certainly made
a name for himself right away,” said Robert Low, a
former TCA chairman and the president and founder
of Prime, inc. “We are very pleased to call him
part of our trucking family.”
Platt said he admired Grimaldi’s efforts as well
as the efforts shown throughout the years by the
other awarded Highway Angels.
“None of them were required to stop and help;
they did it freely and on their own. It is our privilege
to sponsor this very worthwhile program that recognizes
them for their selfless acts of compassion,”
Platt said in making the presentation.
It was on December 13, 2015, on a snowy evening
that Grimaldi was
driving westbound on
Interstate 80 over Donner
Pass heading to California.
He happened to
glance in his side mirror
just as a car was attempting
to pass him.
The car hit an icy patch and began to fishtail,
hitting the back of Grimaldi’s trailer, blowing his
trailer tire.
The car — still in a spin — flipped several times
before coming to rest on its side near the edge of
the road. Grimaldi immediately pulled over and ran
to the vehicle.
“The car was completely crushed; I thought
whoever is in there was dead,” Grimaldi said in recounting
details of his actions.
Grimaldi attempted to open the door with no
success. He yelled to another motorist to call
911. He then ran back to his truck and grabbed
his mag flashlight, which he used to force open
the car door.
Inside the car Grimaldi found a woman in shock
and screaming that she was pregnant. After several
attempts to calm the woman and encourage her
to crawl to him failed, he climbed into the vehicle
and lifted the injured woman onto the top of the car.
He then carried her to a nearby embankment and
began to assess her injuries. After what seemed like
an eternity, another vehicle stopped to help, which
happened to be a nurse on her way home from the
nearby hospital.
After the driver was out of harm’s way and
Josh Grimaldi, who pulled a pregnant woman from a
crushed car, has been a professional driver for only one year.
being comforted by the nurse, Grimaldi ran to
his truck and began placing strobe lights on the
crashed vehicle and setting up reflective safety
triangles to warn other vehicles approaching the
crash scene. Grimaldi then called 911 and spoke
directly with the paramedics about the severity of
the situation.
Before he became a driver, he served in the
United States Marine Corps for five years.
Grimaldi said his time in the military gave him
great training to think on his feet and provided him
with limited medical experience.
This is not the first time Grimaldi has been on
the scene of an accident and helped someone in
need. During his driver training he assisted in a rollover
accident in Texas.
42 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

A QUICK LOOK AT IMPORTANT TCA NEWS
SMALL
A QUICK LOOK AT
IMPORTANT TCA NEWS
TALK
Past Chairmen’s Award
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has bestowed its prestigious Past Chairmen’s
Award on Dan England, chairman of the board for C.R. England, Inc., of Salt Lake City, and a
former chairman of TCA from 1997-98.
The presentation took place at the annual convention in March at the Wynn Las Vegas.
C.R. England was originally established in 1920 as a one-man trucking company. Today,
it employs more than 7,500 drivers and employees who provide transportation services
throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Overall, the C.R. England umbrella comprises 35 different
business units and $1.3 billion in annual revenues. C.R. England is a privately held,
family company, operated by third- and fourth-generation members of the England family
— grandchildren and great-grandchildren — of founder Chester England.
Dan England earned a bachelor’s in political science (1971) and a juris doctorate
(1974), both from the University of Utah. In 1974, he entered private law practice, where he
specialized in insurance litigation and transportation. In 1977, he joined the family business
and became in-house legal counsel. In 1982, he was promoted to general manager, a
position he held until 1988, when he became CEO. He was elected chairman of the board
in 2005.
England has been very active in TCA throughout the years. Besides chairing the organization
and holding several officer positions leading up to his chairmanship, he participated
in numerous committees and chaired the organization’s Refrigerated and Company Equipment
divisions. He is also a former chairman of the American Trucking Associations and the
Utah Trucking Association.
His community service portfolio includes membership on the Select Health Board of
Trustees and the Board of Intermountain Donor Services. He currently serves on the National
Advisory Boards of the University of Utah and the David Eccles School of Business.
During his tenure at C.R. England, Dan England has developed relationships with various
community programs such as the Utah Food Bank Services, Granite Education Foundation
and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The Past Chairmen’s award is TCA’s highest honor. Recipients are leaders who have
made a significant contribution to the business community, the trucking industry, and the
organization. Contrary to the title of the award, the awardee does not have to be a past
chairman of the association.
Scholarship Gala
Members of the Truckload Carriers Association are known for their strong leadership
skills, business acumen … and groovy bell bottoms?
That’s right, attendees of TCA’s Annual Convention “got down” at the third annual Scholarship
Fund Gala, which raised more than $275,000 to support trucking families’ dreams of
a higher education and helped fund future scholarships to be named after past TCA chairmen.
Thanks to the generosity of hosts Freightliner Trucks and Pilot Flying J, 100 percent of
the evening’s proceeds went directly to the Scholarship Fund.
Dan England, chairman of the board of C.R. England, accepts the Truckload
Carriers Association’s Past Chairmen’s Award from Shepard Dunn, TCA’s
immediate past chairman. England is a former TCA chairman.
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TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 43

With his arm around his wife Lawana, former TCA Chairman and Prime, inc. President Robert Low
flashes the peace sign as the couple shows off their stylish ’70s attire prior to dinner at the Third Annual
Scholarship Fund Gala.
Choose Outdoors’ Bruce Ward awards Garner Transportation Group’s Sherri Garner Brumbaugh the
“Choose Outdoors Leadership Award” during the Truckload Carriers Association Board of Directors
meeting.
Beginning with tables and individual seats purchased
in advance by various companies and individuals, the Gala
consisted of a ’70s-themed reception and dinner, silent
and live auctions, “selfie” photo stations, and dancing to
everyone’s favorite hits from the decade.
Scholarship Fund Vice Chairman Jon Russell of Celadon,
who filled in for Josh Kaburick, chairman of the TCA
Scholarship Fund and the CEO of Earl L. Henderson Trucking
Company of Salem, Illinois, said, “Everyone seemed
to enjoy themselves so much. We had a great time raising
money for a good cause. I can’t think of a better way to
make sure that the Scholarship Fund keeps on truckin’!”
The live auction items included a platinum diamond ring,
a sapphire and diamond tennis bracelet, and black and white
diamond earrings. Participants also bid on three highly desirable
travel opportunities: three days at one of the nation’s
premium golf resorts, an eight-day stay at a luxurious villa
at Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club in Hawaii, a Rock & Roll
Fantasy package with three nights at a four-star hotel in
Manhattan, dinner at the Peter Luger Steak House, and two
tickets to see Steve Miller, Chicago, Cheap Trick and others
inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Silent auction items included a diamond pendant, two
music systems, a set of four premium tires for either a light
truck or consumer vehicle and a six-day, five-night stay at
a Florida country club, including a round of golf for two.
Applications for the 2016-17 scholarships are due in
June 2016.
Outdoor Leadership Award
Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, president and CEO of Garner
Transportation Group of Findlay, Ohio, has earned special
recognition for her participation in the U.S. Capitol Christmas
Tree program this past holiday season.
The “Choose Outdoors Leadership Award” was presented
to her at the board meeting of the Truckload Carriers
Association Annual Convention.
Bruce Ward, founder and president of Choose Outdoors,
the nonprofit organization that assists the U.S. Forest Service
in overseeing the tree, made the presentation.
TCA has been a partner with the tree program since
2012.
For the last 36 years, a special tree has been harvested
from a U.S. national forest and transported across the
country to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
Along the way, the tree makes “whistle stops” at local
communities and military bases, which allows the general
public to view it while also shining a spotlight on the
trucking industry that makes it possible to transport the
immense tree.
Although other whistle stops had been hosted by various
companies and organizations, Brumbaugh’s 2015 event
stood out from the others for its outstanding hospitality,
TCA officials said.
The trophy’s inscription said it was for her “amazing
coordination of the ultimate whistle stop.”
“On behalf of the entire tree team, we felt you provided
a truly all-star turnout, complete with local dignitaries, the
media, and lots of participants,” Ward said in presenting the
award. “You got the schools involved and managed to elevate
the messages associated with the Capitol Christmas
tree and welcome ceremonies. You did a tremendous job.”
Brumbaugh, who is a long-time member of TCA and cochair
of its Communications & Image Policy Committee, has
agreed to write down the steps she took to plan her Whistle
Stop, thus creating a manual other trucking companies can
use as a template to plan their own events.
When available, the manual and application will be
posted to www.truckload.org/Whistlestop.
44 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

