Trucking News

Asks Highway Watch® members to help locate missing 2 year old girl
Alexandria , VA --The Highway Watch® program's Highway ISAC has issued an Amber Alert calling on Highway Watch® members to assist authorities in locating a two year old girl from Smyrna , TN who has been missing since the evening of April 23rd .
" Tennessee authorities believe that the girl’s abductor is trying to smuggle her out of the country so time is of the essence," said Highway Watch® Vice President Bill Jacobs. "Highway Watch® is happy to lend our assistance and we look forward to helping law enforcement find the young girl and safely returned to her parents."
The relevant information on the missing child is as follows:
ANALYCE GUERRA, age 2, missing from her home in Smyrna, TN

DOB: 21 December 2003

Sex: Female

Race: White/Hispanic

Height: 3’ 0”

Weight: 35 lbs

Hair Color: Black

Maverick Transportation announced their 1st quarter recipients of Driver of the Month honors for 2006. These include January Driver of the Month Elliott Blansett of Bristow, OK, February Driver of the Month Aaron Toney of Uniontown, KY, and March Driver of the Month Chuck Helms of Ironton, MO.
Each driver is a leader in the company’s fleet and all have received numerous safety awards from the Arkansas based flatbed carrier.
Every month Maverick recognizes a driver from the company's fleet who takes pride in his profession and the company, employs safety, and maintains Maverick standards in all they do. Employees vote from the twelve Drivers of the Month and the Driver of the Year is announced at the end of 2006. As Driver of the Month, each recipient will also represent Maverick drivers on the prestigious Driver Advisory Council.Based in Little Rock , Arkansas and operating over 1,000 units, Maverick has 25 years of experience providing flatbed services to the steel and building material industries coast-to-coast. The company has a variety of driving opportunities available for over-the-road drivers. To learn more about driving opportunities available with Maverick Transportation, LLC. call the recruiting department at 800-289-1100 or visit the website at www.maverickusa.com
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Mabelvale, AR — Central Hauling Co. driver Artemus Collins of Amite, LA, recently won an FLD Freightliner truck for recruiting the highest number of new drivers to the company in six months. Tom Bartholomew, owner of Central Hauling Company and its sister company, CalArk International, presented Artemus with the keys to the truck on May 1, 2006.Both Central Hauling Co. and CalArk International have a program in which the driver who recruits the most new drivers to his company in a six-month time period is awarded a truck. This is the third truck Artemus has won since he leased on with Central Hauling Company in April 2004.Central Hauling Co., a full truckload carrier serving the 48 contiguous states and Mexico, is 100 percent owner operator-driven. CalArk International is a full truckload carrier serving the 48 contiguous states, Mexico and Canada. To learn more about Central Hauling Co. or CalAark International, call 888-422-5275
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Sitton Motor Lines congratulates Russell Williams on being named the January Driver of the Month. In his sixth year at Sitton, Williams is a contract driver from St. Albans, New York. In recognition for his accomplishment, Williams will receive a personalized, embroidered jacket, a savings bond, a framed certificate and a choice of other awards. Sitton thanks Williams for his hard work and dedication.
Runners-up for Driver of the Month are: Dennis Bryant of Wewoka, Oklahoma and Glenn Bilbrey of Van, Texas.
Based out of Joplin, Mo., Sitton services as an irregular route common and contract carrier throughout the United States. To learn more about driving opportunities with Sitton, call 1-800-533-4765
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PHOENIX, AZ – PrePass®, the Nations’ Premier Inspection Facility Bypass System, will be hosting a Driver/Trucking Industry Appreciation Event with the Chowchilla Inspection Facility, California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Trucking Association (CTA) to honor all those devoted to safe transport of goods across America’s highways. This event will consist of free food hot off the grill, cold drinks and an opportunity to meet with representatives from the CHP, CTA, and PrePass. Truck inspections will not be conducted during this event.
WHO: PrePass®
WHAT: Industry Appreciation Event
WHEN: Thursday, May 11, 2006
10am to 2pm
WHERE: Chowchilla Northbound Scale
35 miles north of Fresno, California
Route CA 99
NOTE: CHP plans to have a helicopter and other specialized equipment on display. DMV, Caltrans and BOE representatives will also be on-site. Photos and interviews are welcome.
PrePass® is the first commercially-available, coast-to-coast electronic preclearance system that enables qualified motor carriers to comply electronically with state weight, safety and credential requirements while traveling at normal highway speeds. Motor carrier participation is strictly voluntary and carrier participation is subject to state qualification standards. The advantages for motor carriers are that each truck equipped with PrePass® saves at least five minutes and roughly one-half gallon of fuel with each successful bypass.
The national PrePass® system is operated by ACS State and Local Solutions for HELP, Inc. ACS is a premier provider of business process and information technology outsourcing solutions to commercial and government clients worldwide. ACS is a Fortune 500 company with more than 40,000 people supporting operations in nearly 100 countries.
Launched in California in 1995, PrePass® is operational at 259 locations with more coming soon. Twenty-four states have deployed PrePass®: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

