Trucking News
2006/3/31
Kenworth Truck Company today introduced its new Kenworth T660 aerodynamic model in a special unveiling ceremony at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville.
"We're excited to introduce the new Kenworth T660 with modern styling, superior forward-lighting technology, enhanced aerodynamics and fuel economy, advanced technology, and increased driver comfort," said Bob Christensen, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president. "The new Kenworth T660 is the latest evolution of our quality, aerodynamic product line and reinforces Kenworth's leadership in fuel economy performance."
Designing for 2007: Enhanced Styling and Aerodynamics
The Kenworth T660 will be available for customer delivery with the new 2007 engines. On the highway, customers will immediately appreciate the styling and aerodynamics that help deliver outstanding fuel efficiency.
Kenworth's advanced forward lighting system and stylish grille are striking visual features of the new T660.
The T660's new Halogen projector low beams provide 40% more light down the road than a sealed beam lamp and last three times longer. An optional High Intensity Discharge configuration provides 75% more light and lasts 11 times longer than sealed beam lamps. "You won't find a better forward-lighting headlamp system," said Mike Dozier, Kenworth chief engineer. "It's definitely world-class."
The Kenworth grille is 5% larger to accommodate increased air flow and cooling performance. "Yet, Kenworth was able to actually achieve a positive increase in aerodynamics and fuel economy," said Dozier. "We used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis extensively to fine tune the aerodynamic performance of the whole vehicle."
The result? "The new Kenworth T660 is poised to take over the reins of Kenworth's aerodynamic leadership pioneered by the Kenworth T600," said Dozier.
Interior Package: Designed for Driver Comfort
Inside, Kenworth's new advanced technology includes an enhanced multiplexed electrical instrumentation system, GPS navigation system standard with the Kenworth Diamond cab interior and optional on the Splendor cab interior, and new driver's display with real-time fuel economy, ignition timer, on-board diagnostics, gear display, vehicle system configuration reporting, and even an electronic alarm clock.
For additional comfort, Kenworth will introduce a new seating innovation. "Our proprietary seats will feature armrests that can be folded away behind the seat. This provides the vehicle's occupants with an additional four inches of sleeper access between driver and passenger seats," said Dozier. Kenworth also has introduced new durable, high-quality material for its proprietary seats which incorporate lively new styling, colors, textures and patterns.
Customers also benefit from Kenworth's current cab interior featuring world-class fit and finish, quality, and driver comfort.
Kenworth Truck Company, a division of PACCAR Inc, is a leading manufacturer of heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is the recipient of five 2005 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over the Road Segment and Pickup and Delivery Segment Class 8 Trucks, Heavy Duty Dealer Service and also Conventional Medium Duty Truck Segment and Medium Duty Dealer Service. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. The World's Best.
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2006/3/30
Cookeville, Tenn. - Averitt Express, one of the nation's leading providers of freight transportation and supply chain management, has made substantial improvements in fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions in the past two years since it began participating in SmartWay, a voluntary public-private initiative between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the freight industry.
As part of joining the SmartWay initiative, a voluntary program launched in 2004 to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution and promote cleaner, more efficient ground freight transportation, Averitt committed to meeting specific environmental and energy saving goals over a three-year period and annually sharing their progress with the EPA.
Officials at Averitt say the improvements made in fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions have come during an ideal two-year stretch of time.
"Averitt is constantly looking for ways to improve processes, efficiencies and technologies that benefit our customers, and participating in the SmartWay initiative is another great way to accomplish that goal," said Scott Wolf, Averitt's vice president of corporate services. "Our involvement with SmartWay over the past two years has been particularly timely as the industry continues to face record-high diesel prices.
