That Truck Driver You Just Flipped Off

This is a story shared by a Fleet Manager from another company about one of his employees:




Let me tell you a little about the truck driver you just flipped off because he was passing another truck, and you had to cancel the cruise control and slow down until he completed the pass and moved back over.


His truck is governed to 68 miles an hour, because the company he leases it from believes it keeps him and the public and the equipment safer.


The truck he passed was probably running under 65 mph to conserve fuel. You see, the best these trucks do for fuel economy is about 8 miles per gallon. With fuel at almost $4 per gallon -- well, you do the math. And, yes, that driver pays for his own fuel.


He needs to be 1,014 miles from where he loaded in two days. And he can't fudge his federally mandated driver log, because he no longer does it on paper; he is logged electronically.


He can drive 11 hours in a 14-hour period; then he must take a 10-hour break. And considering that the shipper where he loaded held him up for five hours because it is understaffed, he now needs to run without stopping for lunch and dinner breaks.


If he misses his delivery appointment, he will be rescheduled for the next day, because the receiver has booked its docks solid (and has cut staff to a minimum). That means the driver sits, losing 500-plus miles for the week.


Which means his profit will be cut, and he will take less money home to his family. Most of these guys are gone 10 days, and home for a day and a half, and take home an average of $500 a week if everything goes well.


You can't tell by looking at him, but two hours ago he took a call informing him that his only sister was involved in a car accident, and though everything possible was done to save her, she died. They had flown her to a trauma hospital in Detroit, but it was too late.


He hadn't seen her since last Christmas, but they talked on the phone every week. The load he is pulling is going to Atlanta, and he will probably not be able to get to the funeral.


His dispatcher will do everything possible to get him there, but the chances are slim. So he has hardly noticed your displeasure at having to slow down for him. It's not that he doesn't care; he's just numb.


Everything you buy at the store and everything you order online moves by truck. Planes and trains can't get it to your house or grocery store. We are dependent on trucks to move product from the airport and the rail yards to the stores and our homes.


Every day, experienced and qualified drivers give it up because the government, the traffic and the some greedy companies involved in trucking have drained their enthusiasm for this life.


They take a job at a factory or construction if they can find it, and are replaced by an inexperienced youngster dreaming of the open road. This inexperience leads to late deliveries, causing shortages and higher prices at the store, and crashes that lead to unnecessary deaths.


It is even possible that is what led to the death of this driver's sister.


This is a true story; it happened last week. The driver's name is Harold, and I am his Fleet Manager.

Great Industry Survey Information

The fourth-quarter 2013 Business Expectations Survey released by consulting firm Transport Capital Partners (TCP) indicates that in the next 12 months a “large majority of carriers” expect to increase capacity with “many moving to replace their aging vehicles.”

According to TCP, carriers are now being compelled both to add capacity and hike driver pay because the Hours-of-Service (HOS) rules that went into effect last year have cut down hours-per-day utilization of equipment.

Indeed, John Larkin, managing director & head of transportation capital markets research for Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., recently advised that a survey on the impact of HOS changes showed 80% of truckload carriers experiencing a loss of productivity and 67% of truck drivers a drop in wages.

And per Rick Schweitzer, general counsel of the National Private Truck Council, results of an NPTC membership survey conducted just a few months after the HOS changes became law revealed even then of 10 fleets responding: Nine reported being “adversely affected” by the rule changes; eight said their productivity had declined; and six reported they’d begun paying drivers for rest breaks.

Of particular significance, TCP pointed out that the number of carriers indicating they will not add capacity has indeed been trending down-- to where it now stands at its lowest level yet for this survey (27%).

What’s more-- and for the time ever in the TCP survey-- 30% of the carriers reported they expect to up capacity between 6% and 10%.

“These results are not surprising,” states TCP partner Richard Mikes, “given that 78% of the carriers this quarter indicated they had lost productivity due to HOS changes.”

Composite data, as reported by FleetOwner, indicates as many as 270,000 Class 6-8 trucks will be sold in 2014 with another increase expected in 2015.

In the TCP survey, larger carriers (over $25 million) expect to add equipment more aggressively than smaller ones (under $25 million).

Of the larger carriers, 39% expect to add between 5% and 15%-- compared with only 27% of smaller carriers that plan to do so.
Among those intending to add capacity, the percentage of carriers planning to do so through the use of independent contractors has soared 63% (from 16% to 26%).

Yet the most commonly reported method for adding capacity will be by attaining company equipment that is either financed or purchased via a TRAC Lease-- this activity is now at 35%, up from 26% in last quarter’s survey.

And worth noting is that the number of carriers reporting they will add capacity by purchasing other carriers has increased from exactly 0% three quarters ago to 6%.

According to TCP, as carriers boost capacity, they are also more likely to replace their older vehicles. Almost 40% expect to replace 11% to 25% of their fleet this year.

