Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants on winning the 2014 World Series! And, a huge tip of the hat to the Kansas City Royals who provided some of the most exciting post-season moments in baseball history.  For awhile, baseball truly was the nation’s pastime again!

Professional Truck Drivers Selected as America’s Road Team Finalists

American Trucking Associations named 32 professional truck drivers as finalists in the selection process to become Captains on the 2015-2016 America’s Road Team.

“The professional drivers selected as finalists are great industry ambassadors,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “These professionals all have impressive driving records, share a passion for safety and are engaged in their communities. We are honored to have them participate in this prestigious selection process and I look forward to meeting them in January.”

America’s Road Team, a group of professional truck drivers with superior safety records, was created in 1986 to represent the trucking industry and is sponsored by Volvo Trucks.

The 32 professional truck drivers now move on to the final round of the selection process, which will be held January 11-14 in Arlington. A panel of industry officials and trucking news media will judge the contestants on their knowledge of the trucking industry, dedication to safety, ability to communicate the industry’s messages and overall safe driving record.

The newly chosen 2015-2016 America’s Road Team will be announced on January 14.  New Captains, after receiving their signature navy blue America’s Road Team blazer, will begin working to share the industry’s message of safety, essentiality and sustainability with the motoring public, news media, business and community leaders, public officials and their fellow drivers across the nation.

To be nominated to serve as an America’s Road Team Captain, professional truck drivers must be employed or leased to an ATA member company. Each nominee should have an excellent safety record, and should demonstrate an ability to communicate his or her commitment to safety and passion for the industry. Nominees should also portray a positive image of the professional truck driver in all that they do.

The finalists include:
Paul D. Brandon, Fed Ex Freight, Oxford, Conn.
Henry Bruster, UPS Freight, Woodville, Miss.
Richard Buitrago, Con-way Freight, Kissimmee, Fla.
Gary Lee Capps, UPS Freight, Grantsville, Utah
Kenneth J. Clark, YRC Freight, Desoto, Mo.
David Conkling, Werner Enterprises, Metairie, La.
Charles E. Demchock, II, Walmart Transportation, Cocoa, Fla.
Eric Flick, FedEx Freight, Dayton, Nev.
David Green, Werner Enterprises, Hot Springs, Ark.
Neil Kirk, Penske Logistics, Middletown, N.Y.
Randall Luschen, Weinrich Truck Line, Inc., Merrill, Iowa
Clarence Wilburn Lyons, YRC Freight, Haltom City, Texas
Thomas McIntosh, YRC Freight, Aurora, Colo.
John McKown, UPS Freight, East Berlin, Penn.
Tim W. Melody, ABF Freight System, Inc., Payette, Idaho.
Chad Miller, ABF Freight System, Inc., Crown Point, Ind.
Bill Minor, Con-way Freight, West Milwaukee, Wis.
Brent Quire, Con-way Freight, New Albany, Ind.
Eric Ramsdell, Walmart Transportation, Whitmann, Ariz.
Terry Rankins, Weinrich Truck Line, Inc., Tollesboro, Ky.
Paul Savill, UPS Freight, Hamilton, Ohio
Gary Schmidt, Cliff Viessman, Inc., Fergus Falls, Minn.
Russell Simpson, Holland, Inc., South Vienna, Ohio
Danny Smith, Big G Express, Inc., Shelbyville, Tenn.
Clarence Taylor, Walmart Transportation, North Chesterfield, Va.
Stanley J. Thrasher, Danny Herman Trucking, Inc., Boaz, Ala.
Brian K. Turner, Old Dominion Freight Line, Newport, Tenn.
Tim Vogt, Con-way Freight, Loganville, Ga.
Kirk Weis, ABF Freight System, Inc., Rio Rancho, N.M.
William West, ABF Freight System, Inc., Roopville, Ga.
Derrick Whittle, Cargo Transporters, Inc., Fieldale, Va.
Scott D. Woodrome, FedEx Freight, Middletown, Ohio

