Whose Fault Is It Anyway?

Last week we kicked off our new driver notification process for all the J.B. Hunt Truckload units. The process notifies the driver via PeopleNet of the severity level of each fault that creates a dash light. We are sending an average of 25 messages per day to JBT trucks. Of which, 15 are low severity faults that can be reviewed at the next service and the other 10 faults are issues that should be addressed soon. 

The current procedure tells drivers to pull over and call road service anytime a dash light is activated. This event creates unnecessary down time.  60% of the time the issue has a low severity. The new process will allow the driver to continue driving until they receive a message explaining the fault. The driver will then only call road service if the fault has a high severity.

So, we anticipate substantial time savings for the driver and road service from the smaller volume of fault code calls. If all goes well with JBT, we will turn the process on for DCS and JBI.

 

 Below are some example messages that were sent out today.

 

We see that you have received the following fault code 3719-0 DPF Soot Load - highest (level 3/3) on unit number 328121. We would like you to know this is a Service immediately fault. This fault should be addressed immediately.
 

We see that you have received the following fault code 630-12 ECM fault on unit number 327104. We would like you to know this is a Low Severity/Informational fault. Please do not be concerned and note this fault on your next service.

Improvement and Effort Gets Noticed

I received a nice note from one of our Professional Drivers today that is worthy of sharing:

I know that lately I have been making a lot of effort to make myself heard at the home office level.  I want to take the opportunity to say that J.B. Hunt as a company does seem to be making an effort to be more of a driver-oriented company and listening more to drivers.  I also want to thank you for the opportunity to be heard and say that J.B. Hunt is improving as a company.


 

Lowell Swing By

 

We hosted one of our valuable Georgia Pacific SE drivers today on the floor of our operations center.  James Gallagher, based out of Jacksonville, Florida, paid a visit to the home office today. We were really glad he took the time to say "hi" to Lesia and the staff.  We were also enthused that James has used our career pathing in the past.  He has worked in intermodal out of Jacksonville, but really enjoys the GP fleet and the relationship he has with his Fleet Manager.

 

As you know, I love to ask the magic wand question.  When posed the question of what change would he make if he only had one wish, James quickly said the speed of the trucks to 64 mph. 

The Good Times Roll

This is a reprint of an article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette from June 3, 2015:

After spending a Monday night in Bentonville last month, I picked up the Northwest Arkansas edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette at breakfast the next morning and was greeted by this headline atop the front page: "Office tower for J.B. Hunt announced. Lowell mayor says move may add 1,500 jobs to area."

The story reported that the Lowell Planning Commission had approved a seven-story addition to the office complex owned by J.B. Hunt Transport Services. The J.B. Hunt facilities manager said the construction project could start as early as July with an expected completion date of early 2017. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, one of the largest transportation companies in the country, employs more than 14,500 people nationwide. Lowell Mayor Eldon Long said, "We truly are developing a skyline next to I-49."

Thus continues the renewed economic boom in Northwest Arkansas, where growth slowed at the onset of the Great Recession in 2007-08. There's no end in sight for the region's current economic expansion. J.B. Hunt, who died following a fall in December 2006, would probably just shrug if he were still around. He's the man who, when asked by a reporter about the secret of his business success, said: "I just haul the freight, and the money rolls in."

Hunt was born the son of sharecroppers in February 1927 in rural Cleburne County. He left school after the seventh grade to work in his uncle's sawmill. Hunt earned $1.50 a day and sold the mill's wood shavings to poultry farmers on the side to be used as ground cover in their chicken coops; in the fall, he'd pick cotton. Hunt joined the Army at age 18 and was recruited for officers' training school. He declined, a decision he later called the biggest mistake of his life because "it was my only real chance to get an education."

In 1949, the sawmill where Hunt worked went broke, leaving him $3,600 in debt. He got a job driving a truck between Texarkana and Fort Smith and paid off the debt. He married Johnelle DeBusk in 1952 and drove a truck for Superior Forwarding Co. of Little Rock. He continued to produce poultry litter and started his own company at Stuttgart in 1961; he lost more than $20,000 the first year. He added a trucking company in 1969 with five trucks and seven trailers. The company had more than 11,000 trucks by the time he stepped down as senior chairman in 2004.

