transport news - Idaho Trucking Association

TRANSPORT NEWS
3405 East Overland Road, Suite 175
Meridian, ID 83642
Phone: 208.342.3521 / Fax: 208.343.8397
E-mail: contact@idtrucking.org
Bi-weekly news brief to ITA members
May 17, 2012
Another Successful Truck Driving
Competition
T
he Truck Driving Competition was enjoyed by all with absolutely beautiful
weather. There is much work done to put on this important event and there are
many people to thank from all the volunteers, companies donating equipment,
sponsors, and Idaho State Police providing the facility and officers. Please take time
to see the list of those who helped to make this year’s TDC successful.
Platinum Sponsors
Ballard & Co. Inc. Insurance
Cargo Express, Inc.
College of Western Idaho
Commercial Tire
Cummins Rocky Mountain
Diamond Line Delivery Systems
FedEx Freight
Freightliner of Idaho
Great West Casualty Company
Idaho Provisioners, Inc.
Jackson Oil
Kenworth Sales Company
LaserLine
May Trucking Company
Premier Insurance
Rich Thompson Trucking
Ruan Transport
Rush Truck Centers
Sage Technical Services
Standlee Hay Company
Utility Trailer Sales of Idaho
Wagner Transportation
Western Trailers
Wienhoff Drug Testing
Gold Sponsor
Idaho Milk Transport
Bronze Sponsor
Trebar Financial Services
Donating of Equipment for the Competition
- ABF Freight Systems
- Con-way Freight
- Diamond Line Delivery Systems
- FedEx Freight
- FedEx Ground
- Kenworth Sales Company
- May Trucking Company
- Old Dominion Freightline
- Reddaway Trucking
- Rush Truck Centers
- Simplot Transportation
- Western Idaho Trucks
- Western Trailers
Read on to see the list of winners,
volunteers and donations
Welcome the Following
New ITA Member:
Richard A. Nordstrom Logging
Post Falls, ID
Richard Nordstrom, Owner
A Thank You to the Following For Their PAC
Contributions
We have added a couple of more companies to our list of PAC contributors for 2012.
We would love to add your company to this list if it is not here for this publication.
Many of our friends won in their Primary race, so now we need to help them win the
General election.
Air Van
Alpha Transport, Inc.
Amalgamated Sugar Company, LLC
Apex Container, Inc.
Boise (BCT)
Challenger Pallet & Supply, Inc.
CKT, Inc.
Cook, Kenneth B.
D & D Transportation Services
D & J Auto Transport, Inc.
Davenport Farms, Inc.
Diamond Line Delivery Systems, Inc.
Eby Bros.
Freightliner of Idaho
Gale Storer, Inc.
Gary Amoth Trucking
Gem State Transportation, Inc.
Handy Truck Line, Inc.
Joe & Martin Trucking, Inc.
John S. Pocock Trucking, LLC
Kenworth Sales Company
MacRae Custom Farming, Inc.
Magic Valley Truck Brokers, Inc.
Mesa Systems, Inc.
Northwest Petroleum Services, Inc.
Rogers, Wesley
Simplot Transportation
Sobotka Farms Transportation, LLC
Standlee Hay Trucking Co., Inc.
Trebar Financial Services
Trinity Trailer Mfg., Inc.
Utility Trailer Sales of Idaho
Wagner Transportation Company
Walrath, George
Western Trailers
Western Transport, Inc.
SMC Trailer
The SMC trailer door has a new look
on it. We want to thank these
companies for making a contribution
helping to maintain this trailer
Unemployment Benefits and Driver Wages
The extension of federal unemployment benefits to 99 weeks has become a major
obstacle to hiring or rehiring truck drivers, according to an article in the April 23 issue
of the Journal of Commerce. When compared to trucking’s pay scale, unemployment
benefits are high enough in some states to encourage unemployed drivers to stay off
payroll, collect their benefit checks and work at an off-the-books job to make ends
meet. “We’re not proud about it,” said a trucking CEO.
