2014 4th QTR Newsletter - United Petroleum Transports

Tank
T aL K
UNITED PETROLEUM TRANSPORTS
2014 4th QTR
Lynch Named Driver of the Year
The Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum preserves Oklahoma’s unique
history in the old 1909 Mid-Continent Life Insurance building. Situated among an ever
changing historic area of Oklahoma City, UPT added to their own history books while
honoring a few of their elite during the Annual Christmas Party and Professional Drivers
Banquet on Friday, December 5, 2014. As everyone gathered for the cocktail reception,
they were greeted with the delightful sounds of a live bluegrass folk band called “Empty
Bottles.”
Grand Master Lance Lynch, who proudly represents the Shreveport CSC,
walked away with the grand prize being named 2014 Professional Driver of the Year.
Lance has been an exceptional representative for UPT over 6 years. He is committed
to safe performance and seamless customer service and was recognized as Driver of
the Quarter in 2013. We congratulate Lance, his wonderful wife, Veronica, and their
three daughters, Jasmine, Jamie, and Jordyn, all of which were on hand to celebrate this
incredible achievement. Professional drivers whose safe driving record
and professional conduct earned them recognition as a nominee for Driver of the Year
continued on page 7
were: Ken Lemay (Abilene), Calvin Herrera (Albuquerque),
Eight Champions Selected as Finalists for NTTC’s
Professional Tank Truck Driver of the Year Program
National Tank Truck Carriers named eight professional tank truck
drivers from across the nation as finalists in the selection process to become
the recipient of the prestigious Usher Trophy, which recognizes the industry’s
professional tank truck driver of the year. Grand Master John Thurman from
the Tulsa CSC was one of the elite eight. “On behalf of the NTTC leadership
team, I want to congratulate all of our applicants this year,” said Chairman Dean
E. Kaplan. “The caliber of the entire group was just incredible and our eight
champion finalists represent some of the finest professionals out there on our
nation’s highways. As a group, the finalists stand as the epitome of the NTTC’s
mission to champion safety and success in our industry.”
continued on page 5
Tank Talk is a quarterly publication produced by United Petroleum Transports
Send announcements and articles to Shari Ardies at: Tank Talk 4312 S. Georgia Place Oklahoma City, OK 73129 or sardies@otl-upt.com
Chief Operating Officer
I am not very good at setting New Year resolutions. I prefer the Nike approach,
though I have learned over time “JUST DO IT, after considering all of the possible
impacts” works best for me. From a budgeting perspective, we try to consider potential
impacts we might face in the New Year along with previous year results in an effort to
develop a solid plan for the New Year. You know, simple stuff like, estimating what a
barrel of oil will sell for 90 days from now.
One of the measurements I believe is often misleading in our industry is top-line
revenue. While this is certainly an indicator of growth, it is only one part of an important
cott unt
equation. In recent years, UPT has continued to see our top-line revenue number grow
at a positive rate, but not nearly at the same pace as expenses. The result has been a
diminishing return at the bottom line. While we directly control most of our costs, there are still many such as
regulatory changes, rising equipment and material costs that really fall outside our control. Gaining a profitable
return has always been a tenet in our Mission Statement because profit is what allows the Price family to reinvest
in the organization. So in the fall of 2014, the Price Family got together to develop their expectations for 2015,
which we refer to as the Owners’ Plan. At the same time, we brought several members of our UPT team together
to “implement a strategic planning process, identify and execute on strategies and measurable goals that are in
alignment with the owners’ vision and plan.” For example, in our effort to get everyone home safely every day, the
Owners’ Plan set our safety goal at 1.5 preventable accidents per million miles. We refer to this as our preventable
accident frequency rate or PAFR. For comparison purposes, over the last three years, we achieved a 3.57 PAFR
(2012), a 2.33 PAFR (2013), and 1.79 PAFR (2014). We are going the right direction and this is a very attainable goal
based on our momentum; but it is equally easy to understand how one safety event in the challenging environment
could negatively affect our results.
