Gurl! Hold my ear-RANGS!

It was Friday night in Louisville, clear, calm and 56 degrees and sure was no kind of night to head back to the hotel and sit around my room watching my electronic stuff recharge. I heard that Papa John’s parking lot was jumpin’ and jivin’, so I was easily lured to the action.
As it turned out, it was true. The place was a sea of trucks and trailers. So many, there was no more parking.  Like totally spilling over.

Someone said there were maybe a thousand trucks there and they had to open a section of another parking area for more. I was doubtful, just a little, until I arrived there Friday night.
A big jet flew over, lumbering overhead in the direction of the nearly Louisville Airport. I wondered what these rows and rows of parked rigs must look like from the air.

Jan McCarter rockin' it.

On the OOIDA stage, our own "Land Line Now" Host and Minster of History (both serious and totally nutty) Mark Reddig was hosting the events of the evening. Here are a few of my observations.

Jan McCarter’s cover of “Stripes” was a knockout.
“I don’t look good in orange and I hate stripes." Really fun song about a gal who isn’t afraid of going to prison for killing her unfaithful boyfriend, but admits she simply wasn’t up to doing prison fashion. Gurl! Hold my ear-RANGS!

Brad James, a singing trucker whose Dock of the Bay YouTube video has made his name familiar, has a new fan. Me. 

Loved the trucker poetry, too, by the way.

The fundraiser that JBC group did to benefit OOIDA’s scholarship fund and Truckers for Troops was a  -- get ready for it -- drag race. It needs no description. 

Marcia Campbell, Bill Rode, Don Schmidt and Mark Reddig

It was a complete doozy. After it was over, OOIDA Life Member Don Schmidt presented two checks for $1,350 each to OOIDA’s Bill Rode of Eagle, Idaho. Bill is the Association’s Treasurer and heads up the scholarship committee.

"This is for the OOIDA Mary Johnston Scholarship Fund, this is for OUR kids,” Don said as he gave Bill the donation. Now mind you it was dark, but I swear I saw a gleam in Bill Rode's eye when he accepted the donation to the scholarship fund. You have to know that nothing makes Wild Bill happier than building that scholarship fund. 

At one of the food tents, Redneck
and Angel Face were ready
to serve it up.

Sharing the stage for the presentation was America’s Trucking Sweetheart, Marcia Campbell. Marcia looked a bit different than the photos I had seen of her. Her new short hairdo was the result of her decision to cut her hair off and donate it – something she did a couple of weeks ago.

Marcia came from Nashville, where she does her WSM All Nighter radio show. The woman is a legend. Her Trucker Talent Spotlight has been a venue to plenty of trucking talent.
On Friday night, it featured music and poetry and even a bit of spontaneous clogging from Marcia (she does this every Saturday night at the Grand Ole Opry).

The food tents were lit up with those patio lights, and the smoke and smell of grilled brats, chicken and burgers? Oh my.

Wreaths Across America: going the 'Extra Mile'

The Truck Writer of North America’s “Extra Mile” Award was created to recognize those individuals, organizations and companies who have gone the extra mile by helping to make the trucking industry a better place.

Brad Bentley, editorial director of Driving Force, RPM and Big Rig Owner,
 presents the Extra Mile Award to Wreaths Across America  Executive
 Director Karen Worcester and WAA founder Morrill Worcester
(Photo by Sandi Soendker)

I guess it was coincidence that here at MATS this year a blog I wrote about experiencing the Wreaths Across America wreath-laying was recognized by my fellow TWNA members as Best of Internet Division.  That was Thursday night. A short time later, TWNA presented the Extra Mile Award to Morrill and Karen Worcester, founder and executive director of Wreaths Across America, respectively, for “going the ‘Extra Mile’ by working with the trucking industry to honor America’s fallen heroes.”

It came as a total surprise to me that Morrill and Karen were guests at Thursday night’s awards dinner. It’s become a project I feel deeply about. How can you NOT?

Like a number of other truck writers, WAA “had me from hello” – or to be more accurate, the minute I saw that Internet image of Arlington in the snow, the headstones and wreaths. You know the one that went viral years ago? If you haven’t see it, or read about WAA, here’s a really quick backgrounder: Wreaths Across America is a national nonprofit best known for their annual wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and more than 900 locations nationwide.

A growing number of trucking companies and truck drivers volunteer their time and equipment every year to Wreaths Across America.

As a TWNA member, it was gratifying to recognize WAA’s efforts. And it was great for me to be able to meet them face-to-face and talk with them for a while. Heartfelt congratulations to Morrill and Karen and all the WAA people and the volunteers who make this happen every year.

Scoring awards from Truck Writers of North America? Sweet.

The Truck Writers of North America Communication Awards is now in its 11th year of recognizing excellence in trucking industry journalism.

