Mack Donates Anthem Truck for Veteran Outreach

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mack

Mack Donates Anthem Truck to the American Trucking Association (ATA) to assist in their veteran recruitment efforts.

The cab, wrapped top to bottom in camouflage, attracts veterans to look at careers in the trucking industry. In addition, recruiting events at military bases, schools, and career fairs feature the truck.

Recently, in a press release, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear spoke on behalf of Mack’s latest donation.

“ATA is thrilled that Mack Trucks has again stepped up on behalf of our industry. This new Mack Anthem demonstrates the thousands of great trucking jobs available to military veterans,” he stated. “As a military dad, this partnership demonstrates how industries showcase themselves to individuals who served the nation. Lastly, I thank Mack Trucks for giving us the opportunity to expand our efforts on this issue.”

Image via Mack Trucks

In addition, the Mack Anthem offers excellent safety features and incredible comfort, making it the ideal cab for any driver.

Also, “It’s equipped with a Mack MP®8HE-415SE engine with 415 horsepower and 1,660 lb.-ft. of torque and Mack mDRIVE™ automated manual transmission.” Therefore, drivers focus on the road ahead instead of constantly shifting gears.

Also, along with efforts throughout the trucking industry, studies show that vets assist in solving the driver shortage.

“Mack proudly demonstrates our support of veterans through this donation. We look forward to working with ATA to shine a light on trucking opportunities,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of North American Sales and Marketing. “Overall, trucking offers a great career option, especially for veterans, many of whom have experience driving large trucks.”

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Illinois Trucking School Boasts 2,000+ Trucking Students

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Illinois Trucking School

Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) trained over 2,000 student CDL truck drivers.

Image result for ivcc illinois

Image via IVCC

Since the program’s inception in 2000, each student received their CDL license, all endorsements, and other skills, including logging, backing, and maneuvering. In addition, the program’s administrative assistant, Mary Beth Liss, stated in a press release that many students come to them without even knowing how to drive a manual transition. “Our instructors are happy to teach them,” Liss said.

Also, Bruce Hartman, the program’s coordinator, says that the program educates the public on the misconceptions of trucker life.

“People also think if they get their CDL, they may have to travel and be gone from home for long periods of time. This is incorrect as we have many local jobs,” Hartman said. “In fact, we currently have information on over 20 local jobs and about 50 regional and over-the-road jobs.”

Veterans have also been taking full advantage of this program. According to current program students, the Illinois Veterans Grant or Post 911 benefits left them with only $237 of their tuition left to pay.

IVCC offers both day and night school each semester for this 160-hour program. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, but no prior driving experience is required.

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Trucking Industry Raises $80,000 for Wreaths Across America Veterans

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Wreaths Across America donations support drivers who volunteer trucks to deliver wreaths for veterans’ tombstones.

Wreaths Across America Veterans

Image via Overdrive

The Truckload Carriers Association hosted its annual gala to raise money for truckers who haul wreaths for Wreaths Across America. Each December, the WAA provides thousands of wreaths for veteran tombstones at more than 1,400 cemeteries.

More than 230 trucking industry executives, suppliers, and families gathered to raise the money. In addition, National Association of Independent Truckers and IAT Insurance Group donated the biggest donation of $50,000. Pilot Flying J and Freightliner co-sponsored the event, along with TravelCenters of America, Petro, Randall Reilly, and DriverFacts.

The majority of donations go towards drivers’ fuel costs. WAA representative Debbie Sparks told Overdrive, “Our reliance on independent truck owner-operators cannot be understated when talking about the success of National Wreaths Across America Day.”

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UPS To Hire 100,000 Drivers For Holidays

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Hire 100,000 Drivers

The United Parcel Service (UPS) is set to hire 100,000 drivers for the upcoming holiday season.

In a press release issued this past month, UPS stated they seek temporary employees and will hire 100,000 drivers for the vital holiday season. In past years, the company shipped over 750 million packages between the months of November and December. According to CNBC, UPS seeks 5.3% more drivers this year to keep up with increased shipping demands.

Hire 100,000 Drivers

Image via Fox 6 Now

“Over the last three years, 35 percent of the people UPS hired for seasonal package handler jobs transitioned into a permanent position,” UPS stated.

“The full- and part-time seasonal positions, primarily package handlers, drivers and driver-helpers, serve as an entry point for permanent employment. Furthermore, many senior UPS executives, including Chief Executive Officer David Abney and others on the senior leadership team, started their UPS careers as part-time employees.”

