ATA’s Workforce Development Subcommittee to Tackle Worker Shortages

ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. Photo: Evan Lockridge

American Trucking Associations announced the creation of its Workforce Development Subcommittee to address the issue of recruiting, training, and retaining personnel to work in the trucking industry.

“We have heard about the worsening of the driver shortage, as well as the shortage of qualified diesel technicians, and the impact they have on our industry,” said Chris Spear, ATA president and CEO. “ATA will now, through this effort, fully engage with our local, state and federal leaders to find real solutions to these shortages. Our industry has openings today that could provide a middle-class standard of living to tens of thousands of Americans – we just need to find ways to identify these people and provide them adequate training in order to put them to work building our industry's future.”

Among the issues the panel will take up to address the driver and technician shortages are job training, apprenticeships, minimum age requirements for interstate drivers, age constraints relating to insurance coverage of drivers and preparing the workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.

“We heard several times during this Management Conference and Exhibition about the impact the shortage of workers is having on trucking,” said Dave Manning, ATA chairman, president of TCW. “It is our hope that by further elevating these issues we can position ATA to address them in meaningful ways so we can continue to deliver the nation's goods safely, securely and efficiently.”

The subcommittee will be chaired by ATA secretary John Smith, chairman of CRST International and will be a part of ATA's Labor and Regulatory Policy Committee.

“Attracting people to our trucking should be one of our industry's top concerns,” Smith said. “By elevating this issue within ATA, I hope we can come to the table not just to further recognize the problem, but to ...Read the rest of this story

Engineless Refrigeration Unit Designed for Smaller Trucks, Vans

Carrier Transicold's model 35X direct-drive unit provides refrigeration for perishable and frozen cargo in small- to medium-sized box trucks and large delivery vans.

The 35X unit provides refrigeration capacity of 10,500 BTUs at 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The 35X includes an exterior-mounted condenser unit, a compressor that mounts to the truck engine and a narrow-profile SlimLine evaporator that fits tightly to the ceiling of the cargo area, helping to maximize cargo space.

As a split system, the 35X unit provides flexible mounting options for the condenser, either to the nose of a box truck or roof of a van.

The unit's Cab Command 2 digital controller provides quick and easy setpoint configuration and the ability to program the unit for automatic defrost cycles. It also offers diagnostic capabilities and hour-meters to track usage for service interval planning.

“Direct-drive units in Carrier Transicold's X-series are engineless, vehicle-powered systems, providing an economical alternative to diesel-powered units,” said Scott Parker, product manager for truck products at Carrier Transicold. “They also can help fleets reduce their environmental impact since there is no additional fuel consumption or related emissions from a dedicated refrigeration unit engine.”

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You Don’t See a Sperry Truck Every Day

Sperry Rail Services truck with specialized body and equipment is parked outside a Kroger grocery store in Delaware, Ohio. Maybe its crew was inside buying vittles. Sperry operates nationwide.  Photo: Tom Berg

The other day I spotted this unusual truck parked near a grocery store in Delaware, Ohio, where I live. It belongs to Sperry Rail Service, a nationwide contractor that tests the steel rails that support railroad trains. The strength of rails is rather important when you consider the high weights of locomotives and loaded freight cars – sometimes more than 300,000 pounds apiece, spread among eight or 12 wheels.

Sperry has been around for more than 85 years and historically has used special, self-powered rail cars. These, like the newer trucks, house ultrasonic and eddy current examination equipment that peers inside the steel to look for imperfections that can lead to rail breakage and train derailments. They also measure rail gauge – the distance between rails, which in North America is 4 feet, 8.5 inches – to be sure rails are secure.

According to a recent article in Trains magazine (which I've read since I was in junior high school), the vehicles move along at moderate speeds, usually at about 20 mph, as underslung equipment scans the rails. Crewmen inside watch monitors that interpret the signals. They stop and rescan possible trouble spots, then report any problems to the railroad. Sperry produced this video of a crew at work inside the truck body, and there are many other videos posted on YouTube.

Large Sperry rail cars, used to inspect major railroads' track for weeks at a time, have living quarters including kitchens. Crews seldom get home, say former employees on YouTube, so Sperry's turnover rate might approach that of over-the-road trucking companies.