Averitt's commitment to protecting the environment, including support for the SmartWay program, has been demonstrated through the following steps:
Purchasing tractors with engines that are more fuel efficient and reduce diesel fuel emissions
Researching and testing innovative tires that are specially designed to keep proper inflation, thus increasing fuel efficiency
Installing sophisticated electronic technology to gather data from tractor engine computers to track and measure fuel efficiency on an individual tractor level
Participating in an automated vehicle identification program that allows drivers to bypass designated weigh stations subsequently reducing unnecessary tractor idling and improving roadway safety
Providing drivers access to a roadside service that enables drivers to reduce tractor idling when parked for rest stops and other extended periods of time
Educating its workforce on steps that can be taken to increase fuel efficiency, reduce engine idling and improve processes that impact the environment
Fostering an atmosphere where customers, associates, vendors, and the general public can conduct an open dialogue on areas of improvement in terms of environmental protection
Utilizing underground fuel storage tanks and electronic fueling overflow detection devices at its facilities
Using leading-edge software to plan driver routes as efficiently as possible to reduce power unit road mileage while dealing with rising ton-mileage and alerting drivers to the most cost-effective fueling locations
Complying with, and in most cases exceeding, all federal environmental requirements
The SmartWay program currently has more than 300 partners, including both transportation providers and shippers. Collectively, SmartWay partners are on pace to reduce approximately 3.1 million tons carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, 800 tons particulate matter (PM) and 22,000 tons nitrogen oxides (NOx) annually and save approximately 284 million gallons of fuel per year by 2007.
"Averitt understands the future of our world rests on the investments we make to care for the resources of today," added Wolf.
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WESTLAKE, Whether their choice in chili leans toward Southwest sizzle, Cajun cookin' or Great Plains goodness, TravelCenters of America (TA) invites professional drivers to enter their chili recipes in the TA National Chili Cook Off. The top prize is a cool $5,000, and the winning recipe will be featured on TA restaurant menus across the country for all to savor.
"From talking to our customers, we know that a lot of professional drivers like to perfect their very own chili creations when they're not on the road," said Paul Huckelberry, vice president of restaurants, TA. "The TA National Chili Cook Off is an opportunity to share their secrets and to debunk the myth that firefighters are the experts when it comes to chili."
Entries received by May 15, 2006, will be eligible for one of five Regional Cook Offs to be held in June. The regional contest will be held at the following TA locations: The Harborcreek (Erie) PA on June 3rd, Ontario East, Canada, San Antonio, TX and Maybrook, NY on June 10th and in Wildwood, FL on June 17th. Regional contestants' chili concoctions will go bowl-to-bowl in an ultimate taste test with a jury of their peers - other professional drivers and folks for the community. The regional winners will each receive $2,000 plus an additional $500 in travel expenses for their trip to the TA National Chili Cook Off near TA's Cleveland Headquarters at the TA Lodi, OH location on July 22.
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2006/3/29
LOUISVILLE, Ky., - Kenworth will make Bendix ADB22X(TM) front and rear air disc brakes available on select Kenworth Class 8 trucks and tractors. The announcement was made at the Mid-America Trucking Show.
"Air disc brakes provide reduced brake wear," said Mike Dozier, Kenworth chief engineer. "The Bendix air disc brake's longer life may help eliminate one steer axle brake reline for many line haul customers. In addition, drivers have found disc brakes on steer axles improve the feel and control of the vehicle during braking."
Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes feature a mono-block caliper design that provides a compact brake compared to other two-piece caliper models. This design offers sealing that provides optimal protection from environmental elements, a larger rotor that absorbs more energy, better ventilation, and is an overall more robust system than past air disc brakes.
According to Bendix, the ADB22X design also virtually eliminates brake fade with no degradation of stopping power and in controlled testing has shown it permits stable, straight stops due to high brake efficiency. The ADB22X model utilizes the proven Knorr-Bremse air disc brake technology used in the European commercial vehicle market and serving the needs of global customers since the early 1990s.
Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC, a joint venture of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems and Dana Corporation, is a single complete source for brake system research, design, manufacturing, hardware and support for all foundation brake components and actuation systems for medium and heavy duty trucks, tractors, trailers, buses and other commercial vehicles in North America and around the globe. For more information, call 1-866-610-9709 or visit www.foundationbrakes.com.