The latest benefit extension passed by Congress in February included restrictions
that already are cutting off funds to some states where the three-month average
unemployment rate has dropped below its 2009 level. Soon carriers will discover
whether truckers will come running as benefits run out
California Trucking Group Slams CARB Fuel
Policies
The California Trucking Association (CTA) released a study that shows
significant job losses directly attributable to the California Air Resources Board’s fuel
policies. Goods movement and agriculture sectors especially will be hard hit if the
policies are allowed to go into effect as currently designed, CTA says. CTA says the
report, titled “The Impact of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and Cap-and-Trade
Programs on California Retail Diesel Prices,” demonstrates the effect that CARB’s
regulatory actions will have on the state’s retail diesel future, leading to a $6.69 per
gallon price tag.
The Stonebridge Associates study finds that by 2020, CARB’s Low Carbon Fuel
Standard, in combination with the AB 32 Cap-and-Trade Program could increase the
price of diesel fuel by $2.22 per gallon; that would represent more than a 50% increase
in the price of diesel fuel and $6.69 per gallon at the retail pump. The average price
difference between California and neighboring states would be $2.33 per gallon when
accounting for taxes. According to the study, between 2015 and 2020, these higher
“California-only” diesel fuel costs will cause a loss of nearly 617,000 jobs in the
containerized import sector, $68.5 billion in lost state domestic product, $21.7 billion
in lost income and $5.3 billion in lost state and local taxes.
CTA says the study states that a “California-only” diesel will put California’s
transportation sector at a significant competitive disadvantage. “CTA is supportive of
the production and use of alternative fuels, but the cost gap between CARB’s Low
Carbon Fuel Standard and the diesel fuel that the other 49 states will continue to use is
unacceptable,” says Scott Blevins, president of Mountain Valley Express and 2012
CTA president. “This is a serious setback for any business dependent on diesel fuel for
its operations. State regulators need to step down from their ‘ivory tower’ and
understand the impact of these unfair policies on California truckers. CARB’s blind
pursuit of policies that will drive many California-based trucking companies out of
state or out of business should be of great concern to all Californians.”
CTA says the report states the diesel fuel price increases will cast an even wider
net, affecting food, fuel, clothing and other essential services transported by trucks
Reprinted from Utah Trucking Association
9 of 10 Drivers Say ‘Good-Bye’
The chronic turnover problem among long-haul truck drivers was at its highest
level in late 2011. According to data from the American Trucking Associations, driver
turnover rose to 89% in the third quarter of 2011, the highest since 2008 and the fourth
consecutive quarter of increases.
Bob Costello, chief economist for the American Trucking Associations, blamed
job prospects in other ‘stay at home’ industries and new regulations that further
restrict driver qualifications as two factors affecting the turnover rate.
Tom Albrecht, an analyst at BB&T Capital Markets in Richmond, VA,
commented that construction work offers a “better quality of life” and instead of
spending several days on the road, people can work near home.
The long-haul truckload driver, which represents most of the freight tonnage
shipped by trucks, has the highest turnover rate, while private fleets, less-thantruckload carriers and expedited carriers, have much lower turnover rates.
Late last year, John Larkin, the long-time transportation analyst with Stifel,
Nocolau, & Co., predicted much of what is happening now with truck drivers. Larken
said then that driver shortages would begin to increase this year, driven by a number
of factors. Trucking companies need to “pay them more (and) get them home more
frequently,” said Larkin, as well as offer economic incentives to safe drivers with a
good on-time performance.