The difference between smaller and larger carriers is “striking,” the firm noted. Of smaller carriers, 77% plan to replace less than 10% of their fleet compared with 40% of larger carriers— “still a high number.”

Conversely, almost three times as many larger carriers expect to add 11% to 25% (50% vs. 15%).
“We suspect that all the 2007 ‘pre-buy’ tractors are [now] being traded out,” pointed out TCP's Mikes.

“If smaller carriers are not able to replace older, less fuel-efficient equipment-- and their higher maintenance costs-- those carriers will not be well positioned to benefit from looming good times,”

Great Service from the Atlanta Shop-Kevin Gomez

This is great recognition of one of our shop employees in Atlanta who helped get one of our new Owner Operators on the road with an OBC installation:

 
Hey I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated Kevin's efforts this past Saturday to help me get a new Lease Purchase driver up and going. I just happened to be here Saturday and I reached out to Mr. Gomez to help me get this contractors OBC up and running. He not only got the job done, but he called me and let me know it had been completed. Great communication. As info, this new contractor has already been dispatched on over 1100 miles to generate revenue for our company. Thanks again.

Great job of proper recognition by Ed Page of our IC/LP group here in Lowell, Arkansas.

The Fundamentals for Truck Freight Are Still Good

The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 4.3% in January, after edging 0.8% lower in December. In January, the index equaled 124.4 (2000=100) versus 130.0 in December. The all-time high was in November 2013 (131.0). Compared with January 2013, the SA index increased 1.2%.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 122.3 in January, which was 0.3% below the previous month (122.7).

ATA recently revised the seasonally adjusted index back five years as part of its annual revision. For all of 2013, tonnage was up 6.3%, slightly better than the 6.2% originally reported. In 2012, the index increased 2.3%.

“Like most economic indicators, truck tonnage was negatively impacted by bad winter weather in January,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The thing about truck freight is that it’s difficult to catch up. Drivers are governed by hours-of-service regulations and trucks are limited to trailer lengths and total weights, thus it is nearly impossible to recoup the days lost due to bad storms.”

As a result, Costello said January will be a tough month to gauge.

“January wasn’t just one storm, it was several across a large part of the country. Therefore, I wouldn’t panic from the largest monthly drop in two years," Costello said. "I’ve heard from many fleets that freight was good, in-between storms. The fundamentals for truck freight still look good.”

Meek Transport

Our team had the pleasure of meeting one of our finest PCS drivers on Friday the 21st, Walter Meek. He stopped by after a local pick up in Bentonville, AR in route to Indianapolis, IN. Walter is the owner and operator of Meek Transport in Marengo, IN. He started with JB Hunt in June of 2012. He's been working with Edgar Sanchez the entire time. He currently has one truck with us but is planning to add one to two more in the near future.

 

Walter is an excellent worker and has a great attitude! He consistently leads the way in total miles, weekly and monthly for PCS. His service is impeccable, delivering 98% on time. His Fleet Manager said he's always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done safely and legally. He also runs weekends when we ask him to or routinely runs the weekends on his own to earn more money.

Walter, Thanks! for being such a great partner carrier to JB Hunt. We appreciate all that you do!

Keep up the good work and come back by to see us soon.

New Fuel Standards Ordered

 

President Barack Obama on Tuesday will order his agencies to tighten the fuel-efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, the latest stage in his effort to tackle climate change without waiting for Congress to act.

During a visit Tuesday morning to a Safeway distribution center in Upper Marlboro, Md., Obama will announce he’s directing the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department to develop fuel-efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for future trucks and other heavier vehicles by March 2016. They would cover vehicles for model years after 2018.

Tighter post-2018 standards for heavy-duty vehicles, which account for about a quarter of onroad greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, were part of the list of items Obama laid out in June in his climate action plan. The new requirements follow up on standards the administration imposed three years ago for heavier vehicles from model years 2014-18.

The initial standards were meant to reduce fuel use and emissions by 10 to 20 percent from vehicles like school buses, garbage trucks, large pickups and tractor-trailers, and the White House said they will save a total of 530 million barrels of oil and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 270 million metric tons over the vehicles’ lifetimes. The White House would not immediately say how steep the cuts would be from the post-2018 standards.

Under Obama’s order, EPA and DOT should issue an initial notice of proposed rule-making by March 31, 2015, according to a White House fact sheet.

The new vehicle standards build upon efficiency requirements the administration approved during Obama’s first term for passenger vehicles, which must get an average of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, as well as sweeping greenhouse gas regulations that EPA is working on for power plants.

As part of Tuesday’s announcement, EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration must work with manufacturers, states, labor groups and others on developing methods to cut fuel consumption and emissions after the 2018 time frame. The agencies will also work with the California Air Resources Board “with the goal of ensuring that the next phase of standards allow[s] manufacturers to continue to build a single national fleet.”