Kenworth Truck Company, a division of PACCAR Inc, is a leading manufacturer of heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is the recipient of five 2005 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over the Road Segment and Pickup and Delivery Segment Class 8 Trucks, Heavy Duty Dealer Service and also Conventional Medium Duty Truck Segment and Medium Duty Dealer Service. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. The World's Best.
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2006/3/28
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Kenworth Truck Company has produced an electronic "White Paper on Fuel Economy" to assist fleets and owner operators interested in exploring ways to enhance fuel economy.
Kenworth's "White Paper on Fuel Economy" explores six major areas - aerodynamics, component spec'ing, advanced technology, route management, driver behavior, and proper maintenance.
"Fuel remains one of the leading operating costs in the trucking industry," said Gary Moore, Kenworth assistant general manager for marketing and sales. "Kenworth's white paper offers information that can assist in helping to address that significant cost. Of course, one of the best ways to help achieve increased fuel economy is to purchase aerodynamic trucks, such as Kenworth's standard-cab T600 and wide-cab T2000 models."
The savings can be significant. To illustrate the point, consider, three trucks traveling 100,000 miles annually with an average diesel fuel cost of $2.50 per gallon. Truck A gets 5 mpg, uses 20,000 gallons of fuel, and has a $50,000 expense. Truck B averages 6 mpg and uses just under 16,700 gallons of fuel at nearly $42,000. Truck C, an aerodynamic model, averages 7 mph and uses just under 14,300 gallons for about $36,000 in fuel costs. Truck C saves $14,000 over Truck A and $6,000 over Truck B.
PACCAR, Kenworth's parent company, recently earned the National Medal of Technology for its leadership in the development of aerodynamic, lightweight commercial vehicles which have dramatically reduced fuel consumption and increased the productivity of freight transportation. As a leader in aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, Kenworth pursues even greater fuel efficiency through aerodynamic enhancements achieved through a combination of Kenworth Research and Development Center design efforts, computational fluid dynamics, and wind tunnel, test track and highway testing.
The Kenworth white paper offers recommendations and tips to help fleets and owner operators reduce fuel costs. Operating a properly spec'd aerodynamic truck is one key step. Spec'ing tips also focus on enhancing vehicle aerodynamics, reducing mechanical resistance, selecting the right engine and gearing for the intended application, and choosing the proper tires to reduce rolling resistance. In addition, the white paper suggests fuel economy tips to help drivers get the most out of their equipment and proper maintenance reminders.
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Safe Trucker, Inc. and The Truckers Helper, LLC, both industry leaders in supporting the trucking industry, are pleased to announce their partnership in the formation of NeverSit.com. This cutting edge load board service for trucking companies, brokers and owner/operators is based on the KISS principle and cuts through the advertising and hype cluttering most current load services. NeverSit.com offers it's users an uncluttered interface where they can post loads and/or trucks and find loads and/or trucks. At $75/year for unlimited usage this new service is poised to revolutionize the way shippers and truckers connect with each other. Check it out for yourself at www.neversit.com or stop by booth 6127, The Truckers Helper booth at the Mid-America Truck show, for further information and for a chance to log on and check it out for youself.
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2006/3/27
Orlando, FL - Barry Pottle, CEO of Pottle's Transportation, Bangor, Maine, has been elected as 2006-2007 chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). The swearing-in ceremony took place on Sunday, March 12, at the association's Annual Meeting, held March 12-15, 2006 at the Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando, Florida.
Pottle began his career in 1978 working as an owner-operator truck driver. After five years on the road he began his career at Pottle's as vice president managing the maintenance and operations department. In 1989, Barry and two private investors bought the company from his father, Clifton Pottle. In 1994 Pottle bought his investors' interest in the company and in 1996 he bought another trucking company, increasing Pottle's fleet and making it one of the largest carriers in Maine.