Trucks with liftable “hi-rail” flanged steel wheels can ...Read the rest of this story

J.B. Hunt Joins American Trucking Associations

ORLANDO — J.B. Hunt Transport Services has joined American Trucking Associations as the federation's newest member. The announcement was made at the ATA Management Conference & Exhibition in Orlando.

“For years, J.B. Hunt has been a leader in our industry, which is why we're pleased to have them as part of the ATA family once again,” said Chris Spear, ATA president and CEO. “Having them join ATA at this critical time for our industry is validation of the new direction we are taking this association in and we're delighted that they are going to be helping us build trucking's future.”

J.B. Hunt was founded in 1961 and is one of the largest transportation companies in the U.S.

“J.B. Hunt is proud to join more than 37,000 ATA members across the United States,” said Craig Harper, J.B. Hunt executive vice president of operations and chief operations officer. “Truck drivers make up nearly two-thirds of our workforce, and as the industry continues to evolve, we owe it to our dedicated employees to be at the forefront of the conversation.”

Related: ATA Names Fifth Class for LEAD Program

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2017 Trucking Image Award Winners Honored at ATA Conference

ORLANDO — Winners of the 2017 Mike Russell Trucking Image Award, honoring individuals and organizations that have worked on behalf of the industry, were announced by American Trucking Associations at the Management Conference & Exhibition in Orlando.

The Mike Russell Trucking Image Awards are named in honor of the late Mike Russell, a trucking industry supporter and former ATA vice president of public affairs. The award is sponsored this year by HireRight.

“Every person working in the trucking industry has the responsibility to advocate on its behalf and demonstrate the safety-first mentality of the trucking industry to the public,” said Kevin Burch, ATA chairman and president of Jet Express. “The winners we present today embody this award. These companies, organizations and individuals have gone above and beyond over the past several years to establish positive awareness of the trucking industry.”

This year's winners are:

“The Mike Russell Trucking Image Award helps us recognize the ways in which individuals, organizations, ...Read the rest of this story

ATA Elects Dave Manning as 73rd Chairman

Dave Manning Photo: ATA

ORLANDO — American Trucking Associations' board of directors has elected Dave Manning, president of TCW from Nashville, Tenn., as the federation's 73rd Chairman.

Manning has been an executive with TCW since 1985 and has been an active member of ATA, chairing ATA's Intermodal Carrier Conference and working with the Tennessee Trucking Association as chairman of the political action committee. He replaces Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express, in the role.

“It is a tremendous honor to be elected by my fellow ATA members as their chairman for the coming year,” Manning said. “I look forward to continuing the work of immediate past Chairman Kevin Burch, and all my predecessors as we work to build a bright future for our industry.”

Manning has also been active in the intermodal transportation industry, serving as the chairman of the Intermodal Association of North America, a board member of the Intermodal Interchange Executive Committee, and chairman of the North American Chassis Pool Cooperative.

“Dave has a strong and steady voice for our industry,” said Chris Spear, ATA president and CEO. “He will be an outstanding representative for our industry and I congratulate him on this honor.”

Related: ATA's Spear Praises Trump for Championing Trucking Interests

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Optronics Offers New Lamps with Light Guide Technology

Optronics has announced a new family of four-inch round LED stop, tail, turn, and back-up lamps that uses the company's Light Guide technology.

Light Guide technology precisely channels LED light to unique shapes and patterns that are not achievable through conventional commercial vehicle lighting. With the introduction of the four-inch round LED stop, tail, turn and back-up lamps, Optronics says it is meeting a trend toward automotive-style lighting for commercial applications.

The distinctive 12-diode lamps have a smoothly lit horizontal, x-shaped feature in the center of the lens, surrounded by a more traditional LED pattern. The repetition of the x-shaped style element across a vehicle's stop, tail, turn and back-up lamps is designed to create a unique, standout look.

The technology also allows the design engineers of original equipment manufacturers to think outside the box, and to pursue their own lighting visions. The flexibility of Light Guide technology allows symbols, text, and logos to all be potential design features that can be incorporated into future lamps.

The four-inch round LED stop, tail, turn and backup lamps with Light Guide technology will come in flange-mount and grommet-mount versions and are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2018. The lamps can be purchased with standard PL-3 or Weather Tight terminations, allowing them to connect to existing harness systems for easy retrofitting.

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