Obama will also tell the Energy Department to offer assistance to any company that joins the National Clean Fleets Partnership, a public-private partnership that encourages companies to switch to alternative or advanced vehicles. Those companies will get “specialized resources, technical expertise and support in developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce fuel use and achieve greater efficiency and cost savings.”

The program’s members include Coca-Cola, UPS and Waste Management, and together operate about 1 million commercial vehicles in the U.S., according to the White House.
Obama isn’t focusing entirely on executive actions on Tuesday. He will also repeat his call for Congress to set up an Energy Security Trust Fund, an idea the president has called for in his past two State of the Union addresses.
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His plan would use drilling revenue to fund a research and development program for advanced vehicle technologies. But it faces serious opposition from congressional Republicans because it does not include expanded oil and gas drilling.

Obama will also call on Congress to revive the expired tax credit for producers of cellulosic biofuel and will propose Congress create a $200 million “tax credit to catalyze investment in the necessary infrastructure to support deployment of advanced vehicles at critical mass,” the White House said. The credit would be fuel neutral.

Industry Observations from Transportation Intermediaries Association

1. Capacity will remain tight, and get tighter. Carrier after carrier spoke to replacing equipment, but not adding to capacity. The carriers reported that the current driver shortage is such that they were not going to buy tractors to sit empty on the lot. Finding drug free, CSA compliant, drivers without sleep apnea willing to drive fewer miles makes recruiting even tougher.

2. Margins are where margins will be. With carriers not adding capacity, and the pressure for trucks not at a critical (think 2006) level, margins are likely to remain in the 14% range for brokerage-based 3PLs. The challenge will be maintaining EBITDA at a lower gross margin starting point.

3. Technology and process improvement will be the key. The key to maintaining EBITDA at lower margins will come from technology and process improvements. While some industry experts argue that only the largest brokerage-based 3PLs will survive, I believe that technology providers will allow smaller companies to meet the challenge.

4. Shippers want brokers to act like trucks. Shippers repeatedly stated that they had brokerage-based 3PLs in their core mix. They stressed that they wanted brokers to act like trucking companies. The shippers said they did not want to hear excuses or problems. They wanted every load covered, safely and on-time. At least one large TIA member broker agrees crediting much of their success to covering every load, even at a loss. This member’s advice, do what you say you are going to do.

5. Everything that can move intermodal shall move intermodal. Shipper panels at both conferences stressed that they wanted everything that could move intermodal to move intermodal. It is imperative, if you are not already offering intermodal service that you do so. TIA offers an on-line Intermodal Course, we offer an in-depth session at the TIA Conference (April 9 – 12), and all of the railroads will be at the TIA conference.

6. Shippers adding inventory, slowing shipments. Dell Computer reported moving much of their business from airfreight to ship going from 58 hours to seven days to reduce transportation cost. Other shippers talked about taking miles out of their supply chains by adding small DC’s, adding inventory, and incenting customers to order more per shipment.

7. Trucking regulations are hurting productivity. Eric Starks, FTR Associates, spoke about the cost of current and pending FMCSA regulation of the trucking industry. Starks stated that the hours of service rules created a 3% drop in productivity. FTR estimates that without any operating improvements, the current spate of FMCSA regulations could require as many as 1.5 million more drivers just to do what we are currently doing.

8. Brokerage market continues to grow. Small and mid-sized shippers are increasing their outsourcing of their supply chain design, optimization, and operations to 3PLs. Shippers of all sizes recognize the benefits 3PLs bring to the market: investment in people, technology, knowledge, and purchasing economies.

9. There is no more mystery to pricing. Shippers and brokers at the meetings all talked about how pricing tools are being used to create more visibility in pricing. This visibility is leading to more collaboration in pricing.

10. The market will continue to change. Problems with capacity, government regulations, investment in technology and people, providing visibility to freight and performing like a trucking company, will all continue to stress the brokerage-based 3PL market.

Remember, these are opinions of one source that attended several transportation conferences and is in the business to support brokers.

He Who Has The Driver Wins?

As problems go, the U.S. trucking industry is facing a good one. Thanks to a gushing oil industry and a homebuilding renaissance, everyone needs trucks. The industry, however, is running short on supply—specifically drivers.

Trucking outfits are bristling under new federal rules that drastically constrain how long drivers can stay on the road. Since July 1, truckers have been limited to about 70 hours of driving per week, down from 82 hours. And new rest requirements limit how much they can drive in the small hours of the morning, when roads are relatively empty.

Even before the new rules took hold, capacity was tight. At the height of the Great Recession, truck fleets at transportation giants FedEx (FDX), UPS (UPS), and Swift Transportation (SWFT) had 85,000 more drivers than they needed; today these companies are about 211,000 bodies short, according to estimates by FTR Associates, a freight logistics firm in Indiana.

 

To make matters worse, crumbling U.S. infrastructure is forcing truckers onto expensive detours. One in nine U.S. bridges is structurally deficient and 42 percent of the country’s major urban highways are congested, according to an analysis in the Wall Street Journal.

