Mack Names Winners of Mack Masters Competition

Members of team "Slackers" from CIT Trucks of Rockford, Ill., during the Mack Masters Competition. Photos: Mack Trucks

A team from truck dealer CIT Trucks in Rockford, Illinois, have proven themselves tops when it comes to their knowledge of Mack's service systems and procedures, winning the biennial Mack Masters Competition.

Members from the winning CIT Trucks team “Slackers” include Jim Garner, Chris Zahara, Tim Stahl, and T.J. Stahl. They were named grand champions of the second Mack Masters Competition after several rounds and a comprehensive final challenge.

“There's nothing like competition to make the best even better, especially in today's world of sophisticated trucks and components,” said Jonathan Randall, senior vice president, sales for Mack Trucks North America. “All of the teams demonstrated their commitment to superior service for Mack customers, but the team from CIT Trucks took it to a higher level.”

The 2017 Mack Masters Competition kicked off in January with early rounds of online challenges that tested competitors' knowledge of Mack's service systems and procedures. Nearly 2,000 individual participants on 457 teams from 16 countries took part. After competing in three rounds of online challenges, nine teams of finalists were selected, with one team representing each of Mack's regions: Central, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and West for the U.S., plus Canada, Central America, Mexico and South America.

The final round of the competition featured nine hands-on stations designed to challenge each team with a specific service situation that had to be completed in just 30 minutes. Following the completion of a challenge, teams rotated to the next one until all nine were completed. Team results from all stations were tallied to determine the champion.

“These participants are the men and women who work tirelessly every day to keep our customers' trucks on the road,” said Randall. “Mack Masters not only shines the spotlight ...Read the rest of this story

ATRI Updates Online Guide to Sustainable Freight Practices

Source: ATRI

The American Transportation Research Institute has updated the compendium of sustainable freight practices on its website.

The compendium identifies a number of sustainable practices being used by the trucking industry, ranging from driver training, idle reduction, and speed management, to vehicle aerodynamics, tires, and engine systems. The compendium also provides research findings on the costs and benefits associated with the practices.

The update adds the some of the latest research on practices being used by trucking companies to save fuel and reduce emissions.

'"Sustainability is often viewed as managing the triple bottom line – profits, people, and planet," said Mike Tunnell, ATRI director of environmental research. "The practices identified in the compendium can not only save companies money but also improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions."

ATRI says the compendium was designed to be a one-stop shop for information on motor carrier sustainable practices. It also identifies ways that public sector practices such as congestion mitigation, research and testing, and the use of standards can advance sustainable freight practices.

Related: Michelin Taking Long View of Sustainable Transportation

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House panel advances bill prohibiting truckers’ meal, rest breaks by states

A House subcommittee advanced a Department of Transportation funding bill that includes a provision blocking states from implementing their own meal and rest breaks for truckers.

However, during a brief hearing on July 11, Rep. David Price (D-NC), ranking member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on transportation, housing and urban development, said while he was not yet offering any amendments, the bill faces “many hurdles to get bipartisan support.”

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SRT Ups Driver Pay, Paid Vacation Time

Photo: Southern Refrigerated Transport

Southern Refrigerated Transport announced a new compensation package for its drivers that includes new pay increases and increased paid vacation time.

Mileage-based drivers will earn an additional cent per mile on every load when a wage increase kicks in on Oct. 1. The company estimates the increase should be equivalent to a $1,000-per year raise on average. The raise will affect company drivers and owner-operators.

Also going into effect at the same time, student drivers at SRT will see an increase in weekly wages during training. And drivers with at least one year with the company will receive holiday pay for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Additionally, drivers with at least three years at SRT will be eligible to receive two weeks of paid vacation, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Drivers previously earned one week of paid vacation on top of normal home time and normal pay during holidays.

“We want to be competitive in the marketplace with our driver pay, and we want to take care of our professional drivers,” said Billy Cartright, COO and executive vice president at SRT. “As we take care of our professional drivers, they will take care of our customers — a win-win for all.”

SRT is a Texarkana, Arkansas-based carrier specializing in solo, refrigerated truckload transportation. It's a subsidiary of Covenant Transportation Group, which includes Covenant Transport and Covenant Transport Solutions of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Star Transportation of Nashville, Tennessee.

For more information on driving for SRT, click here.