Pottle has held a variety of leadership positions in the trucking industry and is committed to truck safety. The winner of last year's TCA National Fleet Safety grand Prize, Pottle is a past chairman of the Maine Motor Transport Association, State Vice President of American Trucking Associations and past chairman of TCA's membership committee.
In his year as chairman, Pottle wants to bring attention to the truck driver shortage and encourage TCA members to think about their drivers' needs in new and different ways. Pottle explained, "I feel trucking companies are doing a good job, not a great job in retaining drivers; however, we need and can do better." He also cited the importance of other industry forces in retaining drivers, "I am here to tell you that the trucking companies can't fix the problems alone. We need to get our customers and suppliers behind us as well." As the voice of the truckload industry he will also tackle regulatory issues including the Hours of Service rules, impending EOBR regulations, and truck size and weight guidelines.
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2006/3/26
@ 10:12 AM (44 months, 19 days ago)
Mar. 15--A coal product in the back of a truck caught fire, melted through the trailer and caused four to five grass fires along a three-mile stretch of Interstate 244 before a firefighter flagged the driver down Tuesday.
Inola Volunteer Fire Chief Bill Padgett signaled the truck driver near I-244's merger with Interstate 44 after he noticed that the back of the trailer was glowing white and dropping fire.
"So I immediately started flashing my lights and flagged him down and let him know he was on fire," Padgett said after he helped Catoosa firefighters hose down the trailer.
The fires, which were reported about 3:30 p.m., stretched along I-244 between Garnett Road and east of 145th East Avenue, Tulsa Fire Capt. Larry Bowles said.
The fires burned about 10 acres before firefighters from Tulsa, Catoosa, Rolling Hills and Oak Grove contained them, Catoosa Firefighter Jason Rogers said.
Bowles said 70 to 80 firefighters responded.
The truck driver was not injured. He did not want to be interviewed but said nothing like the fire had ever happened to him before.
The driver's shirt and a sign on the truck indicated that he worked for a company called Drisco.
Padgett said that before noticing the truck, he had called his dispatcher to report the fires because he couldn't get through on 911.
The fires backed up eastbound traffic along both interstates.
No homes or other buildings caught fire, Bowles said, although flames came close to the Serenity Park mobile home community.
Extremely dry conditions and high winds have combined to make the region a tinderbox since November.
Across Oklahoma, at least 869 homes have been damaged by grass fires since Nov. 27, and about 300 of those were destroyed, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.
Texas has been hit even worse, with fires consuming about 3.7 million acres and nearly 400 homes since Dec. 26, officials said.
Just since Sunday, fast-moving fires have ravaged the Texas Panhandle, killing 11 people and destroying numerous structures. By Tuesday, the latest fires had scorched 840,000 acres of grassland.
The state responded to more than 200 fires covering 191,000 acres in the 24 hours starting at midday Monday. Those blazes destroyed 15 homes, state officials said.
Firefighters were bracing for another battle Wednesday, when south winds are expected to pick up again.
The four men whose deaths pushed the toll to 11 on Monday apparently died Sunday, said Newell Rankin, range foreman of the Roberts County ranch where the bodies were found. It appeared that the men drove off a gravel road and ended up in a ravine, where they abandoned the car and tried to flee the fire.
They didn't get far. Their bodies were found within 50 yards of the car.
The men were on their way to jobs at an oil-drilling location, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Daniel Hawthorne said.
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@ 08:17 AM (44 months, 19 days ago)
Kenworth PremierCare Online, a free subscription-based Web service available through Kenworth's website www.kenworth.com, introduces all-new "Select Internet Savings."
Select Internet Savings offers Kenworth's top parts and service specials valid through May 31, 2006, exclusively to subscribers throughout North America. Besides regular additions to the Select Internet Savings archive, which subscribers learn about via e-mail, special bonus offers will also appear from time to time, including previous monthly Web specials. The Select Internet Savings page already includes three specials, totaling nearly $200 in savings on Mirrex, Delco Remy and Caterpillar products.