Those kinds of problems are hard to picture in virtually any other sector. Imagine a Wal-Mart (WMT) without enough parking, a Google (GOOG) data center too small to speed through a glut of searches, or JPMorgan (JPM) turning customers away because its safes were full.

Bloomberg Industries analyst Lee Klaskow says trucking outfits may need to fork out more money to attract and retain drivers. “If you really want to find people to fill the seat, you’ve got to make the industry much more attractive to the 21-year-old who doesn’t know what he wants to do with this life,” Klaskow says. “Rates now—$45,000 to $55,000 a year

Heed The Warning

Add truck driver to the list of jobs Americans don’t want to do anymore. Long weeks on the road away from home and family and stagnant salaries are making it hard to recruit drivers. The average age of a commercial driver in the U.S. is 55, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and retirements in recent years have long-haul carriers worried about filling their spots. Many would-be younger drivers are instead drawn to construction and other jobs that pay more than the average $38,000 a year truckers make.

“There has been an underlying quality driver shortage for many years, but it’s been masked by the recession,” says Mike Hinz, president of the van division at Roehl Transport. Nationwide there are about 25,000 unfilled truck driving jobs, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). That’s a manageable shortfall for now, given a still-struggling economy and lower-than-expected demand. Analysts expect freight volumes, which were flat in 2013, to rise only slightly in 2014—but that could be enough to create a need for more drivers. “As exports rise,” says Hinz, “we’ll see a driver shortage that is modest today become acute.” The U.S. government projects that 330,000 new truckers will be needed by 2020.

Federal regulations have also made a career behind the wheel less attractive. New rules have reduced the hours truckers can drive and require more breaks—so long-haul drivers paid by the mile are on the road longer without extra pay. Trucking companies are reacting by stepping up recruitment, offering signing bonuses, and reimbursing driving school tuition, which can run up to $5,000.

 

Some shipping companies are readying for a shortage by looking to “intermodal” transportation systems that combine trains and trucks to move products from factory to store shelf in a single container. Double-stacked rail cars can hold at least twice the amount of cargo as a standard long-haul truck. Intermodal promises to cut costs by transporting more cargo with fewer resources.
The Federal Highway Administration says intermodal transportation will become more popular as over-the-road freight networks are less able to meet demand. The ATA calculates intermodal will grow an average of 5.1 percent a year until 2018. That makes sense, says Ryan Bouchard, an analyst with Avondale Partners: “The message of less costly and more efficient movement is resonating with clients.”

Catch The Wave

Walmart has unveiled its newest concept truck, the Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience, or WAVE. The WAVE concept truck is the newest truck to enter the company’s fleet efficiency program.

The WAVE truck is said to follow in the green footsteps of the Supercube, but the WAVE has some very visible differences. The one-of-a-kind truck features an advanced aerodynamic, turbine-powered, hybrid truck.

The truck’s trailer is made from carbon fiber, which lightens the truck by nearly 4,000 pounds, allowing the truck to haul more freight.

Genchi Genbutsu Part Deux

Today we visited the Harrisburg, PA Service Center.  This site is a primary location for Intermodal.  But, it is also a strategic crossroads for DCS and Truckload.

The banner on the exterior fence is promoting local driving jobs for Intermodal, proof positive that it is difficult in every arena to find great drivers.

The Harrisburg Terminal is a state of the art facility.  The design is like none we have ever duplicated at J.B. Hunt.

We practice multiple enviromentally friendly techniques in construction/maintenance of this service center.  The use of skylights, a white metal roof, concrete floors and recycled materials all add up to a friendly facility for our enviroment.

 Here is the orientation room.  It is a design that I have not witnessed at any other facility.  Truckload has 2 professional drivers in this weeks class.

The shop locker room is a real source of pride.  The diamond plated bench looks solid. 

 

Kimberly Lindsey is our key contact for Truckload at the Harrisburg, PA Service Center.  She has a terrific attitude and is a Safety Coordinator.  We witnessed her helping future IC's and helping make the orientation a true success.

The Harrisburg facility is a wonderful example of J.B. Hunt at its finest.  The spirit and helpfulness of the staff was evident the minute we walked onto the property.

Competition and Cooperation = The Secret to Success

I always like to the think about how we can impact people and our business.  We are out in the field this week and are sharing knowledge with our operators and our drivers.  After one of our two fireside chats in Pennsylvania we witnessed the following list make its way to our Driver Board:

Imagine how proud we were to see something posted after we talked about it in theory 2 hours earlier.  It reminds me of a famous qoute:

Competition is the keen cutting edge of business, always shaving away at costs.

Henry Ford

We can guarantee ourselves that these MPG's will be noticed and focused on going forward.  We will also be looking to see the performance of our brand new International tractor with the Cummins 15L engine.  I bet you will see it at the top of the list.