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Hope, Arkansas …In a step to encourage continuing fleet safety, Fikes Truck Line recently completed their award selection for their “2005 Driver Safety and Performance Awards” naming two overall winners; one in each flatbed category of long-haul and short-haul drivers. A total of 67 contractors met all the safety requirements in 2005.
From among the qualified 67-safety drivers, Fikes nominated 20 Overall Performance Drivers as candidates for the “Safety and Performance Division Winners.” The long-haul division winner was Randall Sanders, unit 258 from Russellville, AR. Sanders will receive an Air-Weight scale for his truck. The short-haul division winner was James Ward, unit 106 from Hope, AR. Ward will receive a set of Goodyear premium steer tires for his truck. All 20-Overall Performance Drivers will receive a free oil change from Travel Centers of America .
“The safety record at Fikes is excellent,” says Jerry Davis, Vice President, Safety and Insurance, “we congratulate these 67-safety nominees and appreciate their efforts to be safe on the road.”
Annual qualification for this driver distinction requires drivers to: attend at least one safety meeting, incur zero preventable accidents, record zero out-of-service violations and zero moving or log violations over a one-year period. All winners will receive a recognition plaque, Fikes’ logo stickers for their truck, and a custom Fikes hat highlighting their Safe Driver for 2005 status. A complete list of who is being recognized is attached or can be viewed at www.fikes.com.
Fikes Truck Line is a leading flatbed specialist with headquarters in Hope , Arkansas and terminals in Texas , Colorado and Kentucky . The truck line delivers steel, machinery, building materials and manufactured goods all over the United States . For more information, call Fikes at 1-800-643-6611 or log onto www.fikes.com.

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The 2005 Driver and Contractor of the Year have been named by Marten Transport. Brian Stephens was recognized at Driver of the Year and Greg Gregorio Marten’s Contractor of the Year.
Brian Stephens has driven for 13 years, the last eight with Marten. “I have a wonderful dispatcher,” says Stephens. “He understands when I need time at home and knows that when I’m working, I’m working hard.”
Stephens was the company’s Driver of the Month in December 2005, a requirement for being Driver of the Year along with remaining accident-free, having no service failures and driving 10,500 miles each month.
“Home time is important to me,” says Stephens. “I have five children, a grandchild and another grandchild on the way.”
For earning the Driver of theYear, Stephens was awarded a hat, jacket, and a pair of Spotter Sunglasses plus the company truck of his choice with his name and accomplishment decaled on it.
Greg Gregorio was honored as Marten’s Contractor of the Year. A driver for more than 30 years, Gregorio has driven in his native homeland of the Philippines to Saudi Arabia and now the United States. “I really like driving here. It’s a beautiful country,” says Gregorio.
Gregorio also was awarded a Marten jacket, hat, and a pair of Spotter Sunglasses in addition to decaling his truck with his achievement.
Headquartered in Mondovi, Wis., Marten Transport, with its signature blue trucks and blue bird logo, is a premium supplier of time and temperature-sensitive transportation services and offers outstanding, growing opportunities.
Founded in 1946, the company has grown from a small, regional carrier into one of today's leading national protective service transportation companies. With terminals in Wisconsin, Georgia, California, Oregon, and Indiana, Marten now serves a number of Fortune 500 companies, and employs more than 2,000 people.
During 2005, Marten Transport was named to the Forbes Magazine list of the top 200 best small business in America, among other prestigious awards.
  For more information on the excellent driving opportunities at Marten call 800-395-3331.