In addition, the Owners’ Plan calls for an income goal of 2.5% of trucking revenue as a reasonable return
on investment. When you consider the amount of capital invested in our facilities and equipment throughout the
organization, as well as the products our professional drivers handle and deliver every day, this is a very reasonable
goal. The plan also outlines a handful of other operating goals and efforts focusing on employee development and
training, as well as company size and growth expectations, which we will be sharing in more detail as we roll out the
initiatives in the near future. Moving forward, we will engage additional folks from corporate, the field, as well as
from our driving force on the initiatives. More info to come…. As always, please make safe decisions in 2015!
“Celebrate what you want to see more of” - Tom Peters
S
H
David Keegan
VP Maintenance
Let’s talk about something other than trucks this quarter. General maintenance
of all things mechanical can preserve the life of just about anything. With prices of
replacement goods continuing to go higher, why would anybody fail to take care of
their stuff ? Whether it is your car, truck, motorcycle, boat, house, camper, apartment
or manufactured home, everything takes a little bit of maintenance or it will take a lot
of your money. Servicing your air conditioning at the start of the summer will keep
you cool. Just like checking your heater can keep you warm and stop water pipes from
freezing, or gassing you out with carbon monoxide in the winter.
To do most of these tasks, we rely on trained professional technicians. Experts in
their particular field of study with knowledge of parts and operational systems we do not
understand. Some believe they can fix anything. They are a “jack of all trades, master of
none” as my grandpa would say. Many times these professional technicians have trouble
repairing the particular system they have been trained on or claim to have experience in.
Stick with what you know and who you know. Reaching out to find repair options can be
2
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T SAFETY!
As we look towards a new year at UPT, I think it is important to review our results
from 2014. At a high level analysis of the results is fairly simple; overall safety scores
continue to improve year after year. While all the results have not officially been tallied, it
would appear we are on record to have the safest year in at least the last five years. Safety
results in the Risk Management world are measured in several different ways. However,
let’s discuss preventable fleet accident rates (PFAR) and CSA.
PFAR is a measure of the preventable accidents that occurred for every million
miles driven. Our PFAR for 2014 will likely end up below a 1.80. We have seen that
VP Risk Managment
number well over 3.00 in the past five years. As we move into 2015 we are anticipating
that number to drop below a 1.50. Improving this number will require every member of our team to focus on safe
behavior. Using the Smith System “5 Keys,” avoid driving while ill or fatigued and using common sense while
performing your daily activities will help improve our numbers. With respect to Compliance Safety Accountability
(CSA), we continue to make great strides in reducing our scores. By the end of December UPT achieved point
reductions in all categories. Of particular interest is our Unsafe Driving score. Unsafe Driving violations include
items such as speeding, following too closely, and using a cell phone while driving to name a few. This number at
UPT has been as high as 50%. However, at the end of December 2014 that number was a 4%. This is a tremendous
reduction and each and every driver should be proud. Other categories have seen dramatic reductions, they include;
Driver Fitness (71% to 36%) and Hours of Service (42% to 25%).
Now, having listed these accomplishments for 2014 I do not want to imply we have secured the victory and
the game is over; quite the contrary. There is much more work to be done, but I am confident as a team we can
accomplish these goals. As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me at rmoore@otl-upt.com.
Thank you for all that you do on a daily basis and please have a safe year!
Robert Moore
very difficult, expensive and unsatisfying. Many experts over promise and under deliver. They take your money and
ask for more when they have unplanned issues. This is very common in life today. “Burn me once shame on you, burn me
twice shame on me,” another old saying from my grandpa.
So how do you know if a technician is good? They will provide a written estimate. They will alert you as soon
as they find any adjustments to that estimate. They will always call you, not the reverse. Simple courtesy has been lost
over time. The “I need it now” is the same as saying “I will pay more”. Follow the process and you will not get surprised
or have to find more money.
1. Get an estimate in written form. Two estimates if you feel it is needed
2. Confirm the repair service/technician understands your direction and expectation
3. Ask for references
4. Question the estimate for clarity and their responses to your questions
5. Never pay up front
6. Last, they are not your friend! You are paying them; expect to get the result you agreed to.
After many years of “fixing problems and making things go away” the items above have served me well. It is
hard to teach. It is hard to enforce. My “ears are burning a lot” another old saying. Hope you all had a great holiday
and got what you wanted. Remember, you can take it back for in-store credit if you do not like the color.
You can contact me at dkeegan@otl-upt.com. Thanks for all you do!