Exciting adaptation here in Tannersville, PA.  We have a great team that wants to do great work! 

Welcome to the Blog

We took the time to gather e-mail addresses from 17 drivers here at our Walmart fleet.  We want to welcome them to the blog and encourage them to share content and pictures.  Glad you are a part of Truck Talk.  Our new members are:

Dexter Boucaud
Daniel Brodsky
Karlan Bryan
Lawrence Cunningham
Hector Diaz
Robert Farulla
Darryl Johnson
Jermaine Lewis
Stephen Major
Abu Mansaray
Yves Merilus
John Mitchell
Chayanne Moreno
Raul Oyola
William Penny
Sundiata Reeves
Jason Shaver

We love having the support of our drivers.  Making sure we communicate effectively to our driving force is imperative to our success!

Genchi Genbutsu

Perplexed about our post title?  It is a key principle of the Toyota Production System.  It suggests that in order to truly understand a situation one needs to go gemba, or go to the place that work is done.  Today we find ourselves in Tannersville, PA.  This is the home of our Walmart/Sam's Fleet.

 Jerod Hamilton on the snowy tarmac in Tannersville, PA

 

 

Our team consists of the following office employees:

 

Byron Munden   Account Manager

Ryan Roark        Planning Manager

Beth Tompkins  Fleet Manager-Walmart

Cody Styer         Fleet Manager-Sam's

Trissa Telesky    Fleet Manager-Sam's

Mark Mastrine   Account Rep

 

We are supporting 24 asset tractors and 33 pcs carriers.  Last week we carried 191 loads for Sam's and 382 loads for Walmart.  It was an extremely busy week and the weather was not our friend.  We are located in the heart of the Pocono's  and snow is the norm here.   

Are Your Drivers Plugged In?

(This photo was taken in our Lowell Terminal)

 

I received this ad today and it resonated with me (surprise, surprise): 

Social media is a platform that has many uses, but the most important attribute of social media websites is their ability to connect people. Most of our customers are looking for a new avenue to recruit and retain todays CDL driver with a measurable ROI. By combining online marketing with social media, KJ Media is your transportation marketing solution.

Over 60% of Truck Drivers are Online!

Benefits of Fleets Being Social

Enhanced communication - inside & outside.

Cost effective connections with drivers & customers.

Proactively engage with driver prospects.

Reduced stalled applicants and driver turnover.

Increases in driver communication & retention.

Higher levels of recruiting personnel productivity.

Social media is the perfect method for truckers to stay in contact with others, learn about the latest job opportunity and to feel valued at all times.

We can help our drivers by signing them up for the blog and also encouraging them to share content with us.  We are actively pursuing several other mediums of communication with our Truckload drivers.  These communication avenues include: 

• A Bi-weekly 800 hotline for our drivers to access that gives information including load perspectives, truckload initiatives, and performance data (safety, service, utility, etc.)
• Driver roundtables to be performed in the field on a quarterly basis.
• Driver survey
• Blog information updated DAILY
• Addition of our Truckload fleet on myjbhunt.com.
• Newsletter (for an example, check out the ICS Newsletter on the ICS page of myjbhunt.com.

 

•  

It Is A Way Of Life - The Success Story of Jerry Chamberlain

In America, trucking is big business as nearly 70 percent of all the freight tonnage moved in the United States goes on trucks, according to the American Trucking Associations.

“The average piece of freight gets moved (on a truck) six times before it gets to you and me,” truck driver Jerry Chamberlain said. “If trucking stops, America stops.”

Trucking becomes a way of life for drivers like Chamberlain, who drives a freightliner to Hebron, Ky., a community west of Cincinnati, to pick up Toyota automobile parts and bring them back to Kansas City.

It’s a 10-and-a-half hour drive each way. His nights on the road begin about 7 p.m. and end in the wee hours of the morning.

“Some people call us the last cowboys because we literally are out out here on the range every night,” Chamberlain said.

Chamberlain, 55, has driven more than two million miles for J.B. Hunt Transport in the past 17 years.
The Belton resident was honored for his mileage and proven safety record at an annual awards event at J.B. Hunt’s headquarters in Lowell, Ark. in October 2013.

Chamberlain also received special distinction for having no “preventable collisions” during his career.

As a token for commitment to safety, J.B. Hunt awarded Chamberlain a $10,000 bonus.

“This is my home for the better part of 70 hours of every week,” said Chamberlain, sitting in the driver’s seat of his 2010 freightliner carrying a 53-foot trailer.

While he has been recognized for his commitment to safety on the road, truck driving wasn’t necessarily a job he has always aspired to have.

“I didn’t plan for this to be my career,” he said. “Who would have thought 35 years later I would still be driving.”

Chamberlain initially had plans to go to college and become a certified public accountant. But in the 1970s, the banking industry crashed and instead found work as a school bus driver in southern California.

After 10 years of busing children, he became a delivery truck driver.