Kenworth also provides other parts and service savings through the latest Kenworth PremierCare Advantages Savings Book and Kenworth PremierCare Web specials www.kenworth.com that are redeemable during the month in which they are issued.
Kenworth PremierCare Online delivers regular e-communications to subscribers, providing them with their preferred Kenworth dealers' latest parts and service pricing, as well as informative e-newsletters featuring industry news, product information, service tips and more. Additionally, once registered, subscribers receive access to archived parts and service information, online tools, dealership information and other exclusive benefits, including free gifts. Currently, new members receive a Kenworth key chain.
To register for Kenworth PremierCare Online, visit www.kenworth.com and click on "Parts and Services," then "Register for Kenworth PremierCare Online."
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2006/3/25
@ 11:01 AM (44 months, 20 days ago)
WASHINGTON - A government-sponsored report backs California's role in setting tough standards on smog-forming emissions from cars, trucks and construction vehicles. The state's approach is scientifically valid and necessary in the quest for cleaner air, researchers said Thursday.
Acknowledging substantial progress in reducing emissions, the National Academies' National Research Council also said more needs to be done to meet federal air-quality standards in many parts of the country.
California began regulating pollution before the federal government did. Under the Clean Air Act, the state has the power to set its own vehicle pollution standards. Among the other states that have put in place California's rules are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
"California has used its authority as Congress envisioned: to implement more aggressive measures than the rest of the country and to serve as a laboratory for technological innovation," the report said.
The auto industry and environmentalists, which have fought over California's strict requirements, kept close watch on the review, which Congress ordered in 2003.
Automakers have said the state's rules add considerable cost for consumers and that the federal standards for nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons are stringent. Environmentalists worried that lawmakers might use the study to restrict states' abilities to follow California regulations.
"State initiatives were the kick-in-the-pants automakers needed to produce the cleanest cars on the market today," said Michelle Robinson, Washington director of the Clean Vehicles Program for the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The report does not recommend giving the Environmental Protection Agency the power to stop states from following California's standards. Instead, it encourages the agency to give states more guidance on the benefits of the federal rules.
Automakers noted that the study recognized that vehicles have become cleaner since the 1970s. Charles Territo, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said it also recommended that the EPA "become more involved in helping states understand the complexities of the regulations and the benefit of the regulations."
David Allen, chairman of the council committee that produced the report, said manufacturers described the costs associated with complying with both California and federal standards. But it was difficult for the committee to quantify those costs, said Allen, a professor of chemical engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
When the California Air Resources Board revises or sets an emission standard, it must seek a waiver from the EPA. The study recommended that the agency speed up waiver requests it considers routine and put a time limit on more contentious decisions.
The committee recommended that EPA reviews last no longer than two years.
While the study was under way, California air regulators in September 2004 approved the world's most stringent rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The auto industry has challenged those standards in court; the report did not address the subject.
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2006/3/24
@ 02:38 PM (44 months, 21 days ago)
GeoLogic Solutions, the transportation industry's leading provider of Multi-Mode mobile communications and tracking systems, today announced that Accelerated Freight Group is reporting significant fuel savings using the ADV Monitor feature available with its MobileMax Multi-Mode communications and tracking system. The optional, patented ADV Monitor provides real-time information on vehicle and driver performance, sent automatically and without the need for driver interaction
"This technology gives us the ability to cut costs," said Robert Bowman, president of Accelerated Freight. "Trucking margins are very thin, and today we also have record high fuel prices. With ADV we get accurate and timely performance data on each driver and vehicle, including hours and miles driven, odometer readings, idle hours and miles per gallon.
"By monitoring idle time and MPG with ADV on a real-time basis we can be proactive, rather than react to problems after they've already cost us fuel and money," Bowman continued. "Using ADV, we can monitor idle time, the one thing that drivers can completely control when it comes to fuel consumption. That capability alone has proven very beneficial."