Hunt became friends early on with Sam Walton, and Wal-Mart eventually was Hunt's largest customer. Business really took off after the trucking industry was deregulated in 1980. Hunt took his namesake company public in 1983. He introduced computers to truck drivers in the 1990s and was recognized as one of the world's great innovators in the logistics sector.

Despite his business success, Hunt never forgot his roots. He would carry a wad of $100 bills in a gold money clip and handed out cash to people he thought needed help. Hunt and Walton are gone now, but the county where they based their operations--Benton County--is among the fastest-growing in the country.

Rogers grew from 11,050 residents in 1970 to 55,964 people in 2010. Bentonville grew from 5,508 to 35,301 during that same period. Bentonville is the older of the two towns, having been established in 1837, a few months after the Arkansas Legislature formed Benton County. The county and the city were named for Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. A town square and 136 lots were laid out initially. During the Civil War, troops moved through Bentonville before and after the Battle of Pea Ridge, burning most of the buildings in a town where loyalties were divided. Bentonville was a center for tobacco production in the 1870s and 1880s, but farmers in the area later switched to apples.
The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, commonly known as the Frisco, was completed through eastern Benton County in 1881 but bypassed Bentonville. That led to the establishment of Rogers. The first train pulled into Rogers on May 10, 1881. By the 1900 census, Rogers had surpassed Bentonville in size.

"The town, with an estimated population at incorporation of 600 people, was named for Capt. Charles Warrington Rogers, general manager of the Frisco," Gaye Bland wrote for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. "The railroad advertised the Rogers area across the Midwest, and as newcomers from states such as Iowa and Illinois arrived, Rogers began to grow. The town owed its growth to the fact that it was both a local trade center and a major shipping point for apples and apple products. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, orchards surrounded Rogers. Along the railroad tracks were produce houses, apple evaporators where apples were sliced and dried and an enormous apple cider vinegar plant. By the early 1900s, Rogers boasted a brick commercial district, concrete sidewalks, an electric light plant, public schools, a private academy and an opera house."

The county received some national attention when William H. "Coin" Harvey moved there in 1900, developing a resort at Monte Ne and running for president on a third-party ticket in 1932. But no one could have foreseen what J.B. Hunt and Sam Walton would do to change the face of this once-rural county in the northwest corner of the state, a place where the economic good times now roll on and on.

The Blogger Lives!

The blogger is concerned because daily feeds have not been received by our loyal followers since June 8, 2015.  We are working on a fix for this issue.  But rest easy, the blogger is well.  These "injuries" in the above photo are simply to accentuate the dunk tank experience we all enjoyed during Lunch on the Lawn.  

Connie Retires!

The blogger had a good day 15 years ago.  We hired Connie Fruchey to operate our satellite terminal in Nitro, West Virginia.  Connie moved to the northeast and was instrumental in our C & S Operations.  Connie contacted me about 3 years ago and asked us to look for something for her in Indiana.  She had family in the Hoosier state and wished to retire in the cardinal state.  Lucky, lucky lady!  C & S approached us about opening an operation in Yorktown, Indiana.  Guess who we chose to operate the startup?  Yes, Connie was our choice.  She did a great job in Yorktown and gave us advance notice on her long term plans.

Connie retired three weeks ago and drove her car down to Lowell, Arkansas so she could thank everyone who impacted her career in person.  What a class act!  We wish Connie the best as she relocates to the southern part of the state and enjoys her new home and time with children and grandchildren.  

Industry Poll on Truckload Challenges

Concerns for Next Two Years according to Inbound Logistics:

Truckers will have to adapt operations to a variety of challenges.

 

Our Hotline is Updated! Call 844-588-8785 For Updates!