Seventeen years ago, he then had the opportunity to join the ranks of J.B. Hunt.

His present assignment is to make multiple trips to and from Kentucky each week to bring replacement parts for damaged Toyota vehicles back to Kansas City region.

Because fatigue is a common issue on the road among truck drivers, federal guidelines restricts drivers to driving 11 hours in any one day within a 14-hour window of service.

They can not also operate longer than 70 hours in a seven day period unless the driver takes a 34-hour reset, which he can only do once every 168 hours.

Drivers must also take a 30-minute break before you reach eight hours of driving in a day.

“The rules get to be quite excessive sometimes (but) are there for safety,” Chamberlain said.

Chamberlain makes 2-3 roundtrips to Kentucky each week, averaging 3,050 miles weekly.
He spends only 48 hours at home every weekend.

Safety is a mindset for Chamberlain, and for his company.

“The driver is the captain of his ship,” he said.

Procedures are in place that log sheets can’t be altered, speed can’t exceed 62 miles per hour, and continuing education and safety training are a part of a driver’s normal routine.

Chamberlain carries a Class A commercial driver’s license with passenger, air brake and hazardous materials tanker endorsements

“You have to have standards and professional guidelines. You can never let safety sleep,” Chamberlain said. “It’s a hard life. I’ve seen people killed on the highway.”

The act of an automobile slamming on their breaks while driving in front of a tractor trailer is something a truck driver has to be prepared for.

It takes the length of three football fields for Chamberlain’s truck driving at 62 mph to come to a stop after his brakes have been applied.

A passenger vehicle only needs 22 feet to stop.

If a collision is non-preventable, drivers like Chamberlain are trained to do the best they can to minimize the impact.

Drivers also have to have a fairly clean bill of health and pass an annual stress test.

“Most of us have an attitude that we want to get home at the end of the week safely,” Chamberlain said. “You can’t ever be in a hurry.”

It’s also J.B. Hunt’s policy that if a driver feels that the road conditions are unsafe, particularly during this time of year when roads can be slick and snowy, Chamberlain won’t be second-guessed if he makes the decision to pull over.

“If you don’t want to drive in ice, don’t,” he said. “They want me to do everything in my power to get the load delivered, but they also want me to get it delivered there safely.”

The same goes for strong winds and extreme fog situations.

Next to safety, Chamberlain said patience is also a virtue that good drivers must have.

“If you don’t have patience, you can get frustrated,” he said.

When he isn’t on the road, Chamberlain enjoys watching NASCAR, bowling and is an avid square dancer. “I enjoy the job, but you do have to make sacrifices,” Chamberlain said, noting time is often limited to enjoy his hobbies and maintain a personal life and relationships.

“This is not a job or a career, it’s a way of life.”

Did Phil See His Shadow?

The unrelenting winter of 2014 delivered another massive storm last week, bringing with it more economic uncertainty and higher fuel prices.

For the second time in less than a month, much of the southeastern United States battled a major ice event. The storm then brought additional snow, freezing temperatures and general misery to the rest of the East Coast. It even took aim at Transport Topics, forcing us to close this edition a full day earlier than usual.

But even with phrases such as “record-low temperatures” and “historic storm” becoming common, it has been remarkable to see trucking’s ability to minimize the storms’ effects.

Fleets are using social media to provide real-time operational updates and to make sure customers can check on the status of a shipment.

Still, it seems this winter’s onslaught will leave a mark long after the last snow pile has melted.
Dennis Lockhart, president of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, said upcoming economic data likely will be weak because of the weather.

A glimpse of that already may be showing in reports on automobile sales, manufacturing, and the job market.

For trucking, the most immediate effect can be seen at the fuel pump.

The U.S. diesel average has increased 10.4 cents over the past three weeks. The spikes have been far more dramatic in the Northeast, where distillate stocks have been drawn down in order to meet demand for heating oil.

The general acceptance of fuel surcharges by customers takes some of the sting from sticker shock at the pump. But the combination of rapid diesel price increases and potential slower consumer spending has to raise concern.

About the only thing “hot” right now is the debate on how much this winter will really affect the economy?

Those economists downplaying the weather suggest any small first-quarter slump can be made up over the rest of the year. Others suggest the weather may be disguising a real slowdown in the labor market.

Charles Plosser, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, said in a speech last week it could be “another couple of months before we have a better read.”

Trucking has gone about its business for about five years now amid “economic uncertainty.”
In fact, the lessons learned during these difficult years should provide a sense of relief any real economic damage will be minimized.

But one other reason for hope: The first day of spring is just over a month away.

The Power of the Internet

I am not sure how many of you are aware of Ohio Boy Trucker.  He used to work at Werner.  He came to work at J.B. Hunt and filmed/posted his different experiences from orientation to life on the road. 

After watching this video I was left wondering if this driver could have worked locally for us in Columbus for Intermodal or Dedicated.  We will certainly find out quickly.  This  video shows you the power of the internet and the changing landscape for communication.