According to Bowman, Accelerated Freight has improved fuel economy by .5 miles per gallon and saved $230,000 in fuel costs in six months, by using the ADV Monitor to help reduce idle time. "That's a conservative figure," he added. "Using averages of 150,000 miles per year and a fuel cost of $2.40 per gallon, an improvement in fuel economy from 5.0 to 5.5 MPG saves over 2,700 gallons per truck annually. With 70 tractors, our savings could easily exceed $250,000 every six months. In addition, the added cost of the ADV Monitor is very minimal so the return on our investment in this technology is very fast."
Headquartered in Theodore, Alabama, Accelerated Freight Group operates 70 late-model tractors in long-haul, dedicated and intermodal service for customers in the Southeast, Southwest, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states, as well as southern California. All of its power units are equipped with GeoLogic MobileMax communications systems, which are fully integrated into its enterprise system.
Accelerated Freight is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport, a voluntary partnership between freight industry sectors and EPA that establishes incentives for fuel efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Through its participation, the company has improved the MPG of its fleet by adopting a variety of technologies with about half its overall MPG improvement attributed to the GeoLogic ADV Monitor.
Brett Vitrano, Operations Research at Accelerated Freight, explained how the information from the GeoLogic ADV Monitor makes that possible. "At the end of every week we download the data from the ADV Monitor into an Excel spreadsheet that sorts and organizes the information," he related. "Based on macros we've established, we print a customized letter for each of our drivers detailing whether they are above, below, or within acceptable idle time percentages. Drivers who exceed our goals are rewarded with bonuses, and those who are below the threshold are called to discuss contributing factors, such as a problem with the truck or their operating habits. We also print out a list of techniques for those drivers to help them improve their idle time performance."
The ADV Monitor also helps Accelerated Freight improve the safety of it operations. For example, by identifying over-speed and hard-braking incidents, driver safety performance can be addressed. In addition, Accelerated is able to monitor 25 engine and vehicle parameters directly from the engine's Electronic Control Module, enhancing vehicle performance by quickly identifying equipment problems and scheduling the vehicle for service.
The ADV Monitor is enhancing business processes at Accelerated Freight as well. For example, when the GeoLogic MobileMax system detects a state line crossing, ADV logs and immediately sends the new state, odometer reading, GPS position, date and time, and truck and driver ID to the carrier's enterprise solution for fuel tax calculation.
"We initially adopted the ADV Monitor to help improve driver performance, but it has also brought us other benefits," Bowman concluded. "While we already have a low driver turnover rate, ADV is a valuable retention tool because it lets us communicate in a positive way with our drivers. Solutions like MobileMax and the ADV Monitor are great examples of technology that provide visibility into our operations, help us make better decisions and automate key processes, enhance safety, and ultimately improve our bottom line. GeoLogic is a very valuable part of the team at Accelerated Freight Group."
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@ 11:06 AM (44 months, 21 days ago)
INDIANAPOLIS - Celadon Trucking Services (Nasdaq: CLDN) has been selected among the 'Best Places to Work in Indiana' by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
"Receiving this recognition from the Indiana Chamber is exciting," said Celadon President Tom Glaser. "As a business, it means that we are doing the right things for our employees.
"Our chairman, Steve Russell, has a motto: 'Life is good when you can't wait to get to work and you can't wait to get home," said Glaser. "I am proud that Celadon is a place where people enjoy working."
In its first year, the 'Best Places' assessment program was created to identify outstanding employers in the state as determined through extensive employer evaluations and comprehensive employee surveys. Winners were selected from two categories: small- to medium-sized companies of between 25 and 199 employees, and large-sized companies consisting of 200 or more employees.
Celadon was one of only 15 large companies chosen and one of 36 companies selected overall. The winners will be honored and their rankings will be unveiled at an awards luncheon on May 3.
"Our goal with 'Best Places to Work in Indiana' is two-fold: to recognize the first-rate Hoosier employers who take pride in creating an environment that makes employees feel valued and to encourage other Indiana companies to examine their workplace structure and how it impacts their employees," said Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar. "After all, an employee who feels valued will likely be more productive for the employer."
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