We will cover the following topics today:

 

MTD Safety Results

3 Day Freight Outlook

Arkansas Truck Driving Championship Results

Detention Pay Update 

Truck Talk--Industry News You Need To Know

WASHINGTON — A House appropriations bill unveiled last week could keep the suspended 34-hour restart rule from being reinstated by Sept. 30, and would permit use of twin 33-foot trailers. The provisions were attached to the 2016 appropriations bill released April 28 by the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittee. It was not clear at press time who attached any of the riders to the appropriations bill. “It’s a subcommitte product,” said Appropriations Committee spokeswoman Jennifer Hing. But the riders drew a swift retort from Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Democrats on the subcommittee. “There are some very important safety protections being challenged through the appropriations process without the benefit of hearings and without the benefit of testing those riders through public discourse,” Foxx told Transport Topics. “The appropriations process shouldn’t be used to create policy. My hope is that folks will reconsider the merits of some of these issues,” he said.

The bill, which calls for $17.2 billion in discretionary spending for DOT and $572 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, also contains riders to defund the FMCSA’s work on new minimum-insurance levels for carriers and to allow trucks on Idaho’s interstate highways to weigh as much as 129,000 pounds. The trailer provision would allow rigs to pull two 33-foot trailers on highways where there is a 28-foot limit. “Controversial riders generally should not be included on an appropriations bill, and those on truck length and weight have no place in particular, given that the authorizers are actively working on a reauthorization proposal,” Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) said.

As for the restart issue, if the appropriations bill survives intact in the House and Senate, the 34-hour restart could not be reinstated unless a government study finds that drivers who operated under the rule “demonstrated statistically significant improvement in all outcomes related to safety, operator fatigue, driver health and longevity, and work schedules” compared with drivers not operating under the restart. The restart rule, which originally took effect in July 2013, forced drivers to take rest periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. over two consecutive days. Congress late last year ordered a study on the restart comparing two sets of drivers, one operating with the restart rule, the other without it.


The restart was suspended until at least Sept. 30 but will be extended if the study isn’t completed by then. On April 29, the same day the subcommittee voted to send the appropriations bill to the full House panel, the American Transportation Research Institute released a report that found a shift in on-duty hours occurred during “more congested time periods post-July 1, 2013,” due to more trucks on the road in peak morning traffic. ATRI also said it found a “statistically significant increase in truck crashes after the July 1, 2013, rule change, specifically with injury and tow-away crashes.” ATRI said it looked at “several years of pre- and post-July 1 federal truck crash data.” Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) said the riders in the appropriations bill mean that “Christmas came early for the trucking industry — longer, heavier trucks, stalled enforcement of hours-of-service rules and inadequate insurance requirements.”

However, American Trucking Associations said in a statement that it is “pleased” the House Appropriations Committee has chosen to include a number of provisions that will improve safety and efficiency in an industry that moves nearly 10 billion tons of freight annually. “ATA will continue to look for legislative opportunities to advance our pro-safety, pro-trucking agenda, whether they are through this bill or other potential long-term transportation bills,” the federation said.
Likewise, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said it is supporting the riders that address the restart and insurance minimums. (It didn’t have a position on 33-foot trailers.)


For most carriers, the minimum coverage requirement is $750,000 with those specializing in hazardous materials required to have either $1 million or $5 million depending on what they haul. As for the Highway Trust Fund, the appropriations legislation provides $40.25 billion, matching the 2015 level. That spending goes largely to formula-driven highway programs carried out by the states. That funding would depend on adoption of a transportation policy bill updating the programs in MAP-21, the 2012 highway law that expires at the end of May. The appropriations bill, however, slashes funding to $100 million for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery infrastructure program, known as TIGER. The program provides grants to fund state and local government projects. Congress allocated $500 million for TIGER in 2015.

Adopt-A-Driver

For the third year, J.B. Hunt is proud to give back to our drivers’ communities through the Adopt-a-Class program. Nominations for this year’s program are being accepted June 15-26 at jbhunt.jobs/adoptaclass.

Adopt-a-Class is a nationwide program that allows drivers to nominate their child’s classroom to receive $1,000 worth of school supplies, a truck tour and pizza party. If selected, drivers will hand deliver the gifts to the classroom this fall. 

Children or grandchildren in grades K-5 are eligible for nomination. If chosen, drivers can expect to be notified by mid-July.