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LEBANON, T.N. (April 15, 2006)- Danny O'Quinn Jr. had an impressive start to the weekend's event in Music City. A strong qualifying effort would put him third on the starting grid, best of the Roush cars and best of the rookies. O'Quinn Jr. and the team predicted they might have a good weekend, since the 20-year-old Virginia native had a previous start and sixth place finish in the ARCA Re/Max series there in 2005.
The green flag flew over the No. 50 Stonebridge Life and Barr-Nunn Ford Fusion with O'Quinn Jr. starting inside the top-five for the first time this season. Throughout the first 25 laps of the race, he maintained his top-five position, battling with cars in the lead pack. When the second caution came out on lap 25, O'Quinn Jr. made his first pit stop of the day. He had reported the car was feeling very tight, and when he brought the Fusion in for adjustments, the No. 50 crew went to work to make the car more free. Unfortunately, a problem on the pit stop would cost O'Quinn Jr. some time on pit road, resulting in a loss of positions on the racetrack. O'Quinn Jr. would restart in the 15th position.
That would be the last of his run inside the top-five, as for the rest of the day he would continue to fight an ill-handling race car. On both lap 46 and 70 following the lap 26 pit stop, O'Quinn Jr. would report an extremely tight race car. Between those laps, he would continue to run solidly in the top-15, hoping to catch a caution and make some adjustments to free the car. Despite the tight condition, he worked his way all the way to the 11th position before the caution flag flew again. This time a flawless pit stop would maintain his 11th place position for the restart on lap 95, and adjustments would be made once again to try and free the car.
Two pit stops later, after making adjustments for what had become a super loose race car and maintaining his top-15 position, O'Quinn Jr. reported a vibration. Luckily, he caught a caution just in time to save him from what would have been a costly green flag pit stop. On lap 173, the Stonebridge crew pitted the No. 50 Ford again, and found that the front wheel had been loose. O'Quinn Jr. restarted 18th, and picked off positions until the final lap. He crossed the finish line in the 14th position, ending the weekend with a solid run.
"Definitely a little bit disappointed with our run today because we had such a good car. We just kind of got behind the eight ball there, made some changes to the car that didn't work, but by the end of the race we were really good," said O'Quinn Jr. after the race. "We had some issues on one of our last pit stops, we had a wheel loose and had to pit again and put old tires on, so we lost some time there, but we still had a fast car. But not the fresh rubber we needed to pass cars. But overall, we still came out of here with a top-15, which is definitely a big improvement form where we were last week."
Next week, World Financial Group and Barr-Nunn colors return to the No. 50 for the season's first night race at the Phoenix International Raceway.
To find out more about the racing program at Barr-Nunn Transportation or to become part of the Barr-Nunn team call: 1-888-999-7576.

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National Carriers®, inc. is pleased to announce that Frank Kimsey has achieved the astounding feat of logging 5 million safe miles of driving so far in his career!! This is an amazing accomplishment that very few drivers will ever experience!
Frank Kimsey has been a valued member of the National Carriers®, inc. team since he began working for the company on August 17, 1972. In his 33 year employment with NCI, Frank has driven his way into an elite group of drivers. Throughout his career he has received numerous awards and recognitions including being named Driver of the Month in March of 1999. Frank was also honored with the 1999 Driver of the Year Award!
Frank and his wife Vera have been married 43 years and have three beautiful daughters Robin, Tracy and Jill. “Frank is 100% dedicated to both his driving and his family”, says Vera.
At National Carriers®, inc. we are proud to have such an accomplished driver on our team!

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Walt Newcomb, Minnesota Operating Center
Eagan , Minnesota – “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine where I would be today,” said Walt Newcomb. Newcomb is Dart’s 2005 Contractor of the Year for Dart’s Eagan , Minnesota Operating Center.
Standing at the podium to accept his award from Dart President Dave Oren, Walt recalled the day in 1990 when he stepped off the plane in Minneapolis , on his way to pick up his first truck. It was a used Kenworth cabover that he bought with a zero-down lease from one of Dart’s truck and financing vendors. As he tells the story, all he had that day were empty pockets and big dreams of being his own boss and owning a truck.
Sixteen years later Newcomb’s achievements far surpass his early dreams. He is a highly profitable business owner, he has upgraded his tractor several times, and he is recognized as one of the trucking industry’s most capable independent owner operators. By 2005 he had earned the National Safety Council’s Three-Million Mile Club Safety Award. In addition to the Dart award, Overdrive Magazine honored him as “Trucker of the Month” for March 2006.
“I always wanted to run a business,” he says, “and Dart gave me the opportunity to run my own.” And he has done it successfully. His current tractor is the third that he has purchased during his years with Dart. “Everyone at Dart knows me, and everyone in management, my dispatchers, and my customers depend on me. They know I get the job done.”
As Contractor of the Year, Walt received a marble trophy, a $1,000 bonus, a personalized leather jacket, and a reception in his honor at Dart’s home office in Minnesota.
Woodrow Walker – Dallas Texas Operating Center
Dallas , Texas -- Dart Transit Company’s Dallas Operating Center has honored Woodrow Walker as its 2005 Contractor of the Year. Walker is an 18-year contractor with Dart, operating in Dart’s “Super South Region” between Texas and Georgia.
When he was young, Walker dreamt of working in the trucking industry. He remembers seeing trucks rolling up and down the road, hoping that one day he would be the one doing the driving. That dream came true, and he says that owning his own truck gives him the freedom to be his own boss. “My truck gives me independence, freedom, and security,” he says. “To be successful as an owner operator, you need to manage two things -- your money and yourself.” For Woodrow, success comes from knowing how much he can and cannot spend, and being available to haul freight.
Apparently he is very available because he is one of Dart’s highest mile producers, achieving 100% on-time delivery performance along the way.
Joyce Jordan, Executive Vice President at Dart’s Dallas ( Texas ) Operating Center , presented Woodrow with a marble trophy, a $1,000 bonus check, and a personalized leather jacket at a reception held in his honor.
Walker credits his wife, Gladys, for much of his success. “Gladys motivates me,” he says. “She helps me to see the things I don’t see, and she’s more than my wife … she’s my best friend.”

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