Industry News

Marten recognizes Drivers of the Month

Marten Transport announced the following Drivers of the Month for July: Joseph and Robert Martin, Douglas Brown, Lance Owen, Charles Smith, Michael Kinzie, Robert Hiple, Michael J. Parton, Paul Hunt, Randall Mowbray, Earl Seay, Richard Roth, Phillip A. Larson, Anthony Raunich, Gary Naught, Gerald Kidby, Nick Pikios, Matt Kolleng, John Bradley III, David Crittendon, Paul Jetty, Mike Beck, Brian Surpass and Alan McCoury.
See their ad on pages 4 and 5 of this issue!

 

DOT considers texting ban for truckers

As part of a widespread effort to curb distracted driving, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently announced a series of actions the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is considering, including banning text messaging and restricting the use of cell phones by truck and interstate bus drivers. LaHood also indicated that the trucking-related rulemaking would consider restrictions on the use of other onboard communication technology such as laptops.
     Meanwhile, President Obama signed an Executive Order directing federal employees not to engage in text messaging while driving government-owned vehicles or while driving privately owned vehicles when they’re on official government business. The order also encourages federal contractors and others doing business with the government to adopt and enforce their own policies banning texting while driving on the job.

 

Duncan named grand champion driver

Dale L. Duncan, a Con-way Freight professional truck driver based in San Diego, CA was named the 2009 National Truck Driving Grand Champion at the 72nd Annual event held in Pittsburgh, PA. Duncan’s driving skills and knowledge of transportation and truck safety information topped those of 415 other professional drivers from across the United States. Duncan has logged over 1.25 million miles behind the wheel over his 26-year career, free of accident and injury. 

 

HTAA update
The Healthy Trucking Association of
America continues to blaze a bold, new path with this, the third issue of Driver HEALTH magazine, the official publication of the HTAA. The HTAA receives calls every day from readers and HTAA members who have already become fans of the publication. As always, the HTAA been busy spreading the gospel of health and wellness:

•     2009 ATA Management Conference – The HTAA recently exhibited at the ATA Annual Conference at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Many of trucking’s top executives came by the HTAA booth to express their support for our cause and find out more about one of the hottest topics in the industry, the HTAA.
•     Healthy Truck Tracer  – As part of HTAA’s efforts to improve communication with drivers, the association has created the Healthy Truck Tracer Program. This GPS-based system is much less expensive than competing systems and provides multiple tracking and communication services for fleets and drivers. For more information, click on the Healthy Truck Tracer link at HealthyTruck.org.
•     HTAA Monthly Newsletter – In addition to the online and print versions of Driver HEALTH magazine, the HTAA also produces an online monthly newsletter that is e-mailed to all members. If you’re not receiving the HTAA Monthly Newsletter, go to the HTAA Web site and subscribe. It’s free for HTAA members.
•     NASTC Annual Conference – 2009 marked the first time the HTAA exhibited at the annual conference of the National Association of Small Trucking Companies. Held in Nashville in Oct., the event gave the HTAA another opportunity to spread the word.