The America's Road Team, sponsored by Volvo Trucks, is a national public outreach program led by a small group of professional truck drivers who share superior driving skills, remarkable safety records and a strong desire to spread the word about safety on the highway. www.americasroadteam.com.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation’s freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward

Check out these forklift drivers from Taiwan. These guys know how to get things done!
Creative Movers in Taiwan

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Truckload of Respect website makes it easier and more efficient for trucking industry to support Wreaths Across America’s December 13th initiative

Over the years, the trucking industry, led by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), has become an enthusiastic supporter of the non-profit organization Wreaths Across America (WAA). Now, TCA has devised more efficient and economical ways for its members and others in the trucking industry to participate in WAA’s signature event, National Wreaths Across America™ Day.

National Wreaths Across America Day will take place on Saturday, December 13, 2014. Fresh wreaths will be trucked to nearly 1,000 veterans’ cemeteries across the country as well as Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) in Virginia. Volunteers will then place the wreaths on the graves of those who served — and often gave their lives for — the United States.

But the logistics of getting the greenery to all of those cemeteries requires significant effort and a lot of advance planning. Trucking companies, owner operators, and professional truck drivers that may be located in all parts of the country must get to one of four origination points for wreath pickup. They must then transport the wreaths to the various cemeteries in cities across the U.S. Additional trucks will haul the majority of the wreaths from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington, Virginia, via the “world’s largest veterans' parade.” This convoy of 18-wheelers drives down the East Coast for a week prior to the event, stopping at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes, and communities for rallies and educational events along the way.

As the effort has attracted more publicity over the years, donations for wreaths have increased – but so has the need for more trucks and personnel to haul them. Last year, TCA and some of its members coordinated the load planning manually, but it was difficult to stay on top of the loads with new wreath donations continually arriving closer to the event. This year, with the help of TCA member Tennant Truck Lines, Inc., of Colona, Illinois, load history from the last three years has been analyzed, resulting in a projection of the most economical and efficient routes available. Carriers can now use the Truckload of Respect website to choose routes that make the most business sense for them. They can sort by origination point, state, number of stops, and can even select a particular local cemetery. Although TCA may have to make final adjustments to the routes, at least carriers will have a general idea of the dates, times, routes, and resources that will be needed.

“After scrambling to patch loads together, it was time to take it up a notch and apply solid trucking logic to this endeavor,” said Aaron Tennant, company president and TCA’s at-large officer. “I remember when Barry Pottle, a past TCA chairman, first told us about how he was hauling wreaths for WAA. Although he personally did not serve his country, he said this was his way of giving back to those who did. We pretty much all feel that way now. So tightening up the way we coordinate the loads is just another way we can improve something we strongly believe in.”

A second new feature of the Truckload of Respect website is the ability to sponsor a load. For example, if carriers do not have the resources to haul wreaths themselves, they can sponsor the fuel cost for an owner operator to do it.
Finally, the website can be used to purchase wreaths. Because of the special 150th anniversary of ANC, TCA’s goal is to help WAA raise enough money to sponsor 230,000 wreaths – close to 87,000 more than last year – which would cover every grave marker at the Cemetery. Individuals and companies are asked to sponsor one wreath for $15, or a box of eight wreaths for $120. In addition, for $40 (includes shipping and handling), professional truck drivers can purchase a “Trucking Patriot Pair” – one wreath to attach on the grill of their truck and a corresponding wreath to be laid at Arlington on National Wreaths Across America Day – and join the rolling tribute of drivers honoring veterans.

To make or select a delivery route, sponsor a load, or donate a wreath, please visit www.TruckloadofRespect.com. You can also stay informed about TCA’s involvement in National Wreaths Across America Day by following us on Twitter – www.truckload.org/Twitter — and Facebook — www.truckload.org/Facebook — and by using the hashtag #121314SayIDid.