J.B. Hunt.jobs

What are we advertising to potential drivers on our jobs website?

There’s never been a better time to be a J.B. Hunt Truckload driver. Come start your career with J.B. Hunt and enjoy industry leading pay, up to 2,500 miles per week and consistent home time. Drivers in the following states are eligible: AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, OK and TX.

• Up to $.48 cpm
• Potential to run 2,500 miles per week
• Various home time options
• Take truck home for time off
• Riders permitted
• Benefit options including a 401k retirement plan
• Eligible for an incentive bonus

Fun in Winter Wonderland

Just saw the Truck Talk blog.  I thought you'd appreciate this photos of the Loves in Toms Brook VA (I 81 x291) during the storm on Feb 13. It comes from Mike Fedderson(FEDM3) who was stuck in it. They had already gotten 15" at that point, and still coming down.

We love getting content from our drivers.  It gets us closer to their world and what they are dealing with on the road.   Thanks for reading and sharing Tom! 

January 2014 J.B. Hunt Truckload Driver of the Month

Congratulations to Daniel Youngblood, our January 2014 Truckload Driver of the Month.  Daniel is a resident of San Bernardino, CA.  He is a vital member of our West Fleet.

Daniel achieved the honor of our overall Truckload Driver of the Month as a result of the below performance:

13,274 Miles
6.91 MPG
6.5% Idle
2.56% Variance

Daniel has achieved our bonus for the past 4 months.  He is extremely professional and has a wonderful attitude.  Of the 5 candidates for Driver of the Month in January, Daniel finished in 1st place in EVERY category.

What's left to say?  Daniel is an elite driver and we are proud to honor him.

Wayne, MI Terminal

This is the weather our drivers are dealing with in the Midwest.  It might be sunny in NWA, but winter has a long duration in other areas of the country.

Pillars Award Winner - Trey Sanders

Trey came to the Truck Group from nights in August.  He has made an immediate positive impact.  Trey has a great attitude and is always more than willing to what is asked.  he was #1 in the region on the December FM Scorecard.

Pillars Award Winner - Mike Price

Mike owns important markets in Iowa and recently worked on a deal that secured a rate increase from a major customer in Muscatine, IA to San Antonio to offset the operational efficiency of an early morning delivery. 

Mike is the single point of pricing contact for all Pop-Up activity for JBT.  During 2013, Mike worked to take Pop-ups from an asset heavy model to predominately PCS.  In December, over 83% of truck days were PCS and total Pop-up revenue for the month was $2.3mm.  In 20013, Pop-up fleets brought $30.7mm to the truck line compared to $27.1mm for 2012.

Mike is a vital member of our team and we appreciate him!

  

Mike owns

 

Truckload Visitor

Today we took the opportunity to recognize our December 2013 Driver of the Month.  Luis Ruiz visited the 4th floor in Lowell and was introduced to all our people.  We loved seeing his reaction to the confetti shower.

This needs to be a part of our culture in the future.  I have to believe Luis loved the  recognition as our Driver of the Month.

Historic Month Will Be Remembered for Deep Freeze

 

Now that the January 2014 deep freeze is abating, it's time to take stock of its place in history.

The core of the cold came Monday, Jan. 6, and Tuesday, Jan. 7. Subzero temperatures affected a large swath from Montana to New York and as far south as northern Oklahoma and northern Alabama.

Persistent winds pushed wind chills into life-threatening territory, reaching 40 below to 60 below zero across a large swath of the Midwest. The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio, said the wind chills were the coldest observed in central and southwest Ohio since 1994.

Records Broken... and Not Broken

On Tuesday, more than 50 primary weather observation sites (mostly in major cities) recorded record lows for the date.

A few major cities, including Atlanta and Indianapolis, recorded their lowest temperatures since the mid-1990s. A few more cities, including Toledo, Ohio (1 degree Tuesday) and Madison, Wis. (9 degrees below zero Monday) recorded their lowest daytime highs since the 1990s. The slideshow above features a selection of cities that recorded low-temperature benchmarks not seen so far in the 21st century.