Above all, as UPS prepares to hire 100,000 drivers, they boast fair pay and excellent healthcare benefits. In addition, UPS offers retirement plans, as well as tuition towards their Earn and Learn college program.

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How Holland Trucking Co. Is Coping With The Driver Shortage

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Image via Holland Trucking Co.

Holland Trucking Co.’s veteran apprenticeship program may combat their struggle with the driver shortage.

Ever since the driver shortage began nearly 15 years ago, freight companies across the nation felt its sting. Recruiters of Michigan-based Holland Trucking Co. face the same challenges. But, instead of waiting for a change, they face the issue head on.

Holland Trucking Co. partnered with the federal department of Labor and Veterans Affairs to create a veteran training program. Overall, the program helps vets transition back into civilian life.

“Veterans, certainly we’re interested in, because they’ve already got the quality we’re looking for in any of our employees.”

“The focus, the discipline, the critical thinking skills … we’re definitely interested in that pool of candidates entering the program,” Tamara Jalving, director of talent acquisition at Holland, told Transport Topics.

Vets without a commercial drivers license enter the Dock-to-Driver program. Then, they will complete training and engage in professional mentorship until they earn their CDL. Those vets who already have their CDL will continue to work with industry professionals, and earn any necessary hours and endorsements to complete their certification.

In addition, the driver training program is available in 51 of Holland’s 53 locations. The Dock-to-Driver program is available in 26 locations.

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Tech Thursday: The New ELD Every Trucker Is Talking About

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New ELD

PeopleNet’s new Android-powered PD.5 might be the one you’ve been searching for.

Image via TT News

Many truckers were shocked by the new ELD mandate passed in late December of 2015. Even more became uncomfortable in their attempt to comply with it after the mandatory installation of ELD’s in each commercial truck just months ago.

No one enjoys having the government track their every move. However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration felt that the ELD’s automatic documentation was far sufficient to the pen and paper many truckers had used previously.

Whether you’re a fan or not, every commercial carrier must have an ELD installed in the dashboard. In addition, the device replaces the need for individual Record of Duty Status (RODS). Also, it shares similar features with both electronic on-boarding devices (EOBRs) and automatic on-boarding devices (AOBRDs).

However, the benefit of many ELDs goes far beyond the data collected through EOBRs and AOBRDs.

While other logging devices only look at speed and time spent driving, ELDs also focuses on driver behavior such as hard braking or idling. Many devices also include mapping features for easier navigation as well as automatic updates on a driver’s status to dispatch.

As the leading provider in fleet mobility technology, PeopleNet always aims to deliver the highest quality devices for their customers. Their newest toy, the PD.5, is no exception. Made with truckers in mind, the electric logging device accomplishes everything on the road. Their mounted display was made specifically for the trials of trucking, while still incorporating everything you could ever need.

In the words of PeopleNet, “The ELD mandate is a complicated thing. Our electronic logging devices help you simplify it.”

The new PD.5 runs on the familiar Android LCD display, which makes navigating this device easier than ever.

It is super lightweight, allowing for easy use both inside and outside of your cab. Plus, a higher bandwidth of 20MHz will make sure every mile you drive is logged quickly.

No matter if you’re dropping off in the city or traveling through the rural countryside, you can ensure that your ELD is connected and secure.

In addition, the PD.5 includes other features, such as Bluetooth, a six-hour battery life, 16GBs, and a case.

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Overworked and Overtired: Why Trucking is Headed in A Dangerous Direction

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Researchers confirmed that truckers who work more than 60-hours are too tired to be on the road.

On average, truckers work 50% more than other U.S. workers, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. With the roadways and highways as their workplace, this puts themselves and other motorists, at greater risk of crashing.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration over 3,830 roadway users–drivers, bicyclists, and truckers–died in heavy vehicle crashes in 2015.

2 in 5 truckers report they work over the recommended 60-hour work week, and 1 in 5 report working over 70+ hours. Therefore, it’s no wonder that these numbers are expected to rise.

A big factor in tracking the hours a driver spends on the road is the lack of pay for the time that truckers are waiting “off-duty”.

The time spent loading and unloading often goes unpaid, allowing truckers to extend their work week and drive more. Because this “off-duty” time is unpaid, cargo owners lack motivation to work quickly. As a result, they end up wasting over $1 billion dollars that would otherwise land in truckers’ pockets.

“There’s a lot of wasted time in trucking.”

“The industry could be a lot more efficient,” trucker Donald Rich told The Washington Post. “You sit outside a business for 6-8 hours waiting for someone to unload your truck. Businesses don’t care, but you lose hundreds or thousands of dollars of potential pay because you have to just wait.”