3
$afety = $uccess
Winners Receive $100 Visa Gift Card & 5000 Seamless Reward Points
Jackie Adkins
John Alexander
Robert Allen
Mariano Alvarado
Lance Anderson
David Arevalo
Kevin Bailey
Rodney Ball
Glenn Ballinger
Brian Barney
Antonio Barrio
Bobby Beaton
Manuel Bejarano
Robert Benton
Robert Blevins
Roland Brown
Mark Budd
Daniel Byars
Jose China
Thomas Clark
Jesus Corral
Glarince Covington
DarrellCulverhouse
Richard Cupp
Danny Dartez
Jose Davila
Jeffrey Davis
Robert Delosier
Clint Devader
Robert Dodson
David Dye
Kenneth Echols
Ray Emory
Brandon Esters
Roger Ewing
Rogelio Flores
Stanley Forsyth
Antonio Garces
Britten Gibson
Russell Gibson
Rodney Gill
Glenn Goddard
Raul Gonzalez
Robert Hailey
Johnny Hall
Dwight Handley
Luther Harris
Bruce Heller
Larry Helm
Leo Hermesch
Calvin Herrera
John Hill
James Jessee
Tommy Johnson
Charence Jones
Kevin Jordan
Jimmy Keck
Ricky Kerschner
James Koger
Tendai Kombo
Richard Lapointe
Harold Laufgraben
Richard Levinson
Billy Lillard
Keith Long
Evan Loukas
Michae Love
Oscar Lozano
Lance Lynch
Todd Martin
Michael Mccarley
Ronald Meek
Christopher Miller
Douglas Million
Ronnie Mills
Defensive Driving Cottingham & Butler
Jeffrey Monroe
Luis Morales
Christopher Myovela
Alkarim Nasser
Jorge Navas
Ron Okerson
Alexander Ortiz
Miguel Osorio
Samuel Owusu
Rene Pargas
Kenneth Patterson
Gregory Peak
Ruben Perez
Charles Peters
Peter Peters
Dennis Peterson
Ronald Pierce
Mike Pilato
Forrest Raines
Arturo Ramirez
Russell Ridge
Richard Rodriguez
Sergio Rodriguez
Kelvin Roquemore
Roy Rosales
Robert Roseen
Vali Rusu
Adam Sage
James Shephard
Glen Shipp
Daniel Short
Ronald Shults
Scott Skinner
John Sloan
Nathan Snyder
William Spillman
Ronald Surber
Johnny Swanson
Jeffery Tatum
Carl Thederahn
Stasen Thompson
John Thurman
Norman Towns
Ernest Walker
David Watts
Gene Webb
John Welborn
Lee Wilkomn
Darren Williams
James Wooldridge
Defensive driving has been defined as driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and
the actions of others. On average, there are 125,000 crashes each year involving large commercial trucks. As drivers, you can't
control the actions of other drivers or the conditions of the roadway, but practicing defensive driving skills can help you avoid
the dangers.
Defensive driving goes beyond mastery of the rules of the road and the basic mechanics of driving. Its aim is to reduce
the risk of collision by anticipating dangerous situations, despite adverse conditions or the mistakes of others. This can be
achieved by applying some general rules and practicing some specific driving techniques. The defensive driver tries to recognize
potentially hazardous situations sufficiently in advance to allow time to safely maneuver past them. It is important not only to
scan enough ahead but also to scan frequently to the side and rear for passing or approaching vehicles. Scan thoroughly before
changing speed or direction. Know your surroundings. Check the local weather forecast, observe traffic patterns, and recognize
the multiple hazards around you. Look out for signs and signals and their follow directions. Know your speed and position and
the speed and positions of others.
Have an escape route. Leave yourself an out in case your path of travel is suddenly blocked. Think about the “what-ifs”
and the action you would take to avoid a crash. In the meantime, position your vehicle where you have the best chance of seeing
and being seen. Another good tool to prevent crashes and use defensive driving is to take the time to read or review crashes
involving commercial vehicles. Newspaper, magazines, online forums, and blogs often report truck accidents. Not only does
this fight complacency, but it is also a great way to learn from the mistakes of others, to identify hazards, and learn of defensive
driving tips. When practicing defensive driving, stay alert and focused on driving. Cut out distractions and get rest when needed.
