Page 7 - ATR 5 2019 digital

UP FRONT

Award-Winning Magazine of the Arkansas Trucking Association
Arkansas Trucking Report is owned by the Arkansas Trucking Association,
Inc. and is published bimonthly. For additional copies, to order reprints
of individual articles or to become a subscriber to ATR, contact Caitlin
Walraven at 501.372.3462.
executive editor
SHANNON NEWTON
managing editor
BETHANY MAY
contributing writers INSURANCE LEAPS ONTO LIST
STEVE BRAWNER ANGELA THOMAS
brawnersteve@mac.com angelaejthomas@yahoo.com
DAVID MONTEITH TODD TRAUB I recently attended the American Trucking Associations Management Conference &
monteith.consulting@gmail.com toddtraub@centurytel.net Exhibition. I try to attend every year to meet with my colleagues and learn about the
JIM HARRIS LEA WHITE
jimharris@arktimes.com leawhite1979@gmail.com issues facing the industry and what we are to do about them. The economy, technology,
art director workforce, infrastructure are all regular topics of conversation. A less popular topic of
JON D. KENNEDY
The Freelance Co. LLC, freelanceco@comcast.net conversation is insurance. But this year, that was the talk around many tables—the rising
production editors
SARAH SHEETS, KATIE THOMASON, CAITLIN WALRAVEN, SKYLAR HATFIELD costs, the diminishing availability and the need for some serious tort reform.
illustrator
BRENT BENNETT
brentdraw@att.net So it was less than shocking when I returned to my desk and learned that insurance
photographers
JON D. KENNEDY, JOHN DAVID PITTMAN cost/availability popped to number 4 on the 2019 Top Industry Issues list among
respondents from Arkansas. Despite the fact that the issue hasn’t made the list at all
in the last ten years!
What is going on? Why are insurance providers leaving the market? Or so steeply
www.arkansastrucking.com
president increasing rates?
SHANNON SAMPLES NEWTON
shannonnewton@arkansastrucking.com The economy has been strong. Trucks are supporting the demand of the market, but
director of operations
SARAH NEWMAN SHEETS
sarahsheets@arkansastrucking.com more trucks with more freight on the road with more people equals more risk. Demand
communications director for trucking business outweighs the supply of quality drivers. As the industry struggles
BETHANY MAY
bethanymay@arkansastrucking.com to fill trucks, to meet customer’s needs, and to find experienced drivers, inevitably the
director of safety services
SKYLAR HATFIELD standard slips somewhere.
skylarhatfield@arkansastrucking.com
director of loss prevention
MIKE BRUST But even when the economy slows down, we’ve already opened Pandora’s Amazon box
mikebrust@arkansastrucking.com
director of corporate services that arrived on our doorstep with “free” 2-day shipping. Customer expectations have
KATIE THOMASON
katiethomason@arkansastrucking.com been established that ordering online should be faster and more convenient than brick-
business development coordinator
AMANDA LAMB and-mortar stores, and that someone else will pay for it. These unrealistic expectations
amandalamb@arkansastrucking.com
executive assistant aren’t compatible with the safe, managed environment we want our drivers to operate.
CAITLIN WALRAVEN
caitlinwalraven@arkansastrucking.com
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD When there is an accident, it’s expensive. It costs lives, livelihoods, equipment, and cargo.
DAN CUSHMAN
PAM Transport, Inc. In addition to that, you cannot pick up a newspaper without reading about the latest
President & CEO
BOARD OF DIRECTORS trillion-dollar verdict. The limited number of insurers still serving the trucking industry
ROCHELLE BARTHOLOMEW MARK MORRIS
CalArk International, Inc. Morris Transportation Services, LLC are faced with forfeiting judgments, and the whole industry is absorbing the costs
President President
MARR LYNN BEARDEN JAMES REED through higher rates.
Marrlin Transit, Inc. USA Truck
President CEO
GREG CARMAN G.E. “BUTCH” RICE III What can we do?
Carman, Inc. Stallion Transportation Group
President President & CEO
JOHN CULP ALAN RIELS
Maverick USA Dedicated Logistics, LLC Carriers need to do all they can to make sure that the service they are providing is
President President & CEO
JEFF HAMMONDS JEFF SMITH adequately priced to cover the insurance of providing such service. Customers and
Walmart Transportation LLC Utility Tri-State, Inc.
Vice President - Logistics President & CEO consumers need to be informed of the impact of the insurance market.
CRAIG HARPER JOHN SMITH
J.B. Hunt Transport FedEx Freight
Executive Vice President & COO President Drivers also need to be educated on the risks and armed with technology (like collision
AL HERINGER IV VICKI JONES STEPHENS
Star Transportation, LLC C.C. Jones, Inc.
Vice President President avoidance, in cab cameras, etc.) to reduce accidents and offer protection from high

JEFF LOGGINS TIM THORNE
Loggins Logistics, Inc. ABF Freight settlements in accidents. Training, policies and staff who support drivers on the road
President & CEO President & CEO
ROB LYALL DOUG VOSS should be fully invested in their safety.
Tyson Foods, Inc. University of Central Arkansas
Vice President - Transportation Associate Professor of Logistics

Distribution STEVE WALTON
MIKE MCNUTT Southern Tire Mart There’s no quick fix to reset insurance rates to pre-ecommerce days or a magic trick to
Distribution Solutions, Inc. VP Strategic Accounts
CEO, Owner bring providers back to the table after nuclear verdicts and literal insurance scams (Page
12). But while you make every effort to make your business the safest it can be, we all
An affiliate of the American Trucking
Associations need to keep talking … to customers, to drivers, to the public, to policy makers and to
Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) is an Arkansas corporation of trucking each other. There’s no solution in silence.
companies, private carrier fleets and businesses which serve or supply the
trucking industry. ATA serves these companies as a governmental affairs
representative before legislative, regulatory and executive branches of
government on issues that affect the trucking industry. The organization also
provides public relations services, workers’ compensation insurance, operational
services and serves as a forum for industry meetings and membership relations.
For information, contact ATA at:
1401 West Capitol, Suite 185
Post Office Box 3476 (72203) Shannon Newton
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Drivers Legal Plan
Phone 501.372.3462 Fax 501.376.1810 President, Arkansas Trucking Association
www.arkansastrucking.com
ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 5 2019 7
Drivers Legal Plan