• How the Polar Vortex is Changing
• Falling Ice off World Trade Wreaks Havoc
• BEWARE: CRIPPLING ICE STORM LIKELY
• PREPARE NOW: Power Outages Likely
• Will Pax be a Catastrophe?
• Crippling Ice Possible
• Atlanta Rush Hour Traffic Update
• Traffic Update: DC, NYC, Philly
• Traffic Update for the Carolinas
• WUWA: Prepare for PAX
• Atlanta Will Get Another Big Winter Storm
• Avalanche Buries Village in Italian Alps
• Heartwarming Message in Snow For Hospitalized Mom
• Combating Cabin Fever
• Remembering Winter Storm Nemo
• Will They Survive 100 Below?
• Olympics: Will There Be Enough Snow?
• WATCH: No One's Immune to Ice
• WATCH: Boy Screams to Heavens to Make it Warm
• Georgia Looks to Avoid Embarrassment in Second Storm
• Winter Woes for Storm-Hit Europe
• WATCH: Massive Wave vs Pedestrian
• Fantasy Snowfall League Update
• WATCH: Man Gets Buried by Snowplow
• Barefoot, Autistic Teen Rescued From Ice
• Why Running in Snow is Never a Good Idea
• Teen Fatally Shot While Shoveling Snow
• Blood Donations Down Due to Winter Weather
• Panda Takes a Tumble in the Snow
• Snow Plows Scrape off Lane Markers Off I-540
• The Homemade Igloo
• The Science Behind Snow Melt
• WATCH: Can SUV Get Unstuck?
• Lake Effect Storm Chasers Part 3
• Heavy Snow, Ice Lead to Roof Collapse
• Glacier Moving at Record Speed
• Principal's Snow Day Message Goes Viral
• Dangerous Winter Roads Causes Cop Car Collision
• Calf That Lost Legs to Frostbite Walks Again!
• Manhattan-Sized Ice Chunk Breaks Off Glacier
• How to Shop Cheaply During Extreme Winter Weather
• Did Groundhog See His Shadow?
• Punxsutawney Phil: The Early Days
• How Phil Came to his Decision
• Side by Side: Two Days After Leon
• Post-Apocalyptic Atlanta Street
• Snow Chasers Chase Lake Effect Snow
• The Mystery of Lake Effect Snow
• Palm Trees and Boardwalk Iced Over
• Scenes From an Icy Nightmare
• Leon's Wrath: Stuck in the Snow
• Girl Reunited with Family is HILARIOUS
• How Cara Yacino Lives with Cold Urticaria
• Man Trapped by TWO Avalanches
• They Made Instruments With THIS?
• Snowing or Not, This Went On
• Silver Lining to Cold Weather
• Avoid the Flu at Home
• Winter Skin Tips
• Caught Skiing Through an Avalanche
• World's Worst Weather Places!
• What Does Winter Smell Like?
• What is an Alberta Clipper?
• What is a Blizzard?
• Man Went After His Fallen Dog
• What Happened to the Frozen Horse?
• How the Polar Vortex is Changing
• Was This a Disaster?
• The Phenomenon That Made THESE
• Apocalypse of Ice
• Icy Tourist Attraction Gets Hot
• Tips to Beat the Winter Blues
• What Happens to Bubbles in the Cold?
• Who Says You Can't Climb a Waterfall?
• When Boiling Water Meets -41 Degrees
• Puppies Left In Backpack In Brutal Cold
• Bedbugs are COLD-Resistant; What to Do
• Sunscreen in the Winter?
• Winter Car Survival Kit
• Driving Tips in the Winter
• Save Money This Winter
• Science Behind Snow Melt
• Watch Snow Pile Up
• Digging a Car out of 3 Feet of Snow
• iWitness: Sights, Sounds of Nemo
• 2000 Miles of Untamed Mother Nature
• Watch Car Flip on Icy Interstate
• Weather Wizard: Freezing Rain
• Playing with Weather
• Is your city the snowiest?
• Rating Winter from 1 to 10
• Making Snow from Scratch
• Foods That Keep You Warm
• How does lake effect snow happen?
• Winter Calorie Burners
• The sun's role in a snow storm
• How do you know if the ice is safe?
• Winter driving: What you should have
• Science Behind the Snowflake
• Make your home more energy efficient
• Get your home in the green zone
• iWitness: A biting kind of snow
• What to do if you're sliding on ice
• How do avalanches trap people?

Contrast this with December 2013, when dozens of all-time December record highs and record-warm daily lows were tied or broken, especially ahead of Winter Storm Gemini Dec. 21-23.

Greg Carbin of the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center told The Weather Channel that according to reanalysis data, Monday, Jan. 6 ranked as the 40th-coldest day on record since 1900 for the continental U.S., with an average temperature of 17.9 degrees for the Lower 48.

According to this data set, Monday was the coldest day of the 21st century thus far nationally, and the coldest since Jan. 12-13, 1997, but pales in comparison to the arctic outbreaks of December 1983 and December 1989, which together take the top four slots on the list.

One reason the January 2014 deep freeze was unable to break many long-term records is its short life span. The coldest air moved into and out of most locations within a 36-hour span, often not lasting enough to keep temperatures anywhere near historic lows for a full 24-hour calendar day.

In addition, the perfect recipe for extremely cold temperatures is a deep snowpack and calm winds. While the gusty winds throughout this cold snap made wind chills very dangerous, they also prevented actual air temperatures from plummeting to their lowest potential. Furthermore, a number of locations from Ohio to the Mid-Atlantic and Deep South had little or no snow cover, either due to lack of snowfall or the sudden warmup and rain that preceded this bout of frigid air in the East