Archive for November, 2011

Tony Justice – On The Road

The new album, On The Road by fellow truck driver, Tony Justice will be available in all Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers nationwide, beginning Tuesday, December 6th, 2011. 

A trucking album for truckers by a trucker, the title track was written by country super-star, Kenny Chesney, and includes original songs such as, “Trick My Truck” and “Bring Daddy Home,” as well as a remake of the classic hit, “Six Days on the Road.”

A driver for B&B Transport of Morristown, Tennessee, Tony has juggled his long-haul trucking career with his music ventures, all with the full support of his employer. 

Endorsed by NASCAR drivers’ Rusty Wallace and Roger Penske in 2002, his music is now beginning to receive radio play with the most recent being from a Tampa, Florida station. 

With receiving radio play, the most difficult aspect within the music industry, Tony is optimistic that Road Dog Trucking Radio on SiriusXM 106,  will recognize his growing success and offer his music through their station which is advertised as, “Just for Truckers.”

Let’s show our support for this fellow driver and pick up your copy of “On The Road” at your nearest Pilot/Flying J Travel Center.

© 2011, Allen Smith. All rights reserved.

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Dan Metully of Transport Watch

Truck freight brokers have a poor reputation within the trucking industry among professional truck drivers.  The most common complaint between truck owner operators dealing with freight brokers is not being paid for their services or being paid for less than what they were promised. 

This fraudulent practice reaches beyond the owner operators as well, as other motor carriers often find themselves in the same situation, having agreed to haul the freight and many times, not receiving payment for their service.

Payment issues continue to be a major problem for many owner operators and motor carriers alike, as fraudulent business practices continue to thrive within the industry.  

Furthermore, businessess that maintain integrity, honesty and professionalism can have their reputation damaged by others who conduct their business by fraudulent means.  Locating a reputable motor carrier, freight broker or independent owner operator who operates in a trusted, professional manner and maintaining the level of trust for your own business can often prove to be a worrisome task.  One company is working to change all of that.

Transport Watch is working to stop fraud within the trucking industry by exposing those companies that operate in deceptive practices, while highlighting those businessess that perform with professionalism.  This concept will provide a community of trusted companies, businessess and individuals that will offer a service where one can, “verify your potential business partners to a new level, and provide a quick, effective tool to help you protect your revenue.”

This verification process will insure that the company or individual you are considering doing business with, is one that has proven to be trustworthy and respected within the industry.  Providing news and updates on fraudulent activities that have been identified by other members, Transport Watch, based out of Montana, also offers services where you are able to further promote your company’s good name and have an active part in ridding the industry of fraudulent practices.

Owner, Dan Metully advises that, “Instead of wasting your time on a regular yellowbook ad, which really isn’t going to give you any of that information; you can go in and enter all of those details about what specifically your company wants to do. What do you want to tell the rest of the  nation of what is going to be your specialty?  And people will be able to go in there and they will be able to find you according to any parameters they choose.”

Seen as an excellent source for owner operators and new companies just beginning business, Mr. Metully adds, “There really is a higher purpose here and I truly believe as I said before, that if we can get everyone to participate, we can change the industry.”

Interview with Dan Metully of Transport Watch

© 2011, Allen Smith. All rights reserved.

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IdleAir

IdleAir has opened two new locations, furthering their plans for expansion and providing professional drivers an alternative to idling their engines and APU’s. 

The newest locations include:

• Dalton, GA – Pilot #421 – I-75 at exit 326
• White Pine, TN – Pilot #412 – I-81 at exit 4

As part of the Pre-Opening Special, IdleAir is offering FREE limited service at these two locations through November 30, 2011. 

Beginning December 1, 2011, they will offer full Premium Service at Dalton and White Pine, and a Grand Opening Special of $1.25/hr (plus tax), through December 31, 2011.

With these newest locations, IdleAir now operates twenty three locations through-out nine states, with further plans including New Jersey, Arizona and Texas.  Committed to providing an alternative to engine idling and environmental protection, IdleAir offers the professional driver:

• Clean, Powerful Heating and Air Conditioning
• Unlimited 120V Electricity
• Over 60 Channels of DirecTV, including the ESPN Package
• Basic Internet Service on the Touchscreen Display

For the nearest IdleAir location, visit the IdleAir Location page.

© 2011, Allen Smith. All rights reserved.

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PILOT FLYING J SUPPORTS TRUCKERS AGAINST TRAFFICKINGNEWS RELEASE

Nov. 7, 2011

For further information,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lauren Christ

Moxley Carmichael

(865) 544-0088

PILOT FLYING J SUPPORTS TRUCKERS AGAINST TRAFFICKING

In an effort to help raise awareness about human trafficking along America’s roadways, Pilot Flying J has partnered with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) to expand education for employees and outreach to customers.

“The Pilot Flying J family, made up of our employees, our customers, our vendors and other business partners, has the opportunity to help shut down human trafficking along our nation’s highways,” said Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam. “Our associates, professional drivers and the motoring public can take a stand by keeping our eyes and ears open for trafficking red flags. And, with one simple phone call, we can help keep our roadways safe and free of crime and, most importantly, save lives.”

Pilot Flying J posted information from TAT in its more than 550 travel centers and travel plazas across the U.S. These posters provide the National Hotline number that individuals should call to provide an anonymous tip if they witness or suspect human trafficking. The number is 1-888-373-7888.

Professional drivers are encouraged to pick up a TAT wallet card at Pilot Flying J locations, which along with the National Hotline number, provides an email contact, tips on trafficking red flags and specific information to provide to law enforcement with each tip.

Pilot Flying J also now includes general training about human trafficking and TAT resources to all company employees.

Some of the human trafficking red flags that Truckers Against Trafficking recommends to look for include people exhibiting:

• Lack of knowledge of their community or whereabouts
• Lack of control of own identification documents (ID/passport)
• Restricted or controlled communication – not allowed to speak for self
• Demeanor: fear, anxiety, depression, submissive, tense, nervous

The timing of Pilot Flying J’s plans to utilize TAT training materials coincides with recent legislation in Tennessee aimed at stopping human trafficking in the company’s home state. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Pilot Flying J supports the state law ratified in June that requires certain businesses, including travel centers and travel plazas, to post a sign with information regarding the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline.

“We’re very proud to support the work of Truckers Against Trafficking and do our part to help,” Jimmy Haslam said. “The trucking industry is a family of caring individuals, and together we’re millions of people who can be part of the solution to a devastating problem.”

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) has received more than 125 calls from professional drivers, and of these, more than 60% resulted from awareness and outreach efforts conducted by TAT. Of the cases reported by truckers referencing trafficking, approximately 62% involