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Chat with the Chairman | Elevate Class of 2024 | Highway Angels
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION o f t h e Truckload Carriers Association
July/August 2024
Getting in Gear | 20
After a slow start, under-21
pilot apprentice program
gaining momentum
Weathering
the storm | 22
Capacity is slowly eroding
but not fast enough to
change the freight market
Heroes
for HIRE
Military veterans bring valuable skills to
jobs in the civilian sector | 36

2 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
Continuing Education
At the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), we are committed to
providing best-in-class industry education.
Recognizing the ever-evolving nature of the trucking sector, we have
made significant strides in expanding our TCA | NATMI educational offerings.
We recently launched two new online educational courses on our revamped
Learning Management System which exemplify the breadth of the training
available with TCA membership.
The first, “The Role of the Driver Dispatcher,” is geared towards those
who are entering the industry or transitioning to dispatching roles. The
second, the “Executive Leadership Online Series,” is designed for those in
the C-suite management of their companies.
As excited as we are about the new programs and online learning
avenues available to members, it is still hard to beat the learning and
networking opportunities at live, face-to-face events.
Jim Ward
President
Truckload Carriers Association
jward@truckload.org
We continue to build on the momentum from our recent successes, and I am excited to highlight two
upcoming events that are sure to provide tremendous educational and networking value for our members.
First, mark your calendars for TCA’s Refrigerated Meeting, taking place from July 15-17 in the picturesque
setting of Stowe, Vermont. The content for this event comes from our group of Refrigerated Division
Officers and is tailored to those operating temperature-controlled equipment. The event provides an
excellent opportunity to gain insights into emerging trends and network with peers who share a passion for
refrigerated carrier innovation.
Additionally, we are gearing up for TCA’s Fall Business Meeting and Call on Washington, scheduled for
September 11-12. This event is a cornerstone of our advocacy efforts, providing members with a unique
opportunity to engage directly with policymakers and advocate for the issues that matter most to our
industry. Your voice is crucial in shaping the future of trucking, and I encourage all members to participate
and make their perspectives heard.
TCA’s recent Safety & Security Meeting, held in Indianapolis June 2-4, was marked by a series of
insightful sessions, engaging discussions and invaluable networking opportunities. Industry experts shared
their knowledge on a range of critical topics, from combating nuclear verdicts to insights on regulations
coming from inside the beltway.
In addition, attendees enthusiastically participated in our yearly Safety in the Round discussion groups.
These conversations are not just theoretical; they also translate into actionable steps that our members can
implement to enhance their operations and protect their workforce. A special thanks goes out to the event’s
exhibitors and major sponsors — Fleetworthy Solutions, ISAAC Instruments, Motive, Netradyne, Samsara
and Tenstreet. Your support is instrumental in making these events possible.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Together we are driving progress and
making a lasting impact on the trucking industry. I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming
events and continuing our journey of excellence and innovation.
Jim Ward
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 3

THE
R
O
AD
M
A
P
July/August 2024
PRESIDENT’S PURVIEW
Continuing Education with Jim Ward | 3
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
The Nuclear Option | 6
Clear as Mud | 8
Capitol Recap | 10
TRACKING THE TRENDS
Strand Exam | 18
Getting in Gear | 20
Weathering the Storm | 22
A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
Addressing the Issues with John Culp | 26
TALKING TCA
Elevate Class of ’24 | 32
Inside Out with Eric Rivard | 34
Heroes for Hire | 36
Shining a Light | 38
What’s New at TCA | 40
TCA Highway Angels | 44
New Members | 46
Looking Forward | 46
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www.truckload.org
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PRESIDENT
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jward@truckload.org
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zgambill@truckload.org
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Veriha Trucking, Inc.
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President/CEO
Kriska Transportation Group
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Nagle Toledo, Inc.
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Trailiner Corp.
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TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 5

Government affairs
The
Nuclear
Option
Trucking industry
fights back against
company-killing
lawsuits
By Dwain Hebda
W
We’ve all seen them: the screaming billboards
along America’s highways promising justice
— and a big check — following a traffic
accident involving a big rig, or the sleazy
late-night commercial asking, “Have you been injured by
a trucking company’s carelessness?”
Such advertising efforts by the lawsuit industry have
become so common, not to mention lucrative, that it has
almost become passé — even though any of those massive
settlement checks could be the death-knell of all but the very
largest trucking companies coast to coast.
Dr. Alix Miller, president and CEO of the Florida Trucking
Association (FTA), is well-versed in the ways of the personal
injury world. Florida has long been considered ground zero
for such litigation.
“Take any drive down an interstate in Florida, or any other
side road, and you will see billboard after billboard after billboard,
usually with a giant truck on them,” she said. “We are
the industry that personal injury attorneys, especially the nefarious
ones, have been targeting for many, many years.”
Given this, it seems fitting that the latest win in the
continuing battle for meaningful tort reform took place in
the Sunshine State. Last year, the FTA saw its sweeping bill,
HB837, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, ushering in
major changes to the state’s civil litigation statutes.
Adoption of the new state law represented the end of a long
campaign, and the thrill of the win still rings in Miller’s voice.
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Sponsored by
“Most people say, ‘Look, the trucking association got
comprehensive tort reform in three weeks.’ And I always
respond that it took 20 years and three weeks,” she said.
“We came up with a formal strategy three years ago,”
she explained. “We knew the time was not right in 2020. It
wasn’t right in 2021. It wasn’t right in 2022. But that didn’t
stop us from preparing for 2023, when we thought the stars
might align with leadership and support from the governor.”
Some of the more notable changes the bill brought into law
include protecting small businesses from paying massive
damages when they are not primarily at fault. Under the old
law, companies could be pressured to settle even if evidence
showed the plaintiff was 99% to blame for the event. Another
change is the elimination of one-way attorney fee shifting,
which allowed plaintiffs’ lawyers to recover attorneys’ fees
without paying defendants’
costs after filing abusive
lawsuits.
Signage of the bill was a
victory felt both inside and
outside of the trucking industry.
In fact, the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce called it “the
biggest legal reform bill in
decades” in a 2024 report detailing
legal reform measures
passed in the previous year.
“Obviously, this is a significant
problem,” Miller said.
“There are significant problems
in many states — some
worse than others. Before
2023, Florida was one of the
worst.”
Tort reform is a state-bystate
issue, but all tend to
have the same goals in common, such as eliminating spurious
lawsuits and limiting so-called nuclear verdicts, a term
applied to judgements $10 million and up. Such reforms are
often difficult to pass on emotional grounds since the level
of damage resulting from an accident involving a semi accident
tends to be prejudicial to lawmakers over determining
who was actually at fault.
Miller says that, while huge awards tend to attract the
most headlines, a runaway system that allows multiple
smaller awards is just as damaging to the financial health
of the industry.
“It’s about the settlement mills, that’s what we call them,”
she said. “People talk about a nuclear verdict putting a
The odds of you
getting hit with some
sort of huge award are not that
great, but the odds of having to
pay a lot for your insurance are
100%. I think that’s a bigger
issue than anything else.”
trucking company out of business, and of course many will,
but when you have most trucking companies at 20 trucks or
less, just a couple of settlements are going put a trucking
company out of business.”
Rob Moseley, founding partner of South Carolina-based
law firm Moseley Marcinak Group, says there’s another concern
to consider, regardless of judgement size.
“I think that it’s more likely to put somebody out of business,
not because they get hit with a verdict as much as
they can’t afford the insurance because of where the market
is,” he said.
“The odds of you getting hit with some sort of huge award
are not that great, but the odds of having to pay a lot for your
insurance are 100%,” he continued. “I think that’s a bigger
issue than anything else. The verdicts are driving insurance
costs up so much that we’re
seeing those types of issues.”
Moseley, who’s handled
— Rob Moseley
Founding partner, Moseley Marcinak Group
cases for transportation industry
stakeholders for more
than 30 years, says variances
in legal statutes from place to
place will continue to make
tort reform a matter for the
states, although there are
federal measures that could
also help.
He believes broadening
federal jurisdiction to allow
cases involved in interstate
motor carriers to be brought
in federal court would be
a good start. Until that
happens, the issue lies in
state legislatures’ hands. On
this front, Moseley says he’s
seen good progress in many areas of the country.
“West Virginia’s legislature passed a cap on damages.
Wisconsin’s legislature passed a cap on damages, even
though the governor vetoed it,” he said. “We have had some
significant changes in Iowa and Florida and Texas in the last
few years. Those have been some good things.
“We absolutely need to continue this state-by-state tort
reform to put the brakes on these big judgements — no
pun intended,” he noted. “Something’s gotta give whether
it means your products in the store costing double because
it costs that much to get them there or something else.
Interstate commerce can’t withstand this continuing barrage
of large verdicts.”
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 7

Government affairs
Clear As Mud
Independent contractor classification
Is Still murky under new DOL rule
By: Cliff Abbott
When California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed
the state’s Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) into
law September 18, 2019, the trucking
industry was quick to voice its objections
to the legislation’s criteria for classifying
workers as employees versus independent contractors (ICs).
The conversation quickly moved to the question of what such
guidelines might mean if applied on a national level. An industry
that depends on IC relationships, with some carriers using
ICs for their entire driver base, is certain to be wary when the
government attempts to force costly and confusing changes.
That’s why the final rule on the Employee or Independent
Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act,
issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in January
2024, brought a sigh of relief to many. The ruling instituted
an “Economic Reality Test” similar to one outlined in a 2021
Trump administration rule rather than following California’s
“ABC” test to determine whether a worker should be classified
as an employee or an IC.
That relief, however, may be temporary.
Bill Webb, executive director for the Coalition for Independent
Truckers, is skeptical.
“To me, it’s just another one of those deaths by 1000 cuts
for the independent contractor model,” he said. He believes
this year’s November election will be crucial in retaining the
current model.
“(The DOL rule) does clearly change from a true AB5 model to
something a little muddier, but I truly believe that we’re not going
to see much until the presidential election is over,” he continued.
“If Biden is reelected, then they will double down and probably
begin to aggressively go after carriers based on this new rule.”
According to Webb, the industry is in a “wait-and-see”
mode, at least for now.
“That doesn’t impact what’s going on at the state level,” he
noted. “AB5 was a direct assault on the independent contractor
model. Most state legislatures are doing it indirectly.”
Jon Coca, president of Diamond Transportation, a 100%
owner-operator carrier, also sees politics as a factor.
“(Democrats) pick up the pressure and they try to reclassify
Independent Contractors and employees, just like every time
the red guys get in office,” Coca said. “Just part of the game,
I guess.”
When Truckload Authority visited with Coca, he had just
returned from a lobbying trip to Washington.
By the end of 2019 — the year California passed AB5—
nine other states introduced similar legislation. A December
2023 article published by personnel management firm
Wrapbook claims that 36 states are now using AB5’s “ABC
Test” (or parts of it) to determine worker classification.
But the issue goes beyond legislatures, Webb says.
“When I ran the Texas Trucking Association, the Attorney
General’s Office passed a rule — not even a law — that said
if a truck driver is an independent contractor and is in default
on a child support agreement, you have to withhold pay from
him just like you do an employee,” he shared. “That’s just
another line that’s cracking.”
As Webb pointed out, any state or federal agency that
has the authority can issue rules blurring the line between
employee and IC status.
“Sometimes they realize they’re doing it; sometimes they
don’t,” he said.
Whatever direction current classification rules are shifted
after this year’s national elections, a carrier’s best protection
is in the Independent Contractor Operating Agreement (ICOA).
“As long as companies like us have valid Independent
Contractor agreements in place, it’s the best bet to buoy their
role in how we work together as business partners,” Coca
explained. “I feel safe — but not safe.”
For Coca, part of feeling “safe” is making sure the company’s
ICOA is up to date with any new developments.
“We get our Independent Contractor agreement fine-tuned
every two years at a minimum, three years at maximum at the
Scopelitis (Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary) firm,”
he explained. “We feel pretty sound that they do a good job
making sure that all of the issues are addressed.”
Webb, on the other hand, maintains that the way carriers
treat ICs has much to do with how drivers are classified.
“It’s a little bit of a stretch, but I used to ask carriers, ‘Who
does your lawn service? Do you make them put your logos
on their mowers? Do you tell them what time they have to be
there to do the lawn?’” he shared.
Exclusivity is an issue often mentioned in classification cases.
In both the ABC test and the Economic Reality test, the nature
and degree of control of the IC is listed. If the ICOA specifies
the IC is not allowed to haul loads from another carrier or
a broker, a ruling might lean towards the status of employee.
“Work that is continuous, does not have a fixed ending
date or may be the worker’s only work relationship indicates
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8 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

employee status,” says an Employee Relationship Under
the Fair Labor Standards Act fact sheet issue May 20,
2024.
“The problem is, the rules now are being articulated
in a way that is almost impossible for a motor carrier to
operate and comply with,” Webb said. “You’ve got to do
as many of the things right as you can.”
Forced dispatch — or even the appearance of it — can
indicate control leading to an employee classification.
“Motor carriers have got to be smarter and get away
from forced dispatch,” Webb said. “Many of them will tell
you they’re not forced dispatch, but in practice, to some
extent they wind up being so.”
Coca says Diamond Transportation has a simple way
to avoid this conundrum.
“We just don’t do forced dispatch,” he said. “Our fleet
managers are reaching out to just say, ‘Hey, this load
game comes up after you’re done. What do you think?’”
ICs make their own decisions about which loads they
want to accept, Coca says.
While ICs may not enjoy forced dispatch, they often
chose to lease their equipment to a carrier because of the
stability that comes from receiving regular loads from
one source.
“If you want to choose loads from different sources, just
be truly independent and go through a broker,” Coca suggested.
Doing so, however, requires the IC to obtain their
own authority. “That’s basically what they’re leasing us for.”
Unfortunately, the wishes of the IC is often lost in the
classification dispute.
“They lease on to a company because they want that
company to be able to provide great for them,” Coca said.
David Heller, senior vice president of safety and government
affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association, agrees.
“Independent contractors are independent contractors
because they want to be,” he noted. “And they’ve chosen
this business model because it’s successful and works
for them.”
As the debate continues, the question of how much
longer the IC business model will be around remains a
prime concern.
“I think we can all agree that this business model is
under threat and that we as an industry need to try to
preserve it,” Heller said. “There’s no doubt it’s a valuable
model.”
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TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 9
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CAPITOL recap
A REVIEW OF IMPORTANT NEWS, LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS,
AND OTHER FACTORS IMPACTING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY
An investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board stands on the cargo vessel Dali, which struck and collapsed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge March
26, 2024.
Baltimore’s Key Bridge plans return
to normal operations in July
Report compiled by the Truckload Authority Staff
When operators of a cargo ship that was exiting the Port
of Baltimore issued a Mayday call shortly before barreling
into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge March 26, 2024,
authorities had just enough warning to prevent new traffic
from entering the bridge before a portion of the structure
collapsed.
Even so, several members of a work crew, who were filling
potholes on the bridge, plunged to their death in the
dark water below when the ship crashed into one of the
bridge’s supports, causing the structure to break apart like
a toy. It tumbled into the water in a matter of seconds — a
shocking spectacle that was captured on video and posted
on social media. The vessel caught fire, and thick, black
smoke billowed out of it.
“Never would you think that you would see, physically
see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like
something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor
Brandon Scott, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”
The bridge came down around 1:30 a.m., when traffic
was lighter than it would have been during the day, when
thousands of commercial and private vehicles normally
traversed the span.
In the hours following the disaster, Maryland Gov. Wes
Moore expressed gratitude to those on scene whose actions
helped prevent further loss of life.
“These people are heroes,” Moore said. “They saved
lives last night.”
Officials anticipated the impact of the blocked marine
channel and the closure of the stretch of Interstate 695 that
crosses the bridge would have a disastrous impact on the
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CAPITOL recap
shipping industry, and numerous local, state and federal
agencies stepped in to help soften the blow.
The Dali
The Dali, a cargo ship operated by Synergy Marine of
Singapore, had been commissioned by Danish shipping giant
Maersk to transport cargo from Baltimore to Sri Lanka.
The ship is 984 feet long and 157 feet wide, weighs 95,000
tons when empty, and can transport up to 10,000 twentyfoot
containers.
As investigators delved into the cause of the collision, it
was determined that the massive ship had experienced a
series of electrical failures, some before leaving port and
more once it was in the channel.
According to congressional testimony in mid-May, the
electrical blackouts experienced by the container ship Dali
before it left Baltimore’s port were “mechanically distinct
from” those that resulted in the deadly collapse of the
bridge hours later.
Homendy’s remarks came the day after the safety board
released its preliminary report into the bridge collapse.
She said the board is still gathering more information
about what exactly caused the various power outages. The
FBI has also launched a criminal investigation into the circumstances
leading up to the collapse.
The ship’s first power outage occurred after a crew
member mistakenly closed an exhaust damper while conducting
maintenance in port, causing one of its diesel engines
to stall, according to the report. A backup generator
automatically came on and continued to run for a short
period — until insufficient fuel pressure caused it to kick
off again, resulting in a second blackout.
While recovering from those power outages, crew members
made changes to the ship’s electrical configuration,
switching to a different transformer and set of breakers,
according to safety investigators.
When the breakers tripped as the Dali approached the
bridge, Homendy said the ship’s emergency generator
kicked on. That generator can power the ship’s lights, radio
and other operations, but it can’t restore propulsion.
“Without the propeller turning, the rudder was less effective,”
Homendy said. “They were essentially drifting.”
While there is redundancy built into the ship’s systems,
she said it’s not unlike other vessels in terms of the functions
of its emergency generator and other factors. The full
investigation could take a year or more.
Cost to rebuild
Two days after the collapse of the bridge, on March 28,
Moore requested the allotment of $60 in emergency federal
funding to begin the monumental task of clearing the
damaged structure. Finally, on May 20 the Dali was freed
SEE BRIDGE, PAGE 17
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 11

CAPITOL recap
According to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, nearly 5,000 inspections were made during a surprise Brake Safety Day inspection blitz. Of the vehicles
inspected, a little over 11% were placed out of service because of brake violations.
CVSA’s surprise brake-inspection blitz
puts more than 500 vehicles out of service
By the Truckload Authority Staff
Inspectors in 47 jurisdictions throughout Canada, Mexico
and the U.S. conducted 4,898 commercial motor vehicle
(CMV) inspections in one day during a surprise brake safety
inspection and enforcement event by the Commercial Vehicle
Safety Alliance. While CVSA released data gathered from the
inspection blitz, the date of the inspections was not revealed.
This year’s Brake Safety Day data found that of the 4,898
inspections conducted, 4,328 commercial motor vehicles
did not have any brake-related out-of-service violations —
88.4% of the total number of vehicles inspected.
However, inspectors identified 570 (11.6%) CMVs that
were traveling on roadways with brake-related critical inspection
item vehicle violations. Those vehicles were immediately
restricted from further travel until the critical violations
could be properly addressed.
Inspectors identified 330 CMVs with 20% brake violations;
meaning 20% or more of the vehicle’s (or combination
of vehicles) service brakes had an out-of-service condition
resulting in a defective brake. That was the top Brake Safety
Day violation, accounting for 57.9% of all brake-related outof-service
violations.
Inspectors found other brake violations on 256 (44.9%) of
the CMVs inspected. Examples of other brake violations include
worn brake lines/hoses, broken brake drums, inoperative
tractor protection system, inoperative low-air warning
device, air leaks, hydraulic fluid leaks, etc.
Seventy-three CMVs had steering-related brake violations
— 12.8% of all brake-related out-of-service violations.
This year, emphasis was placed on brake lining/pad health
and safety. Brake lining/pad issues may result in violations
or out-of-service conditions and may affect a motor carrier’s
safety rating. Inspectors found 108 power units and 66
towed units with lining/pad violations.
A total of 114 brake lining/pad violations were discovered
on power units. The top brake lining/pad violation on power
units was for contamination, with 48 violations.
Seventy-one brake lining/pad violations were identified on
towed units. Twenty-three of the violations were for cracks/
voids in the linings/pads — the top brake lining/pad violation
on towed units.
United States
In the U.S., 37 jurisdictions participated in this year’s
Brake Safety Day. Inspectors conducted 3,859 Level I, IV
and V Inspections, resulting in 448 CMVs (11.6%) being
SEE BRAKES, PAGE 13
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12 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

CAPITOL recap
States to receive millions in federal
funding for CMV crash prevention
By John Worthen
Nearly $500 million in grant funds will soon be issued
around the country in an effort to prevent commercial
motor vehicle crashes.
On June 3, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
said the money will be doled out to all 50 states through
the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.
“Across the entire country, we are making our roadways
safer and strengthening our national supply chains with
resources made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“The funding we’re announcing today will help our local
safety partners invest in initiatives that will continue
this important work and make our roadways safer,” he
continued.
Funding through the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance
Program supports safety inspections of large trucks and
buses, investigations of motor carriers in response to
safety concerns and audits of new truck carriers and bus
companies to reinforce responsible operation and ensure
the safe movement of goods and passengers, according
to a news release.
The funding also promotes outreach and education efforts
that help combat human trafficking, distracted driving,
along with other roadway safety concerns, FMCSA
officials say.
The program’s funding amounts are determined by a
formula and awarded annually to the lead agency of each
state or territory upon completion of an FMCSA-approved
Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan.
“Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program grant funding
is an important tool for reducing crashes and fatalities
involving commercial motor vehicles,” said FMCSA Acting
Deputy Administrator Sue Lawless.
“The number of fatalities on our nation’s roadways involving
commercial motor vehicles decreased by an estimated
eight percent from 2022 to 2023,” she added. “We
know the needle is moving in the right direction, but until
we reach zero roadway deaths, there will always be more
The federal government is making millions of dollars available to states in an
effort to prevent commercial motor vehicle crashes.
work to do. These grants help fund that work.”
Work has been ongoing for years to prevent crashes
involving commercial trucks.
After reviewing the latest National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) traffic fatality report issued
April 1, Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) Board President
Tami Friedrich urged the government to act.
She called the more than 5,900 lives lost in large truck
crashes in 2022 unacceptable, adding that on U.S. Transportation
Secretary Pete Buttigieg must do something.
“I call on Secretary Buttigieg to take action and urgently
proceed with rulemaking to require the use of speed
limiters and automatic emergency braking in large trucks
as soon as possible,” Friedrich said.
“No one else needs to die because of bureaucratic inaction,”
she said.
NHTSA reports that 5,936 people, including truck drivers,
died in truck crashes in 2022 and over 160,000 were
injured.
This represents a 75% increase in truck crash fatalities
since 2009.
BRAKES, FROM PAGE 12
placed out of service for brake-related violations. Additionally,
74 power units and 46 towed units had brake lining/
pad violations.
Canada
Inspectors in nine Canadian provinces and territories conducted
1,021 Level I, IV and V Inspections, resulting in 117
CMVs (11.5%) removed from the roadways for brake-related
out-of-service violations. Additionally, 33 power units
and 18 towed units had brake lining/pad violations.
Mexico
In Mexico, 18 Level I and IV Inspections were conducted.
Of those 18 CMVs, five (27.8%) were placed out of service
for brake-related violations – a 27.8% vehicle out-of-service
rate. Additionally, inspectors identified one lining/pad violation
on a power unit and two on towed units.
CVSA’s unannounced Brake Safety Day is part of Operation
Airbrake, a CVSA program dedicated to improving commercial
motor vehicle brake safety throughout North America.
CVSA’s seven-day Brake Safety Week, another Operation
Airbrake campaign, is scheduled for August 25-31.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 13

CAPITOL recap
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing that marijuana and other cannabis products be reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III drugs.
Proposal to reclassify cannabis
products sparks intense debate
By Bruce Guthrie
It is difficult to broach the subject of the legalization of
marijuana and not ignite a comprehensive, if not heated,
discussion.
This spring, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) proposed that marijuana be reclassified from a
Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III, loosening
restrictions on the drug. On May 21, a posting in the Federal
Register requested public comment on the topic.
In addition to being a historic shift to generations of drug
policy, the change of classification would likely create a wide
ripple effect across the U.S. The final decision could also
create additional confusion for the trucking industry, muddying
the already-murky driver drug testing regulations of
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug &
Alcohol Clearinghouse.
The DEA’s proposal, which still must be reviewed by the
White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge
it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s
most dangerous drugs.
However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational
use, which is where many would like to see the law
go as evident by feedback on the federal registry’s website.
Drivers are allowing their opinions to be heard on the matter;
some comments have been edited for clarity and length.
“I’m a CDL driver, and I see marijuana is far less dangerous
than alcohol,” said one poster. “Before I was a CDL
driver, I did smoke, and the most I did was take a chill on
the couch or play a video. I just hope as a CDL driver I can
partake in this new era.”
Some drivers compared the effects of marijuana to those
of alcohol.
“Us CDL holders are not criminals,” said one poster. “Alcohol
kills more humans than marijuana ever did. We understand
rules, but at least give us one day a week (Saturday)
and a rule to not operate heavy machinery within 12 to 24
hours of smoking — and we would be happy. It helps with
muscle relaxation and it’s a stress reliever. I hate having to
have a few drinks of alcohol when I am finally home on Saturday.
But that’s all we can do as truck drivers.”
Other respondents expressed concern about how to integrate
the substance and how it would affect safety on the
highway as well as at shipping facilities.
“I support the rescheduling of marijuana, but believe we
still need to make sure that people in safety sensitive positions
NOT be allowed to use THC/marijuana products while
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14 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

CAPITOL recap
employed in these safety-sensitive positions,
like CDL holder or airline pilot,
etc.,” said William Healy of Shoreline,
Washington.
“I urge you to vote against the legalization
of Schedule III controlled substances.
While these substances have
accepted medical uses, they also carry a
significant risk of abuse and dependency.
Legalization could lead to increased
availability and misuse, undermining
public health and safety,” Healy continued.
“This poses a major risk for individuals
operating motor vehicles under the
influence. Without proper Department of
Transportation (DOT) regulation, it could
lead to significant issues among CDL
drivers, potentially increasing incidents
of impaired driving.”
A New Jersey commenter identifying
themselves as “Sonny,” applauded the
proposal. The commenter, a 37-year-old
who says they’ve suffered from chronic
back pain for 26 years, noted that they
have become “increasingly familiar with
pain” since taking a job requiring a Class
A CDL.
“I have been to multiple doctors, chiropractors,
holistic doctors, and all have
said that it will continue to worsen due to
the combination of issues. I was advised,
after being denied for surgery (due to
risk of paralysis), to apply for disability
which I was denied for due to my age,”
Sonny said, adding that the proposal
“gives many of us hope.”
In late 2023, attorney Brad Klepper,
president of Interstate Trucker Ltd. and
Driver’s Legal Plan, addressed the issues
involved in testing truck drivers for cannabis
use in a column titled “One toke
over the line? Testing for marijuana impairment
not ready to hit the road.”
In the column, he posed the question:
“How do we reconcile the current state of
the world in regard to recreational/medical
marijuana usage and trucking?”
His answer? “Quite simply, I am not
sure we can, at least not right now.”
Klepper referenced a 2023 report by
the American Transportation Research
Institute (ATRI), which showed that
49.8% of the general population — and
41.4% percent of truck drivers — live in
a state where recreational marijuana use
is legal. Those figures reflected jumps
of 25.3% and 22.9%, respectively, from
2019 numbers.
SEE CANNABIS, PAGE 17
Truckload Authority 15

CAPITOL recap
The American Transportation Research Institute has prioritized several areas of research for 2024, from traffic bottlenecks to the FET.
Bottlenecks, nuclear verdicts among
ATRI’s research priorities for 2024
By John Worthen
The impact of nuclear verdicts and cargo theft are two
of the issues the American Transportation Research Institute
(ATRI) deem as most concerning for the trucking industry
in 2024. Each year, the group’s Research Advisory
Committee prioritizes topics for research.
These priorities are diverse, with a goal of addressing
some of the industry’s most critical issues including
workforce development, lawsuit abuse reform and transportation
infrastructure.
The priorities for 2024 include the following.
Mining driver demographic data to identify new pathways
to trucking careers
This study will capitalize on ATRI’s extensive truck
driver demographic data collected through driver surveys
over several decades.
The longitudinal data will be synthesized and mined to
identify changing demographic trends in the driver population,
allowing industry to better target driver recruitment
and retention strategies.
The research will also examine potential pathways into
the industry from previously untapped populations, including
young adults aging out of the foster care system.
Impact of nuclear verdicts
In 2020 ATRI released a landmark study examining the
frequency and impact of nuclear verdicts on the trucking
industry.
That research documented the scale and frequency of
truck crash litigation verdicts and explored the growing
use of third-party litigation financing.
This update will utilize more recent data to examine
how verdicts have changed since the initial study, impacts
on motor carrier insurance premiums, factors contributing
to nuclear verdicts, as well as potential impacts from
state-level lawsuit abuse reform legislation passed in recent
years. Check out Page 6 for an in-depth dive.
Comprehending the scope of cargo theft in the U.S.
Cargo theft is a growing issue for motor carriers, shippers,
insurers, and consumers.
This research will examine existing data sources as
well as work with motor carriers to better quantify the
scale and frequency of this often-unreported crime. The
research will also examine existing and emerging cargo
theft tracing and prevention programs to identify best
practices.
SEE RESEARCH, PAGE 17
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16 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

CAPITOL recap
RESEARCH, FROM PAGE 16
Calculating the cost of truck bottlenecks
For the past several decades, ATRI has utilized its extensive
database of truck GPS data to monitor and quantify
traffic congestion on the nation’s highways.
This research will provide a more granular analysis of
the cost of congestion for specific bottleneck locations
from ATRI’s top 100 truck bottlenecks list, as well as case
studies quantifying the return-on-investment for locations
where targeted infrastructure improvements have resulted
in reduced congestion.
Federal Excise Tax (FET) cost-benefit analysis
The 12% FET on the purchase of heavy-duty trucks and
trailers is considered by many to discourage investment in
newer, safer equipment with cleaner engines.
ATRI says this year’s analysis will examine the impact
of the FET on carrier decisions to avoid new equipment
investment, such as unrealized safety and emissions improvements.
CANNABIS, FROM PAGE 15
In addition, according to ATRI, 59% of Americans support
both medical and recreational marijuana legalization,
while only 10% are opposed to any form of marijuana legalization.
Klepper said he expects the use of marijuana for medical
and recreational purposes to continue — and that it will
definitely impact the trucking industry.
“The question becomes: How can we determine if a driver
is operating while under the influence of marijuana?” he
noted. “There is no standard test to determine actual impairment
resulting from marijuana use.”
Laws regarding driving under the influence of classified
substances vary from state to state.
The two primary approaches are behavior based (think
field sobriety test or a test conducted by a DRE) and biology
based. The biology-based test measures the concentration
of THC in a driver’s blood,” he said.
“Three states have laws where anything greater than 0ng/
ml shows impairment. Four states have limits of 5ng/ml,
while 10 other states use a positive metabolite test,” he continued.
“However, in this test, metabolites could be present
several weeks after using marijuana. In addition, some people
may have a higher tolerance for marijuana than others.”
In short, Klepper says, there is no standard test that can
determine a driver’s actual level of impairment due to marijuana
use.
So, what’s the answer, and how will that answer impact
the trucking industry? It remains to be seen.
BRIDGE, FROM PAGE 11
from the wreckage and returned to the Port of Baltimore.
Earlier in May, Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA)
officials announced plans to rebuild the bridge in just over
four years at an estimated cost between $1.7 billion and
$1.9 billion. The state treasurer filed a claim March 26, the
day of the bridge’s collapse, “against our $350 million property
policy and put on notice our $150 million liability policy
first tier carrier on behalf of MDTA.”
The broker for the bridge’s insurance policy confirmed
May 2 that a $350 million payout will be made to the state of
Maryland in what is expected to be the first of many payouts
related to the collapse.
President Joe Biden has pledged that the federal government
will cover the full cost of rebuilding, though officials
said the funding is still awaiting approval from Congress.
In a statement June 11, Biden praised the work of everyone
involved in the recovery effort.
“Baltimore can count on us to stick with them every step
of the way, and we will continue to have your back until the
bridge is rebuilt,” he said.
Return to normal
In mid-June, the channel was fully reopened to marine
traffic for the first time since the March 26 bridge collapse.
On June 13, officials said commercial shipping traffic
through the Port of Baltimore is expected to return to normal
levels in July.
“I’ve been waiting to say this for every day for the last 11
weeks: Maryland, the Fort McHenry Channel is fully cleared,
and the Port of Baltimore is reopened for business,” Moore
said at a waterside news conference.
As the governor spoke, a passing ship blasted its horn.
“You hear that?” Moore said. “That’s a beautiful sound.”
Behind him, giant cranes lifted shipping containers from
the deck of a docked cargo ship and deposited them on land.
Many shipping companies rerouted their cargo to other
ports following the deadly collapse in March. The deadly disaster
halted most maritime traffic through Baltimore’s busy
port as crews worked around the clock to clear an estimated
50,000 tons of fallen steel and concrete from the Patapsco
River.
Companies that steered clear of Baltimore during the
cleanup will likely come back now that the channel has been
returned to its original depth and width, officials said.
The port, which processes more cars and farm equipment
than any other in the country, is expected to be operating at
normal capacity by mid-July.
All that rerouted commercial traffic “belongs in Baltimore
today,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said
during a news briefing earlier this week.
“We have every indication that that is what is taking place,
but we will be reinforcing that expectation as we speak with
players up and down the supply chains,” he said.
Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business
owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse
and its economic ripple effects, which extend well beyond
the Baltimore region. State officials helped establish several
relief programs to keep people employed and businesses
afloat in the immediate aftermath.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 17

Tracking the trends
Strand Exam
Group frustrated by FMCSA’s reluctance to
allow hair testing results in Clearinghouse
By Cliff Abbott
As pretty much anyone in the trucking industry would agree, it’s important to ensure
commercial drivers are alert and prepared to react quickly to changing conditions.
Keeping drivers with a record of operating under the influence of alcohol or controlled
substances off the road is a logical precaution.
The creation and implementation of the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Drug and Alcohol
Clearinghouse marked a major step forward in ensuring
positive tests for controlled substances are recorded and
available to carriers as a part of the background check on
potential company drivers and independent contractors.
In addition, the Clearinghouse provides regular updates
that include nationwide statistics on drug and alcohol
testing.
As of March 2024, Clearinghouse statistics show that
239,929 drivers have at least one violation on their record.
Out of those drivers, only 74,060 (30.9%) have
completed the return-to-duty (RTD) process. In fact, the
majority of those nearly 240,000 drivers — 126,000, or
52.5% — never even began the RTD process.
Whether drivers placed out of service for substance violations
complete the RTD process or choose to leave the
industry, there’s little doubt that the Clearinghouse rules
are helping get drug users out from behind the wheel of
commercial vehicles. The statistics show the program is
having an impact.
Because of this proven success, members of the Trucking
Alliance, a group of some of the largest and safest
carriers in North America, say they’re frustrated with the
government’s apparent unwillingness to consider a set of
significant statistics submitted in a request to change the
rules for controlled substance testing to allow testing of
hair samples.
The group, which represents carriers running more than
70,000 trucks, is pushing for the inclusion of hair testing
as an approved method of FMCSA controlled substance
testing and asking that results be included in the Clearinghouse.
Trucking Alliance members have been utilizing
hair testing, in addition to the approved urine testing, for
pre-employment and random drug tests for years.
In June 2023, the Alliance released a statement outlining
18 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

statistics supporting the use of hair testing, as revealed by
a study conducted at the University of Central Arkansas
(UCA). The study, which analyzed both urine and hair testing
results from nearly 1 million commercial drivers taken
between 2017 and 2022, showed that hair testing produced
nine times as many positive results as urine testing.
“I don’t see how anyone can reasonably argue with
these drug test results, given the large disparity in positivity
rates between hair and urine testing for every drug and
a sample of almost 1 million drug tests,” said Dr. Doug
Voss, one of the UCA researchers, in the release. “At some
point it’s like arguing whether the sun will rise tomorrow.”
The Alliance had used similar statistics in an application
for an exemption to FMCSA regulations requiring urine
testing, asking that they be allowed to use hair testing instead
of urine for 50% of the tests, pointing to a higher accuracy
rate and increased
public safety.
The FMCSA denied the
group’s petition in December
2022. Among the
reasons FMCSA cited for
the rejection was that the
agency had not received
guidance from the Department
of Health and
Human Services (HHS)
on a process for conducting
hair testing.
That guidance from
HHS was mandated in
the Fix America’s Surface
Transportation (FAST) Act
passed in December 2015.
So, what’s the holdup?
“The hair drug testing
HHS guidelines were
sent to the White House
April 3, 2023. So, we’re a
year, a year and a month with nothing,” said Rob Moseley,
attorney for the Moseley Marcinak Law Group, which
represents the Alliance.
The group recently filed a petition to the HHS demanding
that the agency issue long-overdue guidelines.
“Every day we don’t do this is another day that we’re
sticking our head in the sand while habitual lifestyle drug
users are using drugs and driving trucks,” Moseley said.
He points to the current administration’s support for
unions as one possible reason the HHS hair testing
guidelines have stalled.
“I think it’s politics,” he said — but he’s not optimistic a
change of White House occupants would make a difference.
“Trump was anti-regulation, so I’m not sure that makes
a (difference),” he said.
Part of Moseley’s frustration is that hair testing is already
making a positive difference for the carriers that
are using the method.
“They’re still doing the hair testing and using that data
in their hiring decisions, but of course, there are roadblocks
to sharing that information with other carriers or
with anybody else for that matter,” he explained.
Moseley notes that carriers don’t need regulatory approval
to use hair testing — but it must be used in addition
to Department of Transportation-controlled substance
testing, not as a replacement.
Alliance members “have to go through the double expense
of doing both tests now,” he said. “They’ve made
that decision that they’re gonna spend the money because
of the safety benefits. But what’s going on is that
(drivers with a positive hair-testing result are) just going
down the road to get another job somewhere else, and
nobody will ever know they failed a drug screen.”
The latest petition, sent to HHS on April 22, 2024,
points out that hair testing is more reliable than urinalysis
because it captures a
larger window of time for
drug use. Generally, hair
testing detects drug use
within the past 90 days,
where urinalysis can detect
only a few days (or,
for marijuana, weeks).
The petition also
points out that urine
testing is often unobserved,
making it easier
for subjects to adulterate
or substitute the sample
submitted. Included in
the petition was mention
of a 2007 publication
by the Government
Accounting Office that
studied 24 collection
sites under DOT protocols
and found that, at all
24 locations, undercover
investigators were able to use false identification to be
tested under another person’s name.
The flip side, the petition states, is that 100% of hair
specimen collections are observed, minimizing the potential
for deception.
Carriers may recall that oral fluid testing was approved by
both HHS and DOT for controlled substance testing but was
put on hold until two approved laboratories for specimen
testing were identified. That hasn’t happened yet, either.
In the meantime, thousands of positive hair sample
drug tests are being ignored by FMCSA — while thousands
more drug users remain behind the wheel due to
an inefficient testing system, according to the Alliance.
Moseley is waiting for the petition to be published in
the Federal Register, opening up the possibility of public
comment.
“Those guidelines can be finalized,” he said. “That
should clear the way for allowing the carriers to be able
to do this to increase safety on the roads.”
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 19

Tracking the trends
Getting in
Gear
After a slow
start, under-21
pilot apprentice
program gaining
momentum
By Dwain Hebda
When the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration (FMCSA)
announced its Safe Driver
Apprenticeship Pilot Program,
a product of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
enacted in 2021, the trucking industry breathed a
long-overdue sigh of relief.
At last, many thought, Washington had heard the industry’s
pleas to create some path to allow drivers under
21 to operate in interstate commerce as a means to help
ease the pervasive driver shortage.
In the time since, however, the program has sputtered, attracting
participation by only a handful of carriers. Virtually no
small companies, which some believe the bill would benefit
most, have stepped up to take part.
Critics blamed the low response to what they described as
excessive regulatory and reporting requirements in the program.
The most criticized portions of which were requirements
for participating carriers to register with the Department of Labor,
mandating driver-facing cameras in the cab, and reporting
requirements.
Whatever the reason, the apprenticeship pilot was widely
panned and appeared to be headed for the scrap heap.
Not so fast, say some carriers who have given the program
a try.
Tim Chrulski, COO of Ohio-based Garner Trucking,
a participant in the pilot program, says his company
didn’t take much issue with the requirements of the
program as written.
“The program itself is one that, frankly, I’ve
believed in for a long time,” he said.
“Before all of this even started, we put
together an apprenticeship program of our
own so we could at least train drivers under the
age of 21 to be able to operate in the state of Ohio,”
he shared. “So, when this program came to fruition,
it was extremely exciting for our organization. I think
this is one of the best things to happen to the industry
in a long time.”
Some naysayers may be focusing on the wrong things.
“First and foremost, the most important thing is that we
have safe drivers driving tractor-trailers, because my family
and your family are out on the same road sharing the same
highways,” Chrulski said.
“I think the way that the program is structured, with the
amount of hours that you have to complete, the accountability
for reporting, and the need for safety equipment inside the
trucks — all of those things are beneficial, and really very productive
for the program,” he said.
New York-based Leonard’s Express was another early
adopter of the apprentice program.
Ken Johnson, the carrier’s CEO, says that, even before the
pilot program was launched, the New York state trucking
industry was already working on issues.
“We were one of those few states that didn’t allow
18-year-olds to get their Class A, so we worked hard
on getting that done,” he shared. “A lot of the reason
we did it was because we knew that there was the
possibility of the pilot program coming through
from the federal government. We wanted New
20 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

York state carriers to be able to participate
in it.”
Johnson says his company had no issue
with the pilot’s requirements, having already
established its own independent driving school,
ensuring it was carrying the necessary insurance
and equipping all of its trucks with cameras.
“The only thing that we had to do was put the proper
training parameters in place. It wasn’t that big of a hurdle
for us to overcome,” he said.
“Having never been involved in a federal government pilot
program before, we really didn’t know what to expect,” Johnson
continued. “Some of the rules that came out of DOT we
thought stretched it some, but we also didn’t think that they
were so stretched that we couldn’t achieve the goal.”
The Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program is the most proactive
attempt yet to produce safe, qualified younger drivers for
interstate operation. The program outlines a training pathway by
which 18- to 20-year-old apprentices complete two probationary
periods. In addition, specific educational requirements must be
completed as laid out in the program guidelines.
Both Chrulski and Johnson believe that whatever shortcomings
the program might have had were miniscule compared
to the issue it was created to address. The industry’s driver
shortage stretches back decades and is consistently cited
as the biggest challenge facing the industry in terms of
current capacity and future growth. Having a workable
mechanism that safely moves young people into interstate
driver jobs earlier is worth jumping through a
few hoops, they said.
“I hope they convert the pilot to where everyone
can participate in it. I think it’s heading in
the right direction,” Johnson said.
“It’s imperative for the industry
to have this to start attracting younger
people. If you go to our typical first day
of class at our driving school and you look
around, it’s clearly people in their second or third
careers,” he continued. “We need to find ways to
lower the age and bring in people for whom trucking is
a first career choice. I think the program provides that.”
This spring, proponents of the pilot got some good
news as the FMCSA issued an emergency request to the
Office of Management and Budget for approval of program
revisions. The request dropped the inward-facing
camera requirement and mandatory registration with the
Department of Labor.
Hopefully, the changes will eliminate any remaining barriers
and open the pilot program to wider participation across the U.S.
“I personally believe that if you are going to have a complete
picture of what’s going on behind the wheel you need that camera
inside the truck anyway, and I think the amount of reporting is
quite necessary as a part of the program,” Chrulski said.
However, he noted, if the camera requirement was the deciding
factor for a motor carrier to not participate in the apprentice
program, that the FMCSA made a worthwhile decision.
“I don’t know that there’s been anything I’ve been more
passionate about than this apprenticeship program in all my
years of trucking,” Chrulski said.
“I just think this is the right decision for our industry
and I just want to encourage other companies to
embrace this and figure it out for themselves,” he
continued.” I’m willing to help where I can and
give some guidance where I can, because I
just think this is the right thing to do for
our industry.”
First and foremost, the
most important thing is that
we have safe drivers driving
tractor-trailers, because my family
and your family are out
on the same road sharing the
same highways.”
— Tim Chrulski
COO of Garner Trucking
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 21

Tracking the trends
WEATHERING THE
STORM
Capacity is slowly
eroding — but not fast
enough to change the
freight market
By Cliff Abbott
22 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

Beginning in 2020, the
COVID-19 pandemic
brought global economic
conditions that had not
been seen for generations.
Four years later, the disease that
started it has abated somewhat, but the
impact of government efforts to stimulate a
stalled economy, combat supply chain issues
and modernize the nation’s infrastructure are
still felt worldwide.
For the trucking industry, the impact was a
brief slowdown followed by a sharp increase in
rates, followed by the longest-known freight recession
in history — one that continues today.
For 2023, public carriers mostly reported
lower operating income or losses, higher operating
ratios, and higher expenses. First quarter
financial reports for 2024 showed little (if any)
improvement. Spot freight rates remained stubbornly
low, and contract rates continued their
downward spiral.
The trucking industry wants to know: When
will the freight market turn upward?”
According to most analysts, the answer is: Not
soon enough.
“The typical U.S. three freight recessions were
in the 17- to 23-month range. We’re at 24 to 25
months already,” noted Dean Croke, principal
analyst at DAT IQ. “And there’s a sense that this
could go on for quite a few months more.”
Avery Vise, vice president of trucking for FTR
Intelligence, concurs.
“We think that it’s going to be next year before
anyone really perceives a definite change in the
market,” he said.
Jason Miller, PhD, professor of supply chain
management at the Eli Broad College of Business
at Michigan State University (MSU), says
he’s not optimistic.
“It could improve a little bit, but I’m not going
to get my hopes up too much,” he said. “We still
We think that it’s going to be next
year before anyone really perceives
a definite change in the market.”
have too much capacity relative to demand.”
It’s the same old story: Capacity remains
the biggest driver of freight rates.
“We still have way too many trucks
on the road as a result of — the Avery massive Vise
influx during vice the president pandemic. of trucking That’s
for ftr intelligence
keeping a lid on for higher spot rates,” Croke
explained.
To be sure, trucks are leaving the freight market,
but the process has been slower than expected.
“We think U.S. tractor replacement is around
11,500 units to 12,000 units (monthly production
of new trucks),” said Kenny Vieth, president
and senior analyst at ACT Research.
“In two months, we’ve done 14,600 and
14,400. A year ago in March and April we did
19,800 and 18,300, so we are making progress,”
he continued. “But we think the Class 8 US tractor
population is going to continue to grow on
strong sales before slowing production down.”
Vise believes the turnaround is on the horizon.
“Are we going to continue to lose enough capacity
where that by the end of the year, things
will have turned around? Our expectation is that
we will basically be back to a sort of a normal
balance between shippers and carriers,” he said.
“You hear people talking about the capacity
over balance. The big question is: Why has that
not corrected?” Vise said.
Croke echoes this question.
SEE STORM, PAGE 24
(The trucking market) could
improve a little bit, but I’m not
going to get my hopes up too much.”
— Jason Miller
PROFESSOR OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AT
THE eLI BROAD COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 23

Tracking the trends
I think the reason that they we haven’t seen
more attrition is that same expectation that
we’re going to have a rebound.”
— Avery Vise
vice president of trucking for ftr intelligence
STORM, FROM PAGE 23
“When does capacity get to a point where we get to
equilibrium? Because large truckload carriers on the
contract market are still reducing truck capacity,” he
said.
Analysts gave a couple of reasons for the delay in reducing
capacity. The top culprit could be private fleets,
according to Croke.
“If you’re a private carrier or a big manufacturer who
saw double-digit rate increases during the pandemic that
probably wiped out years of profitability on the transport
spend side, you’d say, ‘What if we got more freight on
our own trucks over a five year period?’” he noted.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t as easy to
find available trucks to haul loads.
“You can recall back in 2021 and early 2022, (manufacturers)
could not find someone to haul their freight,
and it was $4 a mile on the spot market,” Vieth said.
“And the Wall Street Journal would have a story where
yet another CEO was explaining why their transportation
costs exploded and that’s the reason why they missed
their earnings goal.”
Any time corporations increase the size of their private
fleets as a hedge against future freight rate increases,
there is an impact on current rates. Some of these private
fleets may be picking up loads from the spot market
to keep their trucks running, but the bigger impact could
be the product that manufacturers are no longer tendering
to the freight market.
Another reason for the slowness of capacity removal
may be the perception that “better days must be coming
soon”; a hope that keeps some carriers hanging on.
“I think the reason that they we haven’t seen more attrition
is that same expectation that we’re going to have
a rebound,” Vise said. “They have that ‘any day now’ philosophy,
which didn’t used to matter all that much.”
Of course, the other side of the supply/demand equation
is freight availability — and that largely depends
on the economy. Most analysts are calling for slow but
steady economic growth for at least the rest of 2024.
Miller, however, isn’t so sure. While some analysts
point to data compiled from banking operations, billing
services or organizational members, MSU’s College
of Business team compiles a Ton-Mile Index using data
from the U.S. Census Bureau and other agencies.
“We have data that we pull for literally 41 North American
Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes,” he
explained. “The Census Bureau has identified 700,000 locations
in the U.S. that shipped something, that are not farms.
So basically, we’re capturing 700,000 shipper locations.”
Miller looks at the NAICS responsible for the largest
shares of shipping ton-miles, such as food manufacturing
— the largest share at 14.5%.
“Food manufacturing is down a couple percent from
where it was in 2023 and certainly 2022,” he said,
I just see so many headwinds right now through the rest
of this year, and the Feds not cutting rates anytime soon,
so to me, I’m pretty much writing off this year.”
— Jason Miller
PROFESSOR OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AT THE eLI BROAD COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
24 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

adding, “That’s tens of thousands of fewer loads getting moved.”
Chemical manufacturing, mining (except oil and gas) and nonmetallic
mineral product manufacturing (cement and aggregate)
round out the sectors responsible for the largest numbers of tonmiles,
and all of them are down, according to MSU’s index.
“The big story is just that the demand side right now is quite
weak for those key industries,” Miller explained. “And there’s not
the type of encouraging economic news that would make me
think there’s gonna be a spike in freight demand.”
If there’s good news, it’s that there’s no news that would indicate
a collapse.
“I just see so many headwinds right now through the rest of
this year, and the Feds not cutting rates anytime soon, so to me,
I’m pretty much writing off this year,” Miller concluded.
While economic growth may continue at a slow and steady
pace, production will not produce enough freight to overcome
the excess capacity in the freight market.
There’s another factor, however, that could disrupt the market.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
is predicting an “above average” hurricane season with 17 to 25
named storms and four to seven hurricanes rated at Category 3
or higher. The agency cites warm ocean temperatures, reduced
trade winds due to La Niña conditions, and other factors in its
prediction.
Hurricanes can cause major disruption to the supply chain and
can cause fuel price spikes due to refinery damage or shutdown.
As it stands, the trucking industry may be looking to weather
the storm, both economically and literally.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 25

A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
ADDRESSING
THE ISSUES
Foreword and Interview by Linda Garner-Bunch
As Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) Chairman John Culp
enters the second quarter of his term, motor carriers continue
to face challenges posed by rising costs in and an economy that
might best be described as “stagnant.” On the following pages,
Culp addresses a few of the issues driving the overall cost of
trucking upward, from zero-emissions regulations and alternate
fuel sources to the prevalence of high-dollar awards to plaintiffs
against motor carriers and truck drivers, the continuing debate
about classifying works as independent contractors or company
employees, and more. Settle in for an in-depth discussion!
u Good morning, Mr. Chairman. As you begin the second quarter of your tenure as TCA
chairman, what issues stand out in your mind as the highest priority for the truckload
segment of the freight industry?
I would say the biggest issue for the industry is dealing with increasing costs in a very challenging
rate environment. Contract rates are hurting, and spot rates are unsustainable. The market will shift, but
it will be a battle until it does. The rising cost of liability insurance is one cost that is particularly bad.
Unfortunately, it is going to take litigation reform to reign it in — and that is not something that will
happen quickly. It will take a concerted effort at both the national and state levels. TCA is working to help
keep this issue at the forefront of stakeholders’ attention at both levels.
u The push for zero-emission commercial vehicles continues, and it seems many groups
are focusing on battery electric trucks as an “immediate” solution. What other options
should the industry consider?
Another big issue we are working on is educating the public on the cost of both battery electric
vehicles (BEVs) and the electric infrastructure needed to power them. Our country is enamored with
battery electric vehicles as THE solution to protecting the environment, and while it will be part of the
solution, the cost and targeted time frame for our industry to implement is simply unrealistic. BEVs
SEE CHAT, PAGE 28
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TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 27

A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
While trucking is serious business, TCA members, including Chairman John Culp, enjoy getting together for fun and fellowship at events like Truckload Strong during the association’s 2024 convention.
CHAT, FROM PAGE 26
can be part of a long-term comprehensive solution, but it is imperative
that we also utilize other options available that have more immediate
impact, especially for the trucking industry.
The focus on “zero tailpipe emissions” ignores the massive carbon
generation that occurs on the BEV mining and production side. These
issues are clearly articulated in new research from the American
Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), which released a report just
this spring on Renewable Diesel. The report identifies and highlights
substantial environmental and cost benefits that internal combustion
renewable diesel (ICE RD) engines have in truck life-cycle CO2 over the
truck life-cycle CO2 of BEVs.
According to the report, an ICE RD provides a 67.3% decrease in
per truck life-cycle CO2 compared to an ICE diesel, with no operational
changes. A BEV using today’s technology, on the other hand, offers
only a 30%-39.5% decrease in per truck life-cycle CO2 — with a limited
range and cargo capacity on top of substantial operational challenges.
The projected cost to reach a 22.6% CO2 decrease over a 15-year
period is $203 billion for ICE RD, as opposed to $1,190 billion for
BEV. That’s a cost of $8.982 billion per percentage point for ICE RDs
compared to $52.654 billion for BEVs.
u That’s a pretty significant cost difference. Why isn’t the
entire nation jumping on the idea of converting to ICEs fueled
by RD?
While these numbers might look like a no-brainer, the adoption of RD
does face political headwinds, particularly because of the zero-tailpipe
emissions aspect. That will take time to resolve because of a few factors.
1. Feedstocks are needed to produce RD. While current production
has kept up with growing demand, second- and third-generation
feedstocks will have to be developed to meet the demand of the future.
2. Subsidies. While the full impact of subsidies on the RD market is
not known, they are clearly encouraging production. Should subsidies
be removed from the market too early, supply may decrease.
3. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Interest is growing in SAF, which
uses similar feedstocks and processes for production. It is possible
that public policy could shape the SAF market and divert RD from the
trucking industry, thus working against industry efforts to decarbonize.
u What other possible solutions can be explored?
Converting to RD is not the only other option for consideration in
our comprehensive long-term solution for environmental sustainability.
Hydrogen fuel cells or other alternative fuels can play a role — but one
thing we can do in the immediate/short-term horizon is to promote
and incentivize replacement of pre-2010 engines, which represent
approximately 45% of the nation’s heavy-duty trucks with modern
engines. Replacing those trucks with modern engines would reduce
truck emissions by over 80%. That would be a massive reduction!
Another idea is to incentivize truckers to upgrade their older
vehicles. Both TCA and the American Trucking Associations (ATA) are
advocating the repeal of the Federal Excise Tax (FET) of 12% that is
charged on the purchase of new tractors. The 12% equates to almost
$17,000 on a truck that costs $140,000. The FET is an outdated,
regressive tax that increases every year with inflation and needs to be
repealed. It would be good for both our industry and the environment.
u Lawsuits resulting in exorbitant penalties against trucking
companies continue to plague the industry. In fact, numerous
states have considered bills to address the problem, with
varying degrees of success. In your opinion, what is the biggest
SEE CHAT, PAGE 30
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28 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 29

A CHAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN
In addition to serving as chairman of the board for TCA and president of Maverick Transportation, John Culp is chairman of the Arkansas Trucking Association in his home state.
CHAT, FROM PAGE 28
hurdle that is preventing the passage of such legislation?
Exorbitant jury awards and settlements, aka “nuclear verdicts,” are
a tremendous problem for the entire trucking industry. Unfortunately,
accidents happen, and sometimes people are seriously or fatally
injured. When this happens, our legal system allows the injured party
to seek recovery and/or damages from the party that was responsible
for the accident. This is a good thing, and that is what insurance is for.
Trucking companies are required to carry a minimum of $750,000
of insurance coverage. That figure was set in 1980 and has not been
updated since. It is well below what is needed to cover the cost of
serious accidents today. If adjusted for inflation using CPI and medical
cost inflation numbers, it is fair to say that today’s minimum liability
limits would reasonably fall within the range of $3-$5 million. But that’s
an issue for discussion at another time.
To answer your question about the biggest hurdle preventing
passage of legislation: It’s opposition from plaintiff attorneys and their
massive lobbying dollars.
Have you noticed the TV commercials and billboard advertisements
from personal injury attorneys targeting “big truck accidents”? You
can’t miss them; they’re everywhere! It’s big business and has become
a specialty industry. The plaintiffs’ bar is highly organized and very
good at what they do.
I’m not saying personal injury attorneys are bad people, but the big
boys who are driving the problem are specialists who focus on big cases
involving trucking companies who have lots of insurance and/or assets.
They game the legal system, disparaging our industry and convincing
juries that truckers are bad actors that need to be punished. Some might
be, but not even that justifies the lottery jackpot verdicts and settlements
that have gone ballistic over the last 10 years or so.
Our country is enamored with battery
electric vehicles as THE solution
to protecting the environment, and
while it will be part of the solution, the cost and
targeted time frame for our industry to implement
is simply unrealistic.”
— John Culp
TCA Chairman
The awards are so big that they have investors who will finance the
cost of multi-year litigation for big returns on their investment. They
venue-shop for states that have favorable judicial procedures, precedents
and big-verdict judgements and that do not have noneconomic damage
limits.
Educational opportunities promote litigation.
These parties also provide educational opportunities to teach other
attorneys how to maximize their jury awards and settlements in big truck
accidents. I recently saw an advertisement for an upcoming seminar,
the “2024 Big Truck and Auto Summit,” for plaintiffs’ attorneys. The
event has 24 expert speakers, three of which boast a combined total
of $2.1 billion in awards and settlements. I would agree that they are
experts indeed. I don’t know what they will be teaching, but a common
method used for obtaining big verdicts and judgements since 2009 has
been known as the Reptile Theory.
An article from Courtroom Sciences, Inc., titled “Reptile Theory
at Deposition: Extinct or Evolved?” examines the misunderstanding
of Reptile Theory and exposes the psychological principles plaintiff
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30 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

Have you noticed the TV commercials
and billboard advertisements from
personal injury attorneys targeting
‘big truck accidents’? You can’t miss them;
they’re everywhere! It’s big business and has
become a specialty industry.”
— John Culp
TCA Chairman
attorneys use to achieve disproportionately high dollar settlement and
trial verdicts. Reptile Theory has been around a long time and has
now been rebranded as the “Edge,” brought to you by the Keenan Trial
Institute (KTI) and directed by original Reptile co-founder Don Keenan.
Litigation reform is desperately needed.
We need litigation reform in the worst way. Runaway “jackpot justice”
has to be throttled back. It is unfair to the hundreds of thousands of
trucking companies that move America’s freight and have to pay higher
insurance premiums because of it. Airlines and railroads have protections
that limit awards, but transportation litigation is like the Wild West.
Progress is being made in several states, but we have a long way
to go. If we are going to be able to overcome the plaintiffs’ bar and
their war chest of money, we need the public to support our efforts by
talking to legislators and voting on litigation reform initiatives. We need
to educate them on what is happening and how they are impacted. The
truckload industry moves 73% of freight in the U.S., and these lottery
award verdicts and settlements have and will continue to raise the cost
of transportation that ultimately is passed on to consumers.
I’m not sure how to answer that because I think it would depend
somewhat on the mix of independent contractors vs. company drivers
for individual companies. The big issue is that independent contractors
and employment do not fit together. The independent contractor model
is a very important part of our industry, and it will go away if this
happens. Nobody wins.
u Looking forward to association events, TCA is holding
the annual Refrigerated Meeting in Stowe, Vermont, in July.
What topics will be addressed, and what benefits can carriers
gain from this event?
At the TCA Refrigerated Meeting we’ll tackle key industry issues
affecting those hauling temperature-controlled freight.
Educational sessions range from panels focusing on current and
future supply chain challenges and opportunities to perspectives on
the economic outlook of the segment, several interactive discussions
on innovative technology with real-world carrier case studies, building
successful customer-carrier relationships, and driver retention. Many
of the sessions will encourage audience interaction and discussion so
it’s a great way to learn from the experts as well as connect with peers.
There is also a golf tournament in the beautiful Green Mountains of
Stowe, Vermont, and unique networking receptions and dinners. It’s a
great chance to learn, connect, and stay ahead in the industry.
u Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your time and your insights.
I look forward to our next visit.
u Is there hope for a solution at the federal level for the issue
of nuclear verdicts?
I think there is some hope. It may be a pipe dream, but the trucking
industry is critical to our nation’s supply chain. It is regulated by the
federal government and should be adjudicated in the federal court
system. In my opinion, this would be a huge step in the addressing
litigation abuse. The federal government could also apply some type of
noneconomic damage protection as it has done for airlines and railroads.
u It’s no secret that times are tough in trucking, and most
analysts predict that recovery will be excruciatingly slow. In
your opinion, what are the key factors slowing this recovery?
Inflation and interest rates. Our economy is consumer-driven and
continued inflation, especially for groceries, is hurting families. While
the high interest rates impact businesses also, it has a much harder
impact on consumers with credit card debt. Home sales for new and
existing homes are at the lowest levels we have seen since prior to
COVID. In my opinion, higher mortgage rates are the biggest reason.
u On another topic, the independent contractor vs. employee
classification debate continues across the country and impacts
numerous industries. From a business perspective, how would
reclassifying current independent contractors as an employee
impact a company’s bottom line?
Then-incoming TCA Chairman John Culp addresses attendees during a session at the association’s
2024 annual convention, held March 23-26 in Nashville.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 31

TALKING TCA
Elevate
Class of ’24
Meet the next
generation of
trucking
During the Truckload Carrier’s Association’s
(TCA) annual convention,
held in Nashville March 23-
36, the association introduced
the inaugural class of the newly launched
Elevate Young Leadership Program.
Throughout the year, these young professionals
will enjoy unique opportunities to engage
with others in the industry, brainstorm
about important issues and challenges, increase
their knowledge and strengthen their
leadership skills.
The 15 members of the Elevate Class of
’24, selected from a large group of applicants
from TCA member carriers and associate
member organizations, represent the future
of the trucking industry.
Over the next few months, this segment will
offer Truckload Authority readers a chance to
get to know these leaders of tomorrow. Meet
Alfonso Dozal of Landstar, Jeff Dorais of
Brown Dog Carriers LLC and RayVaun Christenson
of Christenson Transportation, Inc.
Alfonso Dozal
Manager of cross-border
administration for Landstar
Laredo, Texas
Age: 31
Q. In a nutshell, what do you do?
A. Manage cross-border operations.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. Problem-solving.
Q. At the end of the workday, the first thing I do is:
A. Play piano
Q. What brought you to the trucking industry?
A. Location.
Q. The best thing about working in trucking is:
A. Community.
Q. If you could “fix” one issue in the industry, what would it be,
and how?
A. Technology, AI.
Q. What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
A. TCA.
Q. Have you ever driven a Class 8 truck?
A. Yes, seven years ago.
Q. Tell us about your family:
A. Small — four.
Q. Favorite childhood game:
A. Football.
Q. What’s something no one knows about you? (Hint: They
do now!)
A. I practice Japanese.
Q. What song best sums up your life?
A. “My Way.”
Q. What did you want to be as a child?
A. Doctor.
Q. If you could re-live one day from your past, what would it be
and why?
A. Last time all my friends hung out.
Q. Do you have a secret superpower?
A. Maybe …
Q. Favorite color:
A. Red.
Q. Describe your favorite meal:
A. Medium rare.
Q. What’s your dream vacation?
A. Switzerland.
This or that?
chocolate or vanilla
cake or pie
dogs or cats
iced tea: sweet or unsweet
beach or mountains
I would give up: chocolate or cheese
Give me an endless supply of: money or tacos
elevator or stairs
Las Vegas or New York City
city or country
32 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

Jeff Dorais
Operations manager for
Brown Dog Carriers LLC
Biddeford, Maine
Age: 40
Q. In a nutshell, what do you do?
A. Day-to-day operations and dispatch.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. The flexibility and the family atmosphere.
Q. At the end of the workday, the first thing I do is:
A. Go to my kids’ games and practices.
Q. What brought you to the trucking industry?
A. Fell into it after 15 years of sales merchandising.
Q. The best thing about working in trucking is:
A. There is always a new challenge ahead.
Q. If you could “fix” one issue in the industry, what would
it be, and how?
A. Being able to hire “new drives” by changing the insurance
standards.
Q. What accomplishment are you most proud of in your
career?
A. Hiring new drivers and seeing them succeed.
Q. Have you ever driven a Class 8 truck?
A. No.
Q. Tell us about your family:
A. Married with two girls, ages 11 and 16, and a dog.
Q. Favorite childhood game:
A. Four-square.
Q. What’s something no one knows about you? (Hint:
They do now!)
A. How well I can keep a secret.
Q. What did you want to be as a child?
A. A police officer.
Q. If you could re-live one day from your past, what would
it be and why?
A. Any day I was coaching my kids through youth sports.
Q. Do you have a secret superpower?
A. No.
Q. Favorite color:
A. Blue.
Q. Describe your favorite meal:
A. Pizza or buffalo wings.
Q. What’s your dream vacation?
A. Someplace in the mountains near waterfalls.
This or that?
chocolate or vanilla
cake or pie
dogs or cats
iced tea: sweet or unsweet
beach or mountains
I would give up: chocolate or cheese
Give me an endless supply of: money or tacos
elevator or stairs
Las Vegas or New York City
city or country
RayVaun Christenson
Vice president of Christenson
Transportation, Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee
Age: 31
Q. In a nutshell, what do you do?
A. Manage a board of directors, equipment acquisition, insurance renewals
as well as other large daily budget items.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. Continuing the family legacy, working as a servant leader and watching
the people around me grow with the business.
Q. At the end of the workday, the first thing I do is:
A. Go home and greet my dog, then my wife.
Q. What brought you to the trucking industry?
A. My father and grandpa’s love and respect for the industry.
Q. The best thing about working in trucking is:
A. The community trucking is a very large but tight-knit group of people.
Q. If you could “fix” one issue in the industry, what would it be, and how?
A. Right now it would be the rise in wages outpacing the decline in rates.
Q. What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
A. The young leadership team we have been able to develop.
Q. Have you ever driven a Class 8 truck?
A. I have done some yard moves but not out on the road.
Q. Tell us about your family:
A. I’m the third generation in the trucking industry; my father is a
five-generation truck driver.
Q. Favorite childhood game:
A. Golf.
Q. What’s something no one knows about you? (Hint: They do now!)
A. I have hiked the unrestored and restored side of the Great Wall in China.
Q. What song best sums up your life?
A. “Human” by Cody Johnson.
Q. What did you want to be as a child?
A. Professional golfer.
Q. If you could re-live one day from your past, what would it be and why?
A. Masters Sunday with my father. Speaks for itself — pretty incredible day
in one of the best atmospheres I have ever been in.
Q. Do you have a secret superpower?
A. I haven’t found it yet. I’m sure it’s there, though!
Q. Favorite color:
A. Red.
Q. Describe your favorite meal:
A. Hibachi: it’s been my favorite since I was a kid.
Q. What’s your dream vacation?
A. Santorini or Bora Bora.
This or that?
chocolate or vanilla
cake or pie
dogs or cats
iced tea: sweet or unsweet
beach or mountains
I would give up: chocolate or cheese
Give me an endless supply of: money or tacos
elevator or stairs
Las Vegas or New York City
city or country
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 33

TALKING TCA
inside
out
Eric Rivard
discovers ‘dream
team’ as membership
manager for TCA
By Dana Guthrie
Eric Rivard never dreamed he would find his calling as a
carrier membership manager for the Truckload Carriers
Association (TCA). As a native of Traverse City, Michigan,
hockey was understandably “in his blood,” and that’s
where he started out — but not on the ice.
“I was working with the Chicago Wolves,” Rivard explained.
“I was doing youth hockey sales, and later I started helping on
the equipment side of operations with the actual team.”
Fortuitously, through that work he met a friend who eventually
hired him away to a brokerage firm.
“He was a random person that I met that is actually one of my
best friends now,” Rivard said.
After moving to Alexandria, Virginia, to be with his girlfriend,
Carrie — who is now his wife — Rivard continued to work remotely
in his previous position at the brokerage firm … until he
discovered TCA.
Joining the association’s team as carrier membership manager
was a perfect fit according to Rivard, who says he believes
membership in the group is a key factor in helping carriers rise
to excellence.
“To be a member of TCA is taking the initiative to be the best
carrier you can be,” Rivard said.
“It’s about surrounding yourself with experts who are going
through the same industry challenges that your company could
be going through. It’s about getting involved and meeting people
who may be your competitors, but are also going through
the same thing,” he continued. “Learning from each other is
important, and being a TCA member is about education and
relationships. That’s what the value of membership is.”
Rivard describes himself as a very social person, adding that the
role of membership manager for TCA fits perfectly with his personality.
He also enjoys the frequent travel involved in his job; it allows
him to meet even more people with whom he has an opportunity
to develop professional relationships as well as new friendships.
“My favorite part of the job is the leaders I get to meet in the
industry. I get to hear their stories and ask how they got into the
34 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

industry — and just kind of pick their brains about certain
things that are happening,” he said.
“It’s also the friendships I have made in the job,” he continued.
“I met someone at our conference who told me he
was a professional friend-maker. I feel like that is what my
job is too. A lot of it is building friendships with the carriers.
It’s a super social job and I get to talk to people every day.”
One aspect of his role within TCA that Rivard can’t help
but rave about is the organization’s leadership team.
“TCA is special,” he said. “Coming from the hockey world,
the way I would compare is that TCA is a small but tight
team. It is a tight locker room, if you want to think of it like
that. Everyone has your back. If you need help with something,
everyone is super helpful.”
While Rivard has been with the TCA team less than two
years, he says he already feels like a veteran, thanks to the
team atmosphere.
“It is just such a fantastic work environment, and everyone
is really cool,” he said. “Our president, Jim (Ward), he
will do anything that he asks you to do. That is such as great
trait for a leader! He pushes the team of course, but he has
your back. He’s a good guy to know.”
Rivard is immensely passionate about both trucking and
the role TCA plays within the industry, providing members
with vital educational resources, networking opportunities
and, perhaps most importantly, a voice on Capitol Hill.
“If you are a carrier and you are hauling freight you should
definitely look into joining TCA, if you are not a member.
Definitely get involved,” Rivard said.
“There is just so much you can get from it. A lot of members
tell me that the relationships they build through TCA
are invaluable,” he continued. “It’s good to get involved and
be a part of it. Our membership is very easy to talk to, and
people here are very welcoming.”
question
answer
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I really like to sail. We’re not too far from Annapolis. I
was a U.S. Level 2 sailing instructor when I was younger.
What is your greatest challenge as a
professional?
Since I do sales, some of the long sales can be a challenge.
I’ve been in talks with some people for over a year, so it
can get challenging in that aspect. I still closed those sales,
but sometimes when it takes that long, it can be a definite
challenge.
What is something that you would
never wear?
I am a Detroit Red Wings fan, so you will never see me
in Chicago Blackhawks gear. I am also a Green Bay Packers
fan, so you won’t see me in any Chicago Bears gear, either.
If you could invite anyone to a fantasy
dinner party, who would it be?
Honestly, my friend Melon. I just hung out with him this
weekend, but I want him at any dinner party. Also, Steve
Yzerman. He played for all 22 seasons of his career with
the Detroit Red Wings.
Do you have a phobia of anything?
Super-tight spaces. Kind of a claustrophobia thing.
What goal do you have that you have
not yet achieved?
Having children. My wife and I want kids.
What was the last book that you read?
It was called “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny
and Murder,” by David Grann. It’s about a shipwreck
around Cape Horn, and it’s a really good book.
What was the last movie you saw?
It was probably a romantic comedy the wife had me
watch. I’m not a big movie guy. I think it was called “What
Happens in Vegas” with Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz.
What is your favorite song?
I’ve been listening to Riley Green lately, and I like the
song, “I Wish Grandpas Never Died.”
If you could be summed up in one word,
what would you want it to be?
“Beauty.” It’s a hockey term that refers to a person who is
loved not only for their skills on the ice but also for having a
great personality and is well-liked by their teammates.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 35

TALKING TCA
Heroes for Hire
Military veterans bring
valuable skills to jobs
in the civilian sector
By Kris Rutherford
Since the Class B Standardized Military Truck, also known
as the “Liberty Truck,” debuted at the start of World
War I, skilled operators have been needed for military
operations. As trucks improved during and after the war,
they became vehicles society relied on for the rapid advent of
new technologies and transportation systems.
In fact, at the time, the military offered some of the best training
available for operators of heavy vehicles.
It’s likely no surprise that, as the war came to an end and soldiers
returned home to their families and civilian life, many veterans
found employment as drivers, navigating delivery trucks
through city streets and along the nation’s highways.
Today, the various branches of the U.S. military operate more
than 170,000 non-combat trucks in dozens of models. Each of
these trucks has one thing in common: There is a skilled driver
behind the wheel. It is for this reason that many commercial motor
carriers so highly prize drivers who have served in the military.
When reviewing applications from military veterans, carrier
recruiters should consider the valuable skills, characteristics
and personality traits that are typical of service members and
carefully evaluate each candidate. At the same time, it is also
important that human resources professionals set aside any
preconceived stereotypes surrounding the term “veteran.”
The fact is, despite veterans’ service to their country, it is commonly
believed that most carry “baggage” because of their experiences,
especially those who have seen active combat. However, the
truth is that every potential driver, whether civilian or military, has
challenges and issues to overcome. Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) is not limited to soldiers and law enforcement officers.
See beyond the surface.
It’s the HR professional’s job to see through those challenges
and find the quality employee within.
Earlier this year, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) presented
a webinar on the topic, “The Veteran Among Us.” In the
webinar, panelists discussed the challenges and opportunities
veterans have when leaving the military and finding jobs in the
civilian sector.
One staggering statistic noted is that, upon discharge, 86%
of those leaving the military service do not know what they want
to do career-wise. That’s a huge pool of talent just waiting to be
guided along the best path.
When employers learn the intangible and transferable skills
the typical veteran possesses, they often realize those qualities
make former service members ideal job candidates for motor
carriers and other transportation-oriented businesses.
In the end, it is up to trucking industry recruiters to recognize
those skills and help transitioning soldiers embark on successful
careers.
Change is never easy.
This is a truth for the workforce in general, but it can be especially
true when recruiting veterans. Many veterans emerge
from the military with unique challenges. Some walk out the
gate into civilian life with no home to go to. Some face daunting
financial issues. And some are dealing with substance abuse.
Whether a former service member is struggling with such challenges
or not, an employer can play an important role in helping a
veteran conquer what can be a difficult transition to a civilian career.
One of the best ways to take advantage of a veteran’s unique
skillset is by placing them in a recruiting role, working to help
other service members step into a successful career. Veterans
know veterans best, and they know what motivates them.
One in four veterans is currently employed in the transportation
and logistics industry.
Why do former military personnel often find trucking so appealing?
First, the industry is an excellent example of civilian
employers taking advantage of transferable skills.
Just as the periods following World Wars I and II were marked
by a stream of motor pool operators entering civilian life, the
same holds true with the military today. Intangible, transferable,
skills possessed in abundance by veterans are just waiting to be
retargeted in the trucking industry.
It’s up to HR leaders to be prepared — to have programs already
in place that attract veterans and to offer attractive benefits.
Look for transferable skills.
The transferable skills possessed by former service members
are varied, and they are attractive to employers in all sectors.
36 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

First, consider the intangibles. Veterans typically possess
empathy and critical thinking skills, and they are adept at decision
making, even under pressure. When it comes to work ethic,
teamwork, leadership, mental toughness and ability to adapt to
various situations, it’s can be hard to find job candidates as wellqualified
as veterans. In fact, studies show that more than 75%
of veterans exhibit each of these traits upon exiting the military.
One of the issues facing recruiters when reviewing veteran’s
resumes is the way the skills are listed and how they transfer to
the civilian job description. Typically, recruiters find that veteran’s
resumes focus on teamwork, how they fit into a team environment,
their role within a team, and their importance to team success.
What veterans don’t realize is that in the civilian workforce, while
being able to work within a team is important, it is not the same as
the military. Recruiters are looking at resumes of specific candidates
who will fill specific roles. They want to know the candidates
on an individual level. It is important that veterans realize the employer
is interested in the skills that represent the individual.
Look at the individual.
Viewing a veteran as an individual rather than a stereotype is
especially important in the transportation sector.
Consider truck drivers. They most often work alone, sometimes
in the overnight hours when the world around them is
asleep. It can be a lonely career.
It is important that motor carriers implement ways to interact
with truck drivers aside from just seeing them in the office once
a week. They must monitor the mental health of all employees
who are living and working alone — whether they are military
veterans or lifelong civilians.
Leading companies implement mental health services into
their HR departments. This has been especially important since
the COVID-19 pandemic, and employers have heeded the call.
Coming out of the pandemic, only 30% to 40% of companies
in any sector offered mental health services. Today that number
has increased to 90%, a testament to the ability of corporate
America to react to changing times and worker needs.
Create a set of best practices.
The overriding need in the transportation industry is a set of
best practices for recruiting military veterans. Such practices
should include guidelines and expectations, personal and professional
development opportunities, and mentoring programs
(preferably with a veteran-veteran relationship).
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
recognizes the value of bringing skilled veterans into the trucking
industry. To help streamline the transition from the military
to trucking, FMCSA is implementing programs allowing veterans
to skip the written and/or skills tests to earn a CDL — provided
a set of specific requirements is met. Likewise, the agency
continues to experiment with allowing veterans under age 21 to
drive interstate routes.
Ultimately, the success or failure of a carrier’s veteran recruitment
effort is based on support from company leadership.
When CEOs prioritize recruiting and retaining military veterans,
they hire HR employees with dedication and determination to
implement veteran recruitment programs.
Working together, the industry can pave the way for a new
wave of veterans to drive a new breed of “Liberty Truck” across
North America.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 37

TALKING TCA
Shining a
LIGHT
Helping others
overcome challenges
drives TCA Professional
Driver of the Year
Rosalinda Tejada
By Dana Guthrie
When Knight Transportation driver Rosalinda
Tejada learned she had been named one of
the five Professional Drivers of the Year by
the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), she
says she was sure there had been some kind of mistake.
“I was shocked,” Tejada told Truckload Authority. “I
thought they were jiving me!
“They told me that it was because of the help I give to
others and the dedication I have to my job,” she continued.
“Knowledge is power — and if we have it, we need to
pass it on to others. It’s not just for me to keep.”
During TCA’s 2024 annual convention, held in Nashville
March 23-26, Tejada and four other drivers were honored
as the association’s Professional Drivers of the Year.
Each driver was recognized for outstanding performance
both on the job and off.
Tejada’s story is one of deep personal strength and resilience.
From surviving abusive relationships and dealing with
the tragic shooting of a sibling to living with diagnoses
of both lupus and fibromyalgia, she has worked hard to
overcome every obstacle. In fact, Tejada has turned those
experiences into a life of serving others and training the
next generation.
When she was working to take control of her life and
support herself, her uncle, a driver for Knight Transportation,
shone a light on the trucking industry, suggesting
that Tejada get her CDL. While she was hesitant at first
due to her family responsibilities, Tejada quickly realized
this was her chance to achieve her dreams and allow her
to take care of herself and her family.
“The traveling aspect appealed to me the most,” she
said.
Once she had her CDL, it was time to take the next step:
Find a job as a driver.
“When I was deciding which company to go with, I
looked into different companies,” Tejada shared. “The
reason I chose Knight over all the other companies was
38 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

their safety. I love their history. I talked to other drivers.
“I went to other places to visit too, but I really liked what
Knight stood for,” she continued. “They have an opendoor
policy. We share personal cell numbers and emails,
and I can call anyone right now. I love their (dedication
to) safety and that they do hair follicle drug testing. When
I started out elsewhere, companies didn’t have that. You
had people out there driving on all kinds of drugs.”
Today, she says, training new drivers is an essential
part of her job at Knight, adding that she works hard to
help them learn company culture as well as about life as
an over-the-road (OTR) driver.
“I try to put myself in their shoes,” she explained. “I
remember being nervous and scared.”
Drivers who train with Tejada receive a gift.
“I give everyone a welcome pack to help them feel
more at home,” she said. “It’s kind of like a beach bag
with pockets, and I load it up with snacks, drinks, Advil,
Tums — things you are going to need. I want them to feel
special and welcome in my truck.”
While she has achieved many goals during her years
as a driver, one of Tejada’s favorite accomplishments is
driving one of the first Children’s Miracle Network trucks.
“My truck raises money for the pet therapy program for
the children’s hospital,” she said. “They are going to have
a total of four trucks in the fleet. Mine is the first one.
“We deliver the supplies for the Children’s Miracle Network
convention that happens every April in Orlando,”
she continued. “We get to meet the champions, the kids.
We have a ‘touch-a-truck’ event where the kids come inside
my truck and check it out and honk the horn.”
With a laugh, Tejada shared that the question she is
asked most often by the children during these events is,
“Where do you go to the bathroom?”
“We go to a lot of events with my truck,” Tejada said.
“Every mile that I drive donates three cents to the children’s
hospital. That’s why it’s important for me to drive
consistently and get my miles in, because it’s going to a
good cause.”
Another way Tejada works to give back to is by pouring
her efforts into improving the lives of other women.
“I do volunteer at a women’s shelter when I can I take
my truck,” Tejada said. “I talk to the ladies about truck
driving — how it saved me.
“I let them know that there is hope and let them know
that they’ve gotta find their self-worth. They can be independent,
and there is a light at the end of the tunnel,”
she added.
Tejada sees her life as a testimony that allows her to
help those in need.
“I want to be a message for others,” Tejada said. “I
didn’t know it at the time, but all of the struggles that I
went through made me a stronger person, and a wiser
person, and I want to pass that along.
“I didn’t have anyone to guide me through those times,
and I want to be that person who helps guide others, so
they know they are not alone. I want people to know it’s
going to be OK,” she concluded.
Knowledge is power — and if
we have it, we need to pass
it on to others. It’s not just
for me to keep.”
— Rosalinda Tejada
driver for knight transportation &
tca professional driver of the year
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 39

TALKING TCA
What’s new at TCA
TCA launches Drivers’ Choice Awards
to honor association’s Elite Fleets
In addition to outstanding safety records and other typical indicators, the
best fleets in North America have satisfied drivers who love their job, as well
as their employer. To celebrate these companies, the Truckload Carriers Association
(TCA) has launched a brand-new program.
The TCA Drivers’ Choice Awards — The Elite Fleets, presented in partnership
with The University of Denver’s Transportation and Supply Chain Institute,
is designed to seek out carriers that provide exceptional workplace experiences
for their company drivers and independent contractors.
Jim Ward, President of TCA, had this to say about TCA Drivers’ Choice
Awards. “Recognizing and celebrating the best carrier workplaces in the
North American trucking industry not only acknowledges the efforts of these
companies but also promotes a culture of excellence and driver satisfaction
within the industry,” said Jim Ward, president of TCA. “By partnering with a
reputable institution like the University of Denver, the program ensures that
the surveys and scoring are conducted impartially and with a high level of
professionalism.”
As the name suggests, the awards are based on professional driver feedback
and satisfaction. Only TCA carrier members can participate. Nominations will
open later this year. After being nominated, carriers and their drivers will be
asked to complete surveys, which will be administered, overseen and scored
by the University of Denver’s Transportation and Supply Chain Institute.
The top-scoring carriers will be celebrated at TCA’s 2025 convention,
scheduled for March 15-18 in Phoenix.
“Trucking is the nation circulatory system. Anything the Institute can do to
support the betterment of the industry is part of our charter,” he continued.
“Our process will reveal statistically important information that will help the
TCA members drive excellence through their organizations. We are honored to
have been selected as the partner for this significant initiative.”
In preparing for this new initiative, TCA surveyed its membership and then
formed four working groups that helped provide input on the program’s structure,
the attributes associated with satisfied drivers, and many other aspects
of the program. This has truly been a membership-led effort.
TCA also thanks presenting co-sponsors EpicVue, TruckRight and Samsara.
Truckload Carriers
Association
40 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

TCA’s 2024 Refrigerated Meeting
delivers unique opportunities
If your company works with temperature-controlled freight, don’t miss out on TCA’s
2024 Refrigerated Meeting, set for July 15-17 at Lodge at Spruce Creek in beautiful Stowe,
Vermont.
Each year, TCA hosts the three-day event, which features educational content tailored
to the refrigerated segment, along with unique networking receptions, discussion groups
and more.
Attendees won’t want to miss keynote speaker is Raymont Harris, aka the “Quiet Storm,”
a former NFL player who has transitioned into a successful entrepreneur, keynote speaker,
educator and transformational coach. Harris captivates audiences with his skillful storytelling,
incorporating engaging narratives, humorous anecdotes and an infectious energy.
Through his presentations, he not only shares his inspiring journey but also equips the
audience with the essential tools to cultivate an elite mindset and foster self-belief.
This year’s agenda includes an array of educational sessions and discussions, including:
• Key Data and Refrigerated Market Outlook
• Building Successful Customer Carrier Relationships
• Strategies to Build Driver Productivity and Motivation
• Refrigerated Tech Innovation
• Technology Sessions for Operations and Maintenance
• Refrigerated Economic Outlook
It’s not all work, though — the event offers plenty of chances for socializing, enjoying
the great outdoors, hitting a few strokes on the course during the golf tournament, and
touring the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory for a behind-the-scenes look (and taste!) at the
popular brand’s production facilities.
For information about the event or to register, visit tcarefrigerated.com.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 41

TALKING TCA
What’s new at TCA
(Continued)
Jeff McKinney (center), vice president of safety for Jetco Delivery and recipient of TCA’s 2024 Safety Professional of the Year award, poses with David Heller, TCA’s
senior vice president of safety and government affairs (left) and Kyle Kristynik, president of Jetco Delivery.
Jetco’s Jeff McKinney named TCA’s
2024 Safety Professional of the Year
During the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) 43rd
annual Safety & Security Meeting, held June 2-4 in Indianapolis,
the association named Jeff McKinney as the 2024
Safety Professional of the Year.
This honor is awarded to a trucking industry professional
whose actions and achievements have made a profound
contribution to enhancing safety on North America’s
highways.
McKinney, who serves as vice president of safety for
Houston, Texas-based Jetco Delivery, has three decades of
experience in the trucking industry, starting as a driver and
night warehouse manager.
In 1994, he joined Werner Enterprises as a company
driver before moving into the role of safety supervisor,
where he managed DOT compliance and safety meetings.
After Werner, McKinney served as a lead trainer at United
Driver Services, where he provided CDL training and defensive
driving courses. In 2002, he stepped into the role
of director of safety and operations manager for General
Logistics, where he is credited with significantly reducing
costs and the number of accidents.
Soon after joining Jetco Delivery in 2007, McKinney’s
initiatives, including the early adoption of elogs, cut accident
frequency by 50%. In addition, he earned the designation
of Certified Director of Safety from the North American
Transportation Management Institute in 2007.
In the years since, he has led Jetco to numerous safety
awards and is an active participant and presenter at industry
conferences. His leadership has also improved regional road
safety, significantly reducing distracted driving, and crashes.
SEE SAFETY, PAGE 46
42 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