Help us make this year the best yet! Send us thoughtful nominations that highlight your child’s strengths and the school’s need. We look forward to reviewing the 2015 Adopt-a-Class nominations. Keep an eye out for the winning classrooms on jbhunt.jobs/blog.

Arkansas Truck Driving Championship

Last week represented J.B. Hunt at our very best.   Twenty one of our drivers spent a week interacting with many different parts of our company during their week of training and competition.  We all learned from each other and will be a better company for it.   

We will prescribe best practices to make next year's event as productive as 2015.  But for now, lets be satisfied with our team performance and the impact we had on our drivers and their families.  The commitment showed by the company was truly inspirational. 

 

Touch A Truck Feedback

We received the following card from the Junior League of NWA.  Our team supported the event with the Razorback Truck, two Professional Drivers, and our Grow program operated a coloring book contest for children.

ELD Education

This is provided by proponents of Electronic Logging Devices.  I believe it is a good review of the current situation regarding the mandate.  Enjoy and learn!

Your ELD Mandate 101

The trucking industry is waiting on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to publish its final electronic logging device rule — or ELD mandate.

What is it exactly? And, what does it mean for commercial motor carriers and truck drivers?

About the ELD mandate

In 2012, the United States Congress enacted the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” bill, or, more commonly referred to as MAP-21. That bill, which also outlined the criteria for highway funding, included a provision requiring the FMCSA to develop a rule mandating the use of electronic logging devices (ELDs).

In its simplest form, an electronic logging device — or ELD — is used to electronically record a driver’s Record of Duty Status (RODS), which replaces the paper logbook some drivers currently use to record their compliance with Hours of Service (HOS) requirements.

As of April 2015, the FMCSA is still in the process of writing the final rule that will specify exact ELD requirements, with a targeted publication date of September 30, 2015. Once enacted, fleets will have two years to implement certified ELDs to record HOS.

Fleets already equipped with electronic logging technology will have until late 2019 to ensure compliance with the published specifications.

ELDs aren’t reinventing the HOS compliance technology wheel

The ELD rule is based on a series of previous rulemaking events, each building upon its predecessor. (That’s one reason why it’s so easy to be confused by what’s available on the market right now.)
Today, many drivers and fleets are using automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs) to reduce paperwork. These devices meet the standard covered in the FMCSA’s rule 395.15, which requires them to automatically record a driver’s duty status and any changes in status, as well as the amount of time they operate the vehicle.

If requested by law enforcement, drivers must also be able to immediately present the required AOBRD display information for the previous seven days, plus the current day.

The ELD Standard is also built on a regulation for electronic on-board recording devices (EOBR) that was published, but eventually pulled back. The EOBR rule applied to fleets that had serious HOS compliance issues, but not all trucks were subject to HOS tracking requirements.

It was eventually vacated over concerns that carriers could misuse the devices to harass truck drivers – something the new ELD requirements must address.

• While differences among ELD, AOBRD, and EOBR devices abound, they share a few elements in common:
• They track a driver’s Hours of Service electronically
• They need to be “integrally synchronized” with a truck’s engine, making sure drive segments are captured
• Most will pass data to a system where a safety or fleet manager can see e-logs in a near real-time basis, allowing everyone to be on the same page

In today’s truck and fleet applications, ELDs installed in commercial motor vehicles can monitor and record a whole host of data about the vehicle and its driver that go beyond RODS — from Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR) and IFTA automation to driver behavior reporting on speeding, idling, and hard braking.

Many systems integrate map and route solutions as well, which can help drivers navigate around construction and avoid high-traffic areas.

And, many fleets are already seeing the benefits of ELDs.

That’s because ELDs can:

• Save driver time by reducing paperwork
• Keep a dispatcher up-to-date on a driver’s status, letting them plan for loads better in light of HOS compliance needs
• Reduce the hassle of keeping a paper log – something that e-log converts never want to return to

It’s important to note that the FMCSA allows fleets that have installed AOBRDs at the time the final rule is enacted to continue to use those devices until late 2019.

Smartphones and tablets can also work – as long as they meet the FMCSA’s requirements

In writing the ELD rule, the FMCSA is aware of the cost burden it could be putting on fleets. While it recognizes there’s a net-benefit from the paperwork savings alone, it doesn’t want to saddle drivers and fleets with trucking technology that isn’t affordable.

To address those ELD cost concerns, the FMCSA has provided that smartphones, tablets, and rugged handhelds can be used as long as the system as a whole meets ELD requirements, including a hardwired connection to the truck’s engine.

So, a fleet may choose to use a smartphone or tablet ELD to help address the start-up costs associated with some HOS compliance systems.

As an added benefit, with the overwhelming adoption of smartphones, truck drivers find them easy to use and see them as a vital part of their everyday life on the road. They’re also a perfect fit for drivers looking for a solution that untethers them from the cab and allows them the flexibility to choose from a wide range of mobile devices.

It’s not worth waiting for the ELD mandate to be enacted

Many fleets may be waiting for the ELD mandate to roll around before implementing electronic logging devices.

By waiting, however, fleets miss out on a number of immediate benefits.
Implement ELD technology today, and:

• Use a device that’s available now until 2019 – allowing you to roll out technology at a pace that’s comfortable for you, not driven by the government
• Start immediately building ROI: slash fuel costs, drastically reduce paperwork, increase driver communication, and charge for detention time
• Make life easier for commercial truck drivers by letting them focus on driving, not driver logs

It's Arkansas Truck Driving Championship Week-Let's Get Ready!

 Our drivers will start arriving today to begin their training for the 2015 Arkansas Truck Driving Championship.  We have 21 drivers in this years competition who have been working from the cab of their trucks to prepare for the pre-trip, written test, and course competition that takes place at the Embassy Suites in Rogers, Arkansas.  Our theme is military based and will have a heavy hint of camo!  The gear above has been customized for each driver.  Show below is Mark Overholt, one of our drivers who represented J.B. Hunt in the National Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2013.  Mark was the Arkansas State Champion for our Straight Truck completion two years ago. Do you think this family is proud of Mark and our company?

Here is a sneak peek of our banner for the ATDC tent.

A new addition to our arsenal is the CDP trailer wrapped in our digital camo design.  It will be used as a base for our operations during ATDC week. 

Guess who came home?  We committed 5 military wrapped tractors and 4 brand new Wabash 53' duraplate trailers to the Saturday competition.  All 5 drivers willingly donated their trucks to the event and are helping us capture other equipment in the field.  We have fantastic veterans working for our company.  Doesn't it make you proud?   

The Fantastic 5 in all their glory!  These units look great, which is a testament to the care and pride our 5 veteran drivers have taken since being assigned to the equipment.  Our 5 veterans include Louis Salas, Paul Crecelius, Daniel Byers, John Smallwood, and Alex Maldonado.  Guess what?  That is the same 5 drivers who were originally assigned to these units.  It makes you wonder why we only have 5 trucks total that are wrapped?  We support philanthropic causes that would make an important impact on our drivers, employees and the motoring public.  It stands to reason that the following causes would look tremendous in a similar fashion:

Kaboom Goes Kaffka!

One person can make an impact in our Truckload business.  Check out this load volume change when our own Kim Kaffka took ownership of the account in April.:

 

Church & Dwight

March: 108 orders

April : 118 orders

May: 158 orders

 

New Tanker Endorsement Regulations

Tanker Endorsement FAQ

With enforcement of new tanker endorsement regulations taking effect in July of 2015, it's important for drivers to have a clear understanding of the change. Those found to be driving without proper endorsement can be charged a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per instance, as well as possible license suspension for up to 90 days.

Do I need an endorsement?

Essentially, a driver is responsible for obtaining a tanker endorsement on his or her commercial driver's license if:

 

• The vehicle is carrying any liquid or gaseous materials within a container
• An individual container carries 119+ gallons or the total volume of all containers is 1,000+ gallons
• The containers are either permanently or temporarily attached to the vehicle/chassis
• The containers are loaded

How do I get the endorsement?

Visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) location and request the Tanker Endorsement Knowledge Test, which includes a fee of approximately twenty dollars. If you have any further questions, please contact your fleet manager to discuss.