Wall That Heals
haulers honored
Truckload Carriers Association members who volunteered
their time and equipment in 2015 to haul The Wall That Heals
for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) have received
thank-you awards recognizing their efforts.
Jim Knotts, CEO and president of VVMF, made the presentation
during TCA’s annual convention.
“Because of our partnership with TCA, we were able to
bring a national memorial to the hometown of hundreds of
thousands in 2015,” said Knotts. “In the front of that procession
was a truck owned and operated by a TCA member,
who, by helping us, was able to demonstrate dedication and
commitment to our communities, to our veterans — young
and old — and to our nation.”
The following TCA-member companies were recognized:
Baylor Trucking, Milan, Indiana; Cargo Transporters,
Inc., Claremont, North Carolina; Covenant Transport, Chattanooga,
Tennessee; Dart Transit Co., Eagan, Minnesota;
Delaware Technical Community College, Georgetown,
Delaware; Fremont Contract Carriers, Inc., Fremont, Nebraska;
Halvor Lines, Inc., Superior, Wisconsin; Interstate
Distributor Co., Tacoma, Washington; Regency Transportation,
Inc., Franklin, Massachusetts; TG Logistics, Levant,
Maine; TWT Refrigerated Services, Cheney, Washington;
Walmart Transportation, Bentonville, Arkansas; Witte Brothers
Exchange, Inc., Troy, Missouri; Werner Enterprises, Inc.,
Omaha, Nebraska and XPO Logistics/Con-way, Greenwich,
Connecticut.
The Wall That Heals is a 250-foot replica of the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial. With the help of TCA’s partnership and
the companies mentioned above, the traveling exhibit honors
the men and women who served and sacrificed their
lives in the Vietnam War.
Trucking companies are needed to haul The Wall in 2016.
Interested carriers may complete an online interest
form at www.vvmf.org/haul-the-wall, and VVMF will
contact those companies.
inGauge Dashboard
The inGauge team is pleased to announce the launch of
a new “Leading Indicators Dashboard.”
This dashboard is composed of a smaller set of custom
Essential Performance Indicators (EPIs) which have been
deemed vital to the operations of subscribing companies.
Currently, this dashboard provides a weekly data update
option. Eventually, these EPIs will be updated in real time
via API integration with leading TMS providers such as
McLeod Software.
For more information, contact Chris Henry, inGauge Program
Manager at (888) 504-6428 or at chris@tcaingauge.
com.
Lee J. Crittenden
Memorial Award
Charles R. “Chuck” Wirth, president of the American
Institute of Trucking, Inc. (AIT) of Phoenix, is the 2016 recipient
of the Lee J. Crittenden Memorial Award, presented
by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI).
The Crittenden Award, sponsored by Cengage Learning
of Clifton Park, New York, is given to a person who exemplifies
the overall mission of PTDI, of which Lee Crittenden
Charles R. “Chuck” Wirth accepts the Lee J. Crittenden Memorial Award during the annual convention.
was a staunch supporter until his death in April 1998. PTDI
raises the quality of truck driver training courses by establishing
and promoting minimum training standards, and by
certifying courses that meet those standards.
“Since its infancy, PTDI has always benefited from
Chuck Wirth’s unwavering support,” said Jonathan Sheehan,
marketing manager at Cengage Learning. “By all
accounts, he has played an integral role in shaping the
high-quality truck driver training standards that the trucking
industry utilizes today. We are very pleased to present
him with this year’s award.”
Wirth has been actively helping to educate adults since
the mid-1970s.
His involvement with PTDI began in 1998, when one
of AIT’s courses received PTDI certification. At this time,
the Federal Highway Administration was holding hearings
on the need for mandatory driver training, and there were
many “CDL mills” operating, as well as blatantly false
advertising of training. Wirth joined AIT’s then-president,
Wade Murphree, in helping PTDI update its driver training
skills and curriculum standards. He was one of the first
team leaders to visit schools as they applied to PTDI to
have their courses certified.
“Ever since those early years, Chuck has exhibited a
tremendous grasp of what is needed to train some of the
best drivers in the country. His knowledge of the industry,
school operations, accreditation, and curriculum development
has been exceptional,” said Mark Johnson, former
director of national training for the International Brotherhood
of Teamsters and a previous recipient of the Lee J.
Crittenden Award.
Wirth, who served on the board of directors for the
Commercial Vehicle Training Association, soon became the
CVTA representative on the PTDI Board of Directors. In
2005, he was elected to PTDI’s board, and in 2012 became
a member of its Certification Commission. In 2011, he once
again lent his expertise to PTDI’s Standards Review Task
Force as it revised and adopted new standards for a second
time, a process that took over two years.
Virginia DeRoze, who was PTDI’s program director in the
late 1990s and is a former recipient of the Lee J. Crittenden
Award, said, “Chuck is committed to quality educational
instruction and administration, and is always available to
PTDI and the schools to answer questions and provide good
insights on how quality can be achieved within the school
setting. He also brings his background and knowledge of
accreditation, which often helps clarify PTDI processes and
standards.”
TCA 2016 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 45

Mark Your
Calendar
>> JUNE 28, 2016 —Benchmarking TC-10 — Missoula, Montana, Safety Meeting.
>> JUNE 28-30, 2016 — 2016 WorkForce Builders Conference — The Westin
Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana.
july 2016
MAy 2016
>> JULY 19, 2016 — Benchmarking TC-01 — The Skamania Lodge, Stevenson,
Washington.
>> MAY 12 — Benchmarking TC-05 — Grand Island, Nebraska.
>> MAY 16 — Benchmarking TC-06 — Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
>> MAY 22-24, 2016 — Safety & Security Division Meeting — The Worthington
Renaissance, Fort Worth, Texas.
june 2016
>> JUNE 7, 2016 — Benchmarking TC-07 — Montreal, Quebec, Canada. OPS Meeting.
>> JULY 20-22, 2016 — 2016 Refrigerated Division Meeting — The Skamania Lodge,
Stevenson, Washington.
september 2016
>> SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 — Fourth Annual Wreaths Across America Charitable Gala,
Washington, D.C.
For more information on these events, visit truckload.org
or call the TCA office at (703) 838-1950.
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46 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2016

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