Related: Home Time and Health Issues Cause Drivers to Quit

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Modagrafics Names VP of Sales

Michael Loizzo Photo: Modagrafics

Modagrafics has named Michael Loizzo vice president of sales following a national search.

Modagrafics says it was looking for an individual with an impressive track record in innovation, leadership, and a passion for the business, both inside and outside of the fleet market.

“I wanted to make sure they would fit into our culture, be heavily engaged in the sales process, and be able to add value to our sales and operational efforts on a daily basis,” said Paul Pirkle, president and CEO of Modagrafics. “Michael understands how our traditional products relate to the Spedian Vehicle Graphics System and BlackBerry Radar, in addition to how integral the Rapidus app is to our overall approach. He gets it, and I'm confident he will be a huge asset for Modagrafics.”

In his new position, Loizzo will focus on building customer relationships and generating revenue for Modagrafics products. He will collaborate with Brian Leyden, Modagrafics director of retail sales, to introduce retail graphics to fleet customers and fleet solutions to retail customers.

In his last job, Loizzo was the president of a Chicago area national pallet and crating provider, where he managed day-to-day operations.

“At my last company, the team took pride in our accessibility and responsiveness; every inquiry was a priority, and every situation was followed up with a solution,” said Loizzo. “Here at Modagrafics, we have a team of people who bleed what the organization represents, from top to bottom.”

Related: Blackberry, Modagrafics Help Fleets Understand Asset Tracking in the Digital Age

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Maven Machines Offers Plug-n-Play ELD Solution

Maven Machines has announced the Smartsense IoT platform offering fleet management and ELD software using plug-n-play hardware, mobile devices, and real-time cloud dashboards.

The Smartsense platform ties together driver performance, GPS and telematics data, and vehicle engine data, to help improve safety, increase fleet efficiency, and automate regulatory compliance for the upcoming ELD mandate.

Maven was previously known for its Co-Pilot Smart headset for drivers designed to combat driver fatigue by alerting drivers when they are falling asleep.

“Maven Machines is pioneering a new era of technology in trucking by focusing on connected mobile devices and a scalable cloud framework,” said Avishai Geller, CEO. “Maven's smart headset is now one part of our intuitive driver UI and differentiated fleet management system.”

Featuring a mesh network of over 20 sensors inside the truck, Maven provides one-second precision for all measurements including; speeding, hard braking, idling, fatigue, distraction, mirror-checks, and weather, along with automated legal compliance for ELD, DVIR, and California Labor law.

The real-time cloud portal provides fleets with prioritized information and actionable insights that can help fleets save time and money, ensure compliance, and quantify safety goals.

Maven's Fleet Management and ELD solution can be deployed and set up quickly to prevent out-of-service time for trucks. Drivers are provided three familiar tools: a smartphone or tablet, a Maven Co-Pilot Smart Bluetooth headset or earbud, and a plug-n-play wireless J1939 Vehicle Data Adapter (VDA).

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For-Hire Freight Rebounds, Hits New Record High

Freight Transportation Services Index, May 2012 - May 2017. Graphic: U.S. DOT

The level of freight moved by the nation's for-hire transporters rebounded in May following a two-month decline, according to the U.S. Transportation Department.

Its Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) rose 2.2% to a reading of 126.8 in May from April, breaking the previous record high of 126 set in February. It is also 33.9% above the April 2009 low during the most recent economic recession.

The gain from April to May was the largest month-to-month increase since the index rose 2.9% from November to December 2011.

The April index was revised upward to 124.1 from 122.8 in last month's release as a result of more actual air freight ton-miles than forecast. Monthly numbers for January through March also were revised up slightly.

When May is compared to the same time a year ago the index increased 4.2%, the largest year-over-year rise since a 5.9% jump from January 2014 to January 2015.

The Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in for-hire freight shipments by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles, which are combined into one index. It measures the output from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

The May increase in the Freight TSI was broad based with gains in most modes, especially water and pipeline, while air freight and trucking were stable, according to the department. The increase took place despite mixed performance in economic indicators in May.

Employment and personal income both grew in May, and the Institute for Supply Management's Purchasing Managers' Index showed positive and accelerating growth. However, housing starts declined, and the Federal Reserve's Industrial Production index was unchanged, with a decline in manufacturing offset by increases in mining and utility output.

The Freight TSI all-time high in May was the second time in four months but ...Read the rest of this story