Use defensive driving to safely get to your destination.
4
The greatest casualty
is being forgotten.
2015 UPT Family Fund winner is announced!
The UPT Family Fund began as an idea – a way for our UPT family of employees to nominate and recognize
a deserving non-profit or charity near and dear to their hearts. The fund selection committee would then select a
winning organization and present them with a donation on behalf of the entire UPT family. The responses from
our employees and the organizations we have recognized thus far have been overwhelming. Since the inception of
the fund in 2012 we have helped the blind in Oklahoma City and autism research in Phoenix. Thanks to our UPT
family we can and are making a difference in the communities in which we work and live every day!
After reviewing the many great nominations submitted by our employees, the selection committee is excited
to announce the 2015 recipient of the UPT Family Fund is The Wounded Warrior Project, specifically out of
San Antonio, Texas. The Wounded Warrior Project was created to aid our American heroes successfully transition to
civilian life. Our soldiers return home and often struggle with basic needs, physical and mental health, education, and
establishing a career. The Wounded Warrior Project steps in and provides the necessary assistance. Thanks to San
Antonio lease operator, Jesse Turman, for nominating and bringing awareness to this incredible organization.
Look forward to events hosted at our CSCs throughout the year for your chance to participate and donate
to the UPT Family Fund. It is our goal to raise awareness and provide all UPT employees the chance to give back
and say thanks to an organization changing lives across the country. All funds collected will be presented to The
Wounded Warrior Project at a special event in San Antonio at the end of the year. Thank you for helping us make
the UPT Family Fund a possibility and for the IMPACT we’re able to make in the lives of our returning soldiers and
their families.
THURMAN continued from page 1
Thurman will now move on to the final round of the selection process, which will be held January 30, 2015.
A panel of industry officials 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 2014-2015 Usher Trophy
recipient will be announced in Boston, Massachusetts at NTTC’s 67th Annual Conference & Exhibits on April 27,
2015.
“I offer sincere thanks to our judges whose extremely difficult job was made even harder due to the breadth of
experience and demonstrated safety performance of our applicant pool,” commented Daniel R. Furth, NTTC
President. “This year’s champions group represents an excellent balance of three major markets – fuel, chemicals,
and food – that underscore the critical importance of tank trucks to the North American economy.”
5
Welcome Aboard
Drivers of the Quarter
Breann Wilmoth as our
newest member of the
Risk Management team.
She began her career on
Thursday, November 13,
2014 and assumed the role
of Field Driver Recruiter.
Breann
will
office
out of the Oklahoma
City CSC and will be
responsible for recruiting
and retention activities; initially working primarily with
the northern region and crude services. She comes to
us from Coldiron Transportation as a Field Driver
Recruiter. In this position, she had experience in not
only recruiting, but also safety and human resources.
Breann has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of
Central Oklahoma.
James Jessee
(SHR)
Richard Rodriguez (TUL)
John Alexander (HOU)
Tito Uriarte
(PHO)
Happy Anniversary
40 Years
Harold Lewis
30 Years
Ronald Woody
25 Years
Buster Bowhay
10 Years
David Ramirez
Delano Yarbrough
Promotions
Frank Adams accepted
a new role as Operations
Manager
for
our
Oklahoma City CSC.
Over the past eighteen
months Frank has labored
and worked alongside
each of our CSCs as
Training
Coordinator
with special emphasis on
transitioning our dispatch
offices
away
from
TankerPro and Cadec and embracing new technologies
and processes in TMW and PeopleNet. As we have
concluded field training on these new services, Frank is
eager to transition back to a leadership role in Operations.
Frank recently celebrated his third anniversary with
UPT, having originally joined as a Fleet Manager in
the Oklahoma City dispatch office. Prior to coming to
UPT he was a software implementation specialist for
Factor Software at W.R. Hess. Frank is a graduate of
the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor in
Business Management and a Minor in Law.
Central
Northern
Southern
Western
6
10 Years
Derek De La Torre
Mark Bonnett
William Pinkerton
5 Years
Charles Shoemaker
Derrick David
Jimmy Porter
Juan Sanchez
Steve Shover
Willie Rangle Jr.