 

We Are A Team

Look at this note from one of our PCS carriers out of Home Depot in Ohio:

 

I was informed this morning that I am to be the PCS Pop up driver of the month, I am extremely humbled by this knowledge. 
 

I wanted to share a short memory on why I after all these years have always been a part of J.B. Hunt, it was May 28, 1981 when I bounced through the doors in Lowell Arkansas, I literally ran into Mr. Hunt, During my interview which was performed by Mr. Hunt, he sat back and looked at me then started to speak the wisest words I'd ever heard from anyone "Here at J.B. Hunt we are a team, as a team member you respect one another, do your fair share of work, help one another when asked, treat each person you meet here the way you would treat your family if you can do this welcome to the team".  I worked in the shop until I was old enough to drive legally, Mr. Hunt was a shadow at times, he was also the first to congratulate you on a job well done. 
 

When I received the email this morning from Arkansas, it took me back to a time when I was part of a team, and the feelings renewed immediately, although the faces have changed through the years, The RDC 5084 J.B. Hunt crew has literally restored my faith that teams still exist. 

Thank you all for your support 

Regards,

Laurie Knowlton

Driver Hotline Update 844-588-8785

Please call our Driver Hotline for updated information about the following topics:

 

*Freight

*Safety results

*Productivity Bonus

*Detention Pay Program

*Drivewyze Survey

*Arkansas Truck Driving Championship  

ConAgra Foods : Food you love-----Customer of Choice in Indiana!

In the face of the driver shortage our industry is facing, here is a note from a customer who understands the pressures of Professional Drivers:

Good morning,

Soon we will be opening our new 1.6 million square foot IMC in Frankfort, IN.  and subsequently end operations in Lebanon, IN.  We are excited to open this state of the art facility.  Frankfort features an onsite scale, 24/7 lot access, overnight truck parking, driver lounge with vending machines and free Wi FI.  Attached is contact information and instructions for making a pickup and delivery appointment.  Please re ad below for some important information. 

Because of this new start up and our excitement around this facility, I would like to invite you and an operational person from your company to an onsite meeting in Frankfort.  We will discuss trailer pools, break down the phases of customer outbound shipments and look around the new facility to show you the many driver amenities that will be provided.

Please reply back to me by Friday 6/5 and let me know if you are able to make the June 25th meeting at our facility and how many will be attending.  As requested, we would like an operations person to attend if possible as we want them to see this first hand.

For being such an insightful client, please make these brands your favorites when you are shopping for you and your family:

 

Susan Patricia Looney

The entire team here at J.B. Hunt will dearly miss our friend Susan. She was an extremely positive force on our floor and she had a passion for people. She touched so many employees and built relationships from California to Maine. It is amazing that many of the people Susan knew she had never met face-to-face. It reinforces the impact you can have on people through your words and deeds.

When we reflect on Susan and her impact it reminds us of the Eskimo saying below:

Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings where our loved ones shine down to let us know they are happy.


We know Susan will be looking down at all of us and she will expect us to use our time for good works. She loved her family and will want us to spend as much time with our loved ones. Susan would also want us to respect and love each other at work.

We learned more from Susan than we can describe on a blogpost. She approached her cancer with incredible bravery. She fought the dreaded disease when she could and found peace in her relationship with God when she was told it was time to be called to a higher purpose.

We will all miss her greatly, but know we will see her again

Driver Update Survey Results - "The Driver's Perspective"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing Information Is Appreciated

The following OBC message was sent to our Truckload Professional Drivers:

CUSTOMER LOCATIONS WITH TRAILER DELAYS

We want to communicate some specific customer locations where you may see delays beyond 30 minutes in getting a trailer. We are working with each of these locations to rectify the particular problem, but wanted everyone to be aware.

CUSTOMER NAME and LOCATION
Dollar Tree at SAVGA
Kellogg at ATLGA
Sports Authority at MD GA
Unilever at PB IL
Ralston Foods at GROOH
Mars at WJ10H
P & G at SHIPA
Conagra at MI2PA
Ford at CLCMO

We appreciate your attention to these details. Thanks and be safe!

JBHunt Truckload Operations


We received the following response from a Professional Driver:

  Drivers appreciate your valued attention of this matter