Make your voices heard on Capitol Hill
Each year, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
gives its members an opportunity to help shape the
association’s future and make their voice heard among
lawmakers on Capitol Hill. This year’s Fall Business
Meetings and Call on Washington are scheduled for
September 11-12.
“It’s our responsibility as an industry to educate policymakers
about the practical effects of legislation on our
operations and ensure they understand our most pressing
needs,” said Dave Williams, senior vice president
of equipment and government affairs for Knight-Swift
Transportation and immediate past chair of TCA.
“This is our opportunity to step up as a membership
and discuss the issues that are at the top of your agendas
and help our policymakers get a real understanding of the
issues that we deal with on a daily basis,” he added.
To register for both events and find updated information
in the coming months, visit tcafallcall.com.
Fall Business Meetings (September 11)
In addition to attending committee meetings, TCA
members will have the opportunity to hear from guest
speakers and get an inside look at the policymaking
process.
A few of the issues on the agenda for this year’s meetings
are truck parking, misclassification, zero-emission
vehicles, hair follicle testing, speed limiters, AB5, young
driver programs, driver recruiting and retention, trucking
image programs, membership campaigns and more.
Committee membership is not required for TCA members
to attend the committee and board meetings. For
more information, contact Amelia Rose, TCA’s meetings
coordinator, at arose@truckload.org.
Call on Washington (September 12)
During TCA’s annual Call on Washington, members
have a chance to meet face to face with the nation’s
policymakers and their staffs, and to ensure the voice of
truckload is represented on Capitol Hill.
Attendees will also receive updates from key Congressmen
and Senators who are leaders of transportation-focused
committees and from expert Hill committee staff.
Through these discussions, TCA members will learn
what the future holds for trucking legislation, particularly
potential congressional movement on infrastructure
proposals.
Participation in TCA’s Call on Washington is reserved
for association members only.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 43

TALKING TCA
TCA Highway Angels
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has recognized
professional truck drivers Rodney Clay, Andrew Hastie, Stephen
Miller, Andre Reynolds and Devin Rhinehardt as TCA
Highway Angels because of their acts of heroism while on
the road. In recognition of these drivers’ willingness to help
fellow drivers and motorists, TCA has presented each Highway
Angel with a certificate, a lapel pin, patches, and truck
decals. Their employers have also received a certificate
highlighting their driver as a recipient.
Since the program began in 1997, nearly 1,300 professional
truck drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels
because of the exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage
they have displayed while on the job. TCA extends special
thanks to the program’s presenting sponsor, EpicVue, and
supporting sponsors DriverFacts and Northland Insurance.
To nominate a driver or read more about these and other
Highway Angel award recipients, visit highwayangel.org.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RODNEY CLAY
Norton Transport — Ringgold, Georgia
On March 4, around 1:30 p.m.,
Rodney Clay who lives in Riverview,
Florida, and drives for
Georgia-based Norton Transport,
was driving on Interstate 435 in
Lawrence, Kansas, when a car
about a quarter mile ahead of him
crashed.
“I saw a car practically in the air,
flipping. Nobody was stopping,” Rodney Clay
said Clay, who is a 30-year veteran
of the U.S. Marine Corps. “So, I pulled over about 100 yards
in front of the car, off the interstate. I ran towards the car
and saw it smoking and had fluid leaking.”
The car, which had flipped, hit the ground, slid to the fast
lane wall and crashed into the median wall, was severely
damaged.
When Clay reached the car, he saw that all the air bags
had deployed. He couldn’t immediately tell whether anyone
was in the front passenger seat. He says he lifted the passenger-side
airbag, afraid of what he might see. Beneath the
airbag was a young girl, who was screaming and shaking.
The driver, a woman, was bleeding from her mouth.
Knowing he needed more help, Clay stood in the way of
traffic and stopped another truck, whose driver got out to
assist.
“I told the women, ‘You have to get out of this car now.
It’s smoking really bad,’” Clay said. “I was afraid it was going
to blow up.”
The girl told her rescuers that she couldn’t feel her hips.
Together, Clay and the other driver pulled her out of the
vehicle and then rescued the driver, moving both far away
from the smoking vehicle. The girl borrowed Clay’s phone
and tried to call her father, but there was no answer. Soon,
paramedics arrived, and Clay left the scene.
Afterward, he says, he texted the girl’s father to tell him
what happened; later that day, the father called Clay to thank
him for helping his family.
Clay explained why he stopped to help: As the father of
six, he thinks about paying it forward.
“If it happened to any of my kids, I’d want somebody to
stop,” he said.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ANDREW HASTIE
Decker Truck Line — Ft. Dodge, Montana
Andrew Hastie, who lives in
Bryan, Texas, and drives for Montana-based
Decker Truck Line,
was driving south on Interstate
75 in Kennesaw, Georgia, around
2:30 p.m. on April 29, when he
came upon the scene of an accident.
A car was ablaze about
25 yards off the highway, in the
woods.
Andrew Hastie
Others had already stopped to
help and were attempting to put out the fire, but Hastie saw
one of the rescuers pointing to a fire extinguisher, indicating
that another one was needed.
“My thought process at that point was, ‘I’ve gotta stop; I
just can’t keep going,’” Hastie said, noting that he had a fire
extinguisher with him.
He pulled over, grabbed the extinguisher and ran to the
burning car, where he tried unsuccessfully to open the driver’s
door and get the driver out.
“It was one of the worst (accidents) I’ve seen,” Hastie
said. The bystanders were able to pull an injured female passenger
out of the vehicle. She was eventually life-flighted to
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Presenting Sponsor
AND
Supporting Sponsors
44 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

eceive medical attention. Her condition is unknown. Hastie
says he suspects the driver did not survive the wreck.
Paramedics, fire crews and other responders arrived five
or 10 minutes after Hastie stopped to help. A former volunteer
police/firefighter, Hastie helped lay the fire hoses out to
extinguish the flames. Looking back, he’s glad he stopped.
“They needed a fire extinguisher; I had a fire extinguisher,”
he said. “If I had just kept going, I would have felt like crap.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
STEPHEN MILLER
Hogan Transports, Inc. — Maryland Heights, Missouri
Stephen Miller of Tifton, Georgia,
who drives for Missouri-based
Hogan Transports, Inc., earned his
Highway Angel wings after helping
put out a car fire.
Shortly after midnight on February
21, Miller was traveling south
on Interstate 75 in Punta Gorda,
Florida, when a car passed him
at a high rate of speed. As they Stephen Miller
passed over a bridge near exit
164, the vehicle in front of Miller hit a dip in the road.
“The guy hit the dip, and I thought he wiped out because
there was a huge plume of smoke,” Miller said. “As I was
coming through the smoke, I was looking for a wrecked-out
vehicle.”
When he spotted the vehicle, which hadn’t yet stopped,
smoke was billowing out from underneath, quickly followed
by flames. The driver pulled off the road. Miller pulled his
truck over, grabbed his fire extinguisher and sprang into action
as other vehicles passed the scene.
“I jumped out, ran back there and shot the fire extinguisher
underneath the car to see if I could get the fire out from
there, because that’s where it was coming from,” Miller said.
The fire continued to grow, however, so Miller asked the
other driver to pop the hood — whereupon Miller deployed
the rest of the fire extinguisher. The fire was still not out, so
Miller returned to his truck and grabbed a 40-pack of bottled
water.
“I got the fire out with the bottles of water,” said Miller,
who has been driving a truck for 10 years. He stayed by the
vehicle with the driver until first responders arrived. There
were no injuries to the male driver and passenger from the
vehicle.
“I was raised, if you see something, you help out if you
can. We gotta look out for each other,” Miller said.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ANDRE REYNOLDS
Hogan Transports, Inc. — Maryland Heights, Missouri
On April 15, at about 1 p.m., Andre Reynolds of Phoenix,
who also drives for Hogan Transports, was traveling near
Utica, Mississippi, along MS27, a two-lane highway, when
he noticed a Ford Mustang turning into his lane. The car
was moving erratically and came
almost to a stop in the lane, nearly
causing a collision, before suddenly
veering off the road and
landing head-first in a ditch.
“I was so close to hitting
this dude,” Reynolds said.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all!”
Reynolds pulled over to check
Andre Reynolds
on the other driver and discovered
that the man behind the wheel of
the Mustang was having a seizure.
“He was pretty much incoherent,” Reynolds said.
Another driver stopped to help, so Reynolds asked him
to call 9-1-1. Together, they waited with the driver until the
seizure stopped. The man was still disoriented, but he tried
to make a phone call to his father. Reynolds took the phone
and explained to the man’s father what had happened.
“Slowly but surely, he started to come back,” Reynolds
said.
Once the accident victim was alert and walking on his
own, Reynolds left and continued on his way.
“I wouldn’t leave somebody in a bad spot,” he said. “It
doesn’t hurt to help somebody.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DEVIN RHINEHARDT
Maverick Transportation — North Little Rock, Arkansas
Devin Rhinehardt of Twinsburg,
Ohio, who drives for Arkansasbased
Maverick Transportation, is
honored for helping another driver,
who was injured and in need of
medical treatment.
On April 2, Rhinehardt was
picking up a load from a customer
in Silver Grove, Kentucky, when
Devin Rhinehardt
another driver walked into the office
and asked for an ambulance.
“I turn around and I saw blood just gushing out of his
arm,” Rhinehardt said, who immediately called 911. “There
was blood all over his arm, all over his chest — he was very
badly injured.”
The other driver had slipped, fallen and suffered a severe
cut on one wrist. Once Rhinehardt made sure help was
on the way, he ran to the guard shack to let security know
emergency responders were en route. When the ambulance
arrived, he led first responders to the injured man.
Looking back, Rhinehardt was glad he stepped up to help.
“I immediately realized that he was bleeding really bad. I
wasn’t just gonna sit there and watch the man die,” Rhinehardt
said.
Feedback from the hospital revealed that Rhinehardt’s
quick actions likely saved the other driver from bleeding out
on the way to the hospital.
TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 45

SAFETY, FROM PAGE 42
The Truckload Carriers Association
welcomes companies that joined the
association in April and May 2024.
Allen Lund Co. LLC
Ancora
Atlantic and Pacific Freightways
CameraMatics
Clifton Larson Allen
Ex-Guard
FleetDrive360, Inc.
Hurricane Express
Kenneth Copeland Ministries
Moeller Trucking, Inc.
MTM Trucking & Logistics
Nationwide Freight, Inc.
Pioneer Production Transport
Qued
Twin Mill Trucking LLC
Wisetech Global
Through his outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment
to safety, McKinney has left a lasting impact on the transportation
industry, ensuring the well-being of drivers and promoting
a culture of safety within organizations.
“One of the things that makes Jeff shine is his ability to make
safety approachable and accessible to all,” said Amanda Schuler,
strategic maintenance director. Schuler nominated McKinney for
TCA’s 2024 Safety Professional of the Year award.
“Jeff maintains a ‘see, say, do’ mentality. I frequently spot him
out with our professional drivers, diesel technicians, office staff
and more,” she explained. “His example helps us all live and
breathe safety every single day, across all departments of the
company.”
Kyle Kristynik, president of Jetco Deliver, agrees.
“Accountability is critical to any organization, and (is) one of our
core values at Jetco,” Kristynik said.
“I appreciate how Jeff incorporates accountability into Jetco’s
safety culture,” he continued. “He partners well with our operations
team, encouraging a culture in which everyone — not just
a single department — owns safety. Jeff also recognizes that for
everyone to be successful at their jobs, they must have the training
and tools (required) to execute.”
Kristynik describes McKinney as being born into the “oldschool-trucker”
mentality.
“Despite that, he has truly embraced the changing environment
of safety, using data and analytics to make first Jetco, and now the
whole GTI Group, a safer company,” Kristynik said. We couldn’t be
more proud of this recognition for Jeff. He is certainly deserving
of this honor.”
Truckload Carriers
Association
Cover Photo
iStock
Additional photography/Graphics
Eric Rivard: 34, 35
iStock: 4, 6-7, 8-9, 12, 13, 14, 16,
18-19, 20-21, 22-23, 24, 25, 36-37,
40, 41, 44-45, 46
Maverick Transportation: 30
The Associated Press: 10
Truckload Carriers Association:
3, 26-27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34,
38, 39, 42, 43, 44, 45
46 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024

TCA JULY/AUGUST 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 47