Congratulations to Jason
Holloway, Technician
with our Tulsa CSC, on
passing the required tests
and completing the level
of Master Technician
with the ASE. On
Jason’s last test, Truck
Electronics/Electrical,
his score was one of
the highest in the entire
company! We appreciate
the effort Jason has
put forth and truly know he is an asset to the Tulsa
maintenance team and UPT as a whole.
Written by Michael Powell – Arizona Informant
Antoine Goodsen, owner of Goodsen & Associates, is in the petroleum
transportation business. The 38 year old is one of just a few African American
owner operators in this lucrative field. He hopes his story will inspire others to
follow in his footsteps. When asked how he got started: “I remember working at
a car dealership delivering new cars to customers, when a guy I knew as a ‘street
hustler’ drove up in this big truck. I asked him what he was doing and he told
me that guys are dying on these streets and he couldn’t stay out there any longer.
He went on to say it only took a couple of months to get a Commercial Driver’s
License (CDL) and it was the best thing he could do without breaking the law. He
said he was making as much as $750 per week.” That was a life-changing encounter
for Goodsen, who at the time was making $175 per week. He became determined
to become a truck driver. Once he turned 21 he enrolled in a local truck driving school. He had family obligations so he had to
work and go to school at the same time. He recalls, “It was a very rough stretch but I knew in the long run it would be worth it.
I had to think about my future.” With his CDL in hand he found a job with a distribution company known for hiring students
right out of school. After a short stint there and with various food delivery and freight hauling jobs he landed his first job
hauling petroleum. He worked for a company who delivered gas to Exxon Stations. Goodsen remembers his first two-week
pay check for $1,800 was, “More money than I had ever seen on a check with my name on it.” He worked for several years in
that capacity until an older African American owner operator advised him to purchase his own truck – stating if he was making
twice the money by owning his own ‘rig’ as he would as an employee. Goodsen said, “I was a little afraid at first but after I
checked out a few truck dealers I found out buying a truck was easier than buying a car.” He also recalled his first check as an
owner operator was $4,700 for two weeks. He paid off the truck in two years and had enough money to take care of family
obligations and enjoy life. Goodsen remembered his friends, and even family members, told him that becoming a truck driver
was a bad idea. “They told me I’d live a lonely life with women and kids all across the county and never be able to hold on to
any money. I’m glad I didn’t listen to them. He and wife Valencia relocated to the Phoenix area because of opportunities to
expand. “This area is growing with distribution centers relocating from the Midwest and California.” He plans to add trucks,
establish a fleet and hire people to drive and work with him. When asked what advice he had for young people looking for a
career he stated, “Anything standing in your path stopping you from getting your goal like doing drugs, hanging out, is it worth
it? You don’t have to have a degree to do this. It’s not that hard you just gotta want it. People look at you differently when you
take on responsibility.”
Driver of the Year continued from page 1
Ernest Walker (Albuquerque), Lance Anderson (DFW),
Kenneth Johnson (DFW), Phillip Killerlain (DFW),
Dennis Davis (Houston), Tommy Johnson (Odessa),
Harold Lewis (Tulsa), Robert Dodson (OKC), Charence
Jones (Phoenix). Center Managers nominate drivers with the
Oklahoma Department of Public Safety ultimately selecting
the Driver of the Year. In addition to naming a Professional
Driver of the Year, Oklahoma City Professional Driver
Loyd Idlett was named 2014 Recruit of the Year and DFW’s
Kenneth Johnson received honors as being named the 2014
Technician of the Year.
With over 200 guests in attendance everyone could
probably agree on one thing, the banquet ended on an
extremely humorous note. Thanks to a very creative Risk
Management team, everyone had the entertaining pleasure Front Row (L-R): Ernest Walker (Albuquerque), Tommy
of watching a UPT spoof video. Even Greg Price found Johnson (Odessa), Ken Lemay (Abilene), Harold Lewis (Tulsa)
Second Row (L-R): Lance Anderson (DFW), Phillip Killerlain
himself laughing at the scenes playing out, unknowingly, in
(DFW), Robert Dodson (OKC), Third Row (L-R): Kenneth
his office. The video has been placed on the UPT website Johnson (DFW), Dennis Davis (Houston), Loyd Idlett (OKC),
under News & Features labeled “UPT Christmas 2014 Lance Lynch (SHR)
7
video” for your viewing pleasure.
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