Page 7 - ATR 4 2021 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 Katie
Thomason at 501.372.3462.
executive editor
SHANNON SAMPLES NEWTON
managing editor
BETHANY MAY
contributing writers THE RIGHT TIME
STEVE BRAWNER DEANA NALL
brawnersteve@mac.com deananall@gmail.com
DAVID MONTEITH TODD TRAUB This summer, I celebrated 18 years with the association. My titles and scope of
monteith.consulting@gmail.com toddtraub@centurytel.net
ROBERT O’CONNER DINA GRUEY responsibility have changed, but ATA is just my second job after college. My first
rsoco@yahoo.com gruey@roadrunner.com
was in the accounting department of a member trucking company. Approaching
art director
JON D. KENNEDY college graduation, I attended a job fair on campus and clicked with a recruiter
The Freelance Co. LLC, freelanceco@comcast.net
production editors from Maverick Transportation. Almost 20 years later, I have a fulfilling career in
KELLY CARGILL CROW, SARAH NEWMAN SHEETS, KATIE THOMASON
illustrator this industry because of an opportunity that was available to me at a time in my life
BRENT BENNETT
brentdraw@att.net when it mattered.
photographers
JON D. KENNEDY, JOHN DAVID PITTMAN
Who you meet, what you study, where you work and experiences you have entering
adulthood undoubtedly shape your future.
For decades, we’ve been lamenting the challenges of the driver shortage. Employers
www.arkansastrucking.com pay more, engineer routes and schedules that allow for better work-life balance, offer
president
SHANNON SAMPLES NEWTON great benefits and create healthier working relationships, but even carriers who do
shannonnewton@arkansastrucking.com
vice president all of these things struggle with hiring enough drivers.
KELLY CARGILL CROW
kellycrow@arkansastrucking.com
director of operations Truck driving does not require a four-year college education, so young people could
SARAH NEWMAN SHEETS
sarahsheets@arkansastrucking.com consider it long before they are shuffling through a job fair on a college campus.
director of corporate services
KATIE THOMASON Yet, if carriers do everything in their power to create desirable jobs and a young
katiethomason@arkansastrucking.com
communications director person wishes to pursue that opportunity, there is a federal law prohibiting it until
BETHANY MAY
bethanymay@arkansastrucking.com they turn 21. This federal restriction applicable to interstate freight creates at least
director of safety and loss prevention
MIKE BRUST a three-year gap after high school when choosing to become a truck driver is not an
mikebrust@arkansastrucking.com
option.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
MARK MORRIS Evidence tells us that inexperienced drivers take more risks and are involved in more
Morris Transportation Services, LLC
President fatal crashes. Research shows there is still a lot of brain development through age 25.
ROCHELLE BARTHOLOMEW JAMES REED
CalArk International, Inc. USA Truck
President CEO Maturity isn’t uniform though. There’s a lot to be said about the age of adulthood.
GREG CARMAN G.E. “BUTCH” RICE III
Carman, Inc. Stallion Transportation Group We are old enough to vote, run for office and serve in the military at 18.
President President
JOHN CULP ALAN RIELS
st
Maverick USA Dedicated Logistics No one wakes up on their 21 birthday prepared to be a safe, responsible adult. Some
President President & CEO
JUSTIN FINK JEFF SMITH
Summit Truck Group Utility Tri-State, Inc. of us get there sooner or later. Truck driving is a hard job with big responsibilities,
CEO President
JEFF HAMMONDS JOHN SMITH but it’s rewarding, essential and a calling for millions of Americans. Instead of
Walmart Transportation LLC FedEx Ground
Vice President of Logistics President & CEO making a rule that no one under the age of 21 is ready to drive a truck, why not
CRAIG HARPER GABE STEPHENS
J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc. C.C. Jones, Inc.
Chief Sustainability Officer, EVP Vice President determine who could be?
AL HERINGER IV Seth Runser
Star Transportation, LLC ABF Freight
Vice President President The American Transportation Research Institute has worked with a psychologist and
JEFF LOGGINS JOE VITIRITTO
Loggins Logistics, Inc. PAM Transport professor at the Center for Neurobehavioral Development to create a tool that would
President & CEO President & CEO
MIKE MCNUTT DOUG VOSS assess younger drivers and determine what traits are associated with safe vs. unsafe
Distribution Solutions, Inc. University of Central Arkansas
CEO, Owner Professor of Logistics & Supply
Chain Management driving. Recently, they beta-tested the tool on existing drivers and published the
findings that personality traits, physiological characteristics and aspects of mental
health could predict safe driving. They have revised the tool, and later this year, ATRI
An affiliate of the American Trucking will enroll 300 young drivers to continue testing this theory.
Associations
Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) is an Arkansas corporation of trucking I’m encouraged by this research that asks how to invite younger drivers to the road
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 without compromising safety. There are not enough people choosing to be truck
government on issues that affect the trucking industry. The organization also
provides public relations services, workers’ compensation insurance, operational drivers, and part of the problem is that the choice is not available at the right time.
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)
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Drivers Legal Plan
Phone 501.372.3462 Fax 501.376.1810
www.arkansastrucking.com
Shannon Newton
Drivers Legal Plan President, Arkansas Trucking Association
ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2021 7