The awards dinner takes place every year at MATS. This year, the TWNA Communication Awards program generated 97 entries, ranging from newspaper and magazine articles to covers and layouts to press events. Only 70 scored high enough to earn an award. Only a select few scored division “bests.”

It’s a tough peer-judged competition, and when you see some of the other entries it’s always humbling. The trucking press is an extraordinary group -- remarkable in fact. Some of the writing, the art, the video we saw showcased last night was impressive. It makes you appreciate it when your entry is good enough to be recognized.

The Best of Division Awards are the biggies and Best of Radio went to Host Mark Reddig, Senior Engineer/Producer Barry Spillman and Second Sound Engineer James Fetzer for a segment on Glenn Childress, “Driver of Presidents.”

A second Best of Division award went to LL Editor-in-chief Sandi Soendker who was awarded Best of Internet for a blog that took her to the Missouri Veterans Cemetery to participate in a Wreaths Across America ceremony.

Kudos to Today’s Trucking – the excellent Canadian magazine that won the Best of the Best. 

Here’s a list of awards won this year by OOIDA media.

Gold Awards

Land Line Magazine – How flow can you go? – Paul Abelson

Land Line Magazine – Pork Chop Diaries – Land Line Staff

Land Line Magazine – The way we were – Greg Grisolano

Land Line Magazine – When Johnny came trucking home – Bill Hudgins

landlinemag.com – WAA: Glad I did that – Sandi Soendker

“Land Line Now” – Glenn Childress – driver for presidents – Mark H. Reddig, Barry Spillman and James Fetzer

“Land Line Now” – Truckers survive disastrous storm – Patsy Terrell and Barry Spillman

Silver Award

Land Line Magazine – June 2012 Issue – Land Line Staff

Bronze Awards

Land Line Magazine – Layover at Lucas – Sandi Soendker

Land Line Magazine – The big squeeze – David Tanner and Sandi Soendker

Land Line Magazine – What’s your clearance, Clarence? – David Tanner

“Land Line Now” – Election Preview Special – Mark H. Reddig and Barry Spillman

“Land Line Now” – Truckers share memories of Dale Sommers – Mark H. Reddig & Barry Spillman

If you had a hammer ... or a Mack truck

Photo courtesy of Mack

Mack’s press conference at MATS this year could have been inspired by the late Pete Seeger, who wrote “If I Had a Hammer” along with whole slew of other iconic folk songs that celebrated America’s working people. Mack’s VP of Marketing John Walsh likened the Mack truck to a hammer and said, “People want tools they can understand and relate to.”

In fact, the whole press event had a Seeger feel to it, especially the “Man and the Machine” video.

Stephen Roy, President of Mack Trucks North America, Sales and Marketing announced clear new goals for its time-tested bulldog brand. Roy also told the trucking press that while Mack has enjoyed success in regional haul and vocational trucks, the truck maker is ready to expand its focus on the highway side.

Roy’s forecast: Mack now has the “right product, the product support and product solutions” to expand its focus to pursuing a bigger part of the Class 8 on-highway market share in North America.

Roy said in order to expand Mack’s focus on highway trucks, it has invested heavily in its tech support and increasing its support network for Mack customers. He said Mack’s total dealership network now numbers 428 full dealerships and facilities that offer parts and service.

Roy said Mack had worked hard to dominate vocational truck sales but hasn’t “done the job on the highway side.” A critical part of the plan is the new “uptime command center” at the Greensboro, N.C., campus, which is due to open in October. Roy said uptime had been a big focus for the past five years but the new three-story building will, for the first time, put all of their experts and tech support together in one location.

As part of the uptime focus, Roy talked about a new feature of Mack’s GuardDog Connect, which was introduced last year. GuardDog is a remote diagnostics program that sends vital breakdown info to Mack’s OneCall customer center.  A team of technicians evaluate the fault code and identify the exact issue and repairs needed. The driver is then instructed where to take the truck.

Roy said starting this year, GuardDog Connect now includes a new feature. When the truck pulls into the dealership, there’s a system to ensure it gets fixed and back on the road as soon as possible, using a virtual perimeter around a geographic location.

“There’s a geofence around every one of our dealerships,” Roy said. “So we’ll know when a truck comes into a dealership and when a truck leaves a dealership.” Roy said the GuardDog isn’t set up to be Big Brother, but to help the customer and assist the dealer.

“We’ll call the dealer and say, ‘We notice this truck is in; what can we do to help you get it out the door as soon as possible’?”

In another uptime plan to keep trucks rolling, Roy said the company was pushing hard toward 24/7 phone service. “Knowing there are after hour events,” he said, “the Mack Center is now answering calls on behalf of 60 percent of Mack dealers after their doors close.”

“We now stack up against anybody,” Roy said. “We hope our competitors will hear our footsteps.”

Mack’s overall share of the North American Class 8 truck market remains just under 10 percent, a level Roy hopes to see increase this year.