He also said many trucking companies do not properly train their employees to be
sensitive to drivers and to treat them as valuable employees
Reprinted from Arkansas Trucking Report
TDC Championships ........................... continued
Contributions Made:
Army National Guard – Color Guard
Admiral Transport – soft drinks and bottled water
Arlo G. Lott Trucking – Grand Champion Jacket
College of Western Idaho – scoring machine
Commercial Tire – 4 BatRF Air Pressure Monitoring Sensors and In-cab Reader
HUB International Insurance – “cover-the-dollar” contest
Idaho State Police – hosting facility
Kenworth Sales Company –Saturday brunch, Friday & Saturday lunches
LaserLine – 2 Three-Axle Alignments
Les Schwab Tire Center – 4 FMX Monotube Shocks
Sanitary Services – garbage and recycle bins
Simplot Transportation – French fries for lunches
Treasure Valley Coffee – coffee and coffee pot
Western Idaho Trucks & Meridian Speedway – Saturday night tickets to races
Western Trailers – curtain van
WinCo Foods – $100 donation
Volunteers Donating Their Time:
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Cole Prestwich, Arlo G. Lott Trucking – Chairman
Jim Noud, Diamond Line Delivery Systems – equipment arrangements
Doug Davidson, Kenworth Sales Company – pre-trip inspection
Ray Rice, Western Idaho Trucks – course setup
Scott Neil, Con-way Freight – committee member
Brian Deed, Kenworth Sales Company – Friday & Saturday lunches, breakfast
burritos
Leo Hughes, Great West Casualty – written test
Lucky Bourn, Idaho Milk Transport – announcer
Keith MacKenzie, Kenworth Sales Company – roving announcer
Sgt. Scott Hanson, Senior Specialist Chris Williams , Officer Seth Uhlenkott with
Idaho State Police – pre-trip inspections
Mike Chavez – photographer
Ron VonBibber – America’s Road Team
T. J. Harms – Boise City Police
Dale Rutledge – ABF Freight
Mark Moura – Commercial Tire
David Allen, Jason Heatwole, Blake Mantooth – Cooper Norman, CPA
Jim Tulloch, Scott Ellsworth – Cummins Rocky Mountain
Chuck Mecham, Jeff Larson, Jeanette Lepper – Doug Andrus Distributing
Bob Cunha, Chris Cheatham – FedEx Freight
Don & Eileen Rye, Bruce Stuart – Great West Casualty
Mark Johnson, Terri Woodland – Hub Transportation Insurance
Phil Joyal, Bill & Karron Paul, Cindy Vincent, Bill Santo – Kenworth Sales Co.
Eric Haggerty – LaserLine
Greg Kelley & Ross Powers – May Trucking Company
Barbara Powers – Motor West, Inc.
Julie Armes & daughter Jennifer Thompson – Premier Insurance
Corky Jinks – Rush Truck Centers
Max Lang, Thad Deason, Bill Gieger, Cassandra Page, Vicki Termine – Simplot
Transportation
Darrell Helbert – Standlee Hay Company
Tom Nichols – Trinity Trailer Mfg.
Mike Hanson, Greg Labato – Western Idaho Trucks
Ray Aas – Western Trailers (retired)
Jon Tuttle – Westpoint Transportation
Rhonda Bahr, Lisa Goodsell
Serving all of your
insurance needs
851 E. Fairview Avenue
Meridian, ID 83642
(800) 213-8214
Local (208)323-8214
www.ballardandco.com
-Fleet Safety Awards
-Driver of the Year
-Safety Supervisor of
the Year
Entry forms being mailed out
this week!
54th Rocky Mountain
Regional Safety
Rendezvous
July 11-13, 2012 –
Information sent out by e-mail
or go to ITA website:
www.idtrucking.org
78th Annual
Convention
August 7-9, 2012
ShoreLodge in beautiful
McCall, Idaho
Registration packets will be
mailed out next week!
ITA 2012 Truck Driving Championship Winners
Tanker
Straight Truck
st
1 Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Randall J. Schwasinger, FedEx Freight
Joshua J. Jetton, Con-way Freight
Daryl D. Barnett, FedEx Freight
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Sleeper Berth
3-Axle Van
1st
Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Robert Sutton, ABF Freight Systems
Glen J. Pufahl, Old Dominion Freightline
Jeffrey R. Halford, Con-way Freight
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
William L. Hill, Jr., Old Dominion Freightline
Herb J. Sweeney, Con-way Freight
L. Dean Goodnight, Reddaway Trucking
5-Axle Van
Scott D. Colwell, Reddaway Trucking
L. Eric Braden, Cargo Express
Ellis (Redd) O. Wade, Simplot Transportation
Twin-Trailers
4-Axle Van
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Ray Sitton, Con-way Freight
William A. Draves, Old Dominion Freightline
John L. Phillips, Jr., Arlo G. Lott Trucking
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Kurt Davis, Con-way Freight
Timothy W. Melody, ABF Freight Systems
Timothy Miller, FedEx Freight
Best Pre-Trip
Rick J. Sebring
FedEx Freight
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Michael C. Grogan, Con-way Freight
James E. Mills, Old Dominion Freightline
Rick J. Sebring, FedEx Freight
Rookie of the Year
& Grand Champion
William L. Hill, Jr.
Old Dominion Freightline
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Flatbed
Matthew J. Clemens, Con-way Freight
Ronald Coles, ABF Freight Systems
Kurt A. Beckstead, Doug Andrus Distributing