A possible solution here is a major increase in wages on both ends of the loading process. If drivers were compensated for their off-duty time, it would cost the industry billions. However, it might be more cost effective to simply cut down on the waiting time. If cargo workers were incentivized to move more quickly, perhaps that down time would decrease.

Another option is to both incentivize those responsible for loading and unloading cargo, as well as pay, even a half-wage, to truckers for off-duty time. This might offset the need for drivers to work regular overtime hours, and allow for a better work-life balance at home.

So, when will these wage increases take place?

Soon, hopefully. With the ever increasing demand for drivers nation wide, some companies are offering pay rates the likes of which have never been seen. For some companies, this already includes off-duty pay. As both benefits and wages increase, more and more drivers are beginning to notice the keen position they’ve been put in.

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Susan Fall Awarded PR World PR Champion of the Year

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Image via LaunchIt

Susan Fall, owner of LaunchIt Public Relations, received PR World’s PR Champion of the Year award for her work in the trucking and transportation industry.

“My personal passion is to improve the image of the truck driver. Because, without them, this country would come to a halt in a matter of days.”

Fall founded LaunchIt in 2000 with a goal of bringing innovative products into the trucking industry. She noticed a discrepancy between management within the industry, and the lack of technology being used to better transportation across the board.

Fall’s firm specifically focuses on maintaining their relationships with experts in the industry. And in return, Fall says this sets her firm apart. She spent the last 20+ years dedicated to media education of the transportation industry.

“Pretty proud of this award because it’s… a personal achievement that I’ve been passionate about since I got involved in the trucking industry 25 years ago,” Fall stated. “Word is spreading about the need to respect and appreciate America’s Truck Drivers! Finally!!”

Even in her acceptance speech, Fall chose to focus solely on raising awareness for the transportation industry.

“It’s not an industry many people think about. When you think about it, every material thing in this room was on a truck, yet a truck driver is perhaps one of the most least appreciated professions out there.”

From all of us here at Drive My Way, congratulations, Susan!

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Why Cherokee Freight Made the Switch to Renewable Diesel

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Northern California fleet finds success with renewable diesel.

After hearing about the savings in fuel costs and truck maintenance possible with Neste’s MY Renewable Diesel, Cherokee Freight tried the fuel. The food carrier, which specializes in kosher-certified hauling, test Neste’s fuel in February 2017. And, after about 18 months, the company reports great results.

Richard Damilano, Cherokee’s operations manager, told Neste that he found the transition to be easy. “It’s a drop-in fuel replacement, so the switch was seamless.”

In addition, Art Cortez, a Cherokee shop foreman, agreed. He believes the trucks run better than ever. Between Neste’s fuel and Cherokee’s new equipment, Cortez says he’s seen a serious improvement in fuel economy.

Regular diesel contains impurities that can clog diesel particulate filters (DPF), contaminate the fuel, and ruin fuel injectors. However, Neste’s renewable diesel is a a low-carbon biofuel, meaning it contains 33 percent fewer fine particulates than ordinary diesel. In addition, 100-percent renewable raw materials makes up the fuel, cutting greenhouse emissions by up to 80 percent. Also, unlike biodiesel, Neste’s fuel is a direct replacement fuel, so it is compatible with all engines and doesn’t require blending.

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500 Hours and You Too Can Be a Volvo Technician

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Volvo Trucks North America expands the Diesel Advanced Technology Education program for Volvo Technicians.

Image via Volvo Trucks

Volvo takes its trucks seriously.

The Volvo Trucks Academy instructs future dealer Volvo technicians over 500 hours so they learn each vehicle’s electrical systems, chassis components, powertrains, and software and engine diagnosis.

Matt Flynn, director of Volvo Trucks Academy, says, “The Diesel Advanced Technology Education program provides students with the education and skills needed to excel in a high-demand career.

“The program prepares graduates for a technician career in our dealer network. Also, they receive hands-on maintenance and repair training to service the advanced modern truck technologies delivering unprecedented efficiency, performance, and safety benefits.”

In addition, Volvo partnered with three colleges to develop the program:

  • Jones Technical Institute in Jacksonville, Fla.
  • University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, Ohio
  • Western Technical College in El Paso, Texas.

Furthermore, Volvo-certified instructors teach the curriculum for the Volvo technicians. Also, DATE graduates receive an associate’s degree in diesel mechanics and a job at any of Volvo’s dealerships.

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