Roy has been on the job since Jan. 1, 2014. Previously, he led the company’s aftermarket business.

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard Mack’s new mantra. I went to Allentown about a month ago and had a chance to find out more about this.

For one thing, doesn’t Mack’s sister truck builder Volvo more or less have dibs on the on-highway segment? Roy clarified that the perception that Mack had developed its vocational focus as part of the Volvo Group to avoid infringing on Volvo Truck North America’s quest to dominate the highway segment was not accurate.

“One and one is not always two,” he has said, saying the Volvo Group does not want to place limits on the two truck makers. Roy said if one of the sister companies did not make a competitive highway truck, it shouldn’t be assumed the sales of such trucks would automatically go to one who did.

“So we want to see what Volvo can do on the vocational side and see what Mack can do on the highway side.”

Roy told the press in February the Mack Pinnacle with axle-forward configuration, especially the well-appointed Rawhide package, will likely play a role in the stepped-up effort.  

Trucking Moves America Forward ... indeed it does

What does the word “movement” mean to you? Action, process? Take me -- a cause-oriented '60s kid and a longtime employee of OOIDA, an organization that is all about fighting for the rights of professional trucker. I guess I am somebody who can’t resist the launch of a big “movement.”

Today at MATS, a group representing people from every corner of the trucking industry got together and launched an industry-wide movement to shape a positive image of trucking. And it’s going to be done by telling the story of the people who make trucking possible.

Among the speakers were OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer, President of Jet Express Kevin Burch, driver Allen Boyd and technician Herschel Evans.

In the words of OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer, “we’ve got a story to tell.” And in my words -- it needs to be one that is shouted from the mountaintops. Because legislators and regulators need to keep hearing about the “essentiality” of truckers. Without them, the nation’s economy will hit the skids. That message seems to keep on getting ignored.

OOIDA Executive VP Todd Spencer
Photo by Suzanne Stempinski

Spencer said truckers are the most important people in the trucking industry. The job they do “moves the nation.”

“And the trucking industry needs to see it,” said Spencer at a press conference today in Louisville. “If we cannot see it, the public won’t either.”

The movement is called Trucking Moves America Forward – or TMAF if you must have an acronym. It brings all sectors of the trucking industry together in a positive movement that intends to do some serious steam-rollin’ in order to engage policymakers, industry professionals and the public.

Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express, cited a statistic I have not heard updated for a while but I jotted down. Did you know that 1 in 16 people in the U.S. are employed by the trucking industry? That doesn’t necessarily mean they are behind the wheel, but – 1 in 16? That’s impressive. Why can't this industry get the proper respect?

Plenty of people in the industry are on board with this one. Along with ACT 1, an initial founding member of the movement, other supporters include OOIDA, ATA, Allison Transmission, Bendix, Bridgestone, Cummins Inc., Daimler Trucks North America, Dana, Detroit and Eaton. Lots of familiar names. Here’s more: GE Capital, Goodyear, Great West Casualty, Hahn Transportation, Hendrickson, J.J. Keller, Jet Express Inc., Kenworth, Longistics, Love’s, Mack Trucks, Meritor, Michelin, Motor Carrier Service Inc., Old Dominion, Omnitracs, Pegasus, Peterbilt, Randall Reilly, Tennant Truck Lines, Tennessee Express, Trans Tech, TCA, Volvo and TRW.

You're going to hear more about Trucking Moves America Forward in the future. For now, check it out at www.TruckingMovesAmerica.com or follow it on Facebook (Trucking Moves America Forward) or Twitter at @TruckingFWD.

Somebody has to do this.

Chasing mpgs

With profit margins thinner than Audrey Hepburn, truck builders are squeezing the brainpower out of their engineers to come up with every single thing that can be done to tweak fuel-saving enhancements.

Check out this slippery T680. (Photo by Jami Jones)

Some of those tweaks are obvious; some details you kind of have to look for them.

This morning at MATS, Kenworth, for example, showed the trucking press its T680 Advantage with 76-inch sleeper (it’s a new truck, just introduced in October) and pointed out some of the tricky new tweaks.

So there are the longer side extenders, lower cab fairing extenders for the 76-inch sleeper and front air dam. Then there are those aerodynamic mud flaps, even some optional wheel covers for drive tires.

The goal is to get as much as 5 percent more fuel efficiency. Kevin Barry, chief engineer, says the T680 will do that by May.

KW is chasing that 5 percent by combining the Paccar MX-13 engine, Eaton Fuller Advantage transmission, a Meritor 6x2 axle configuration and wide-base tires.

I’m not a fan of speed governors on all trucks, so their speed control management that utilizes speed limiters isn’t my favorite fuel-efficient feature. But the tire pressure monitoring system is neat, keeping tires at optimum PSI.

The new Kenworth Idle Management System, which provides 8 hours of A/C without idling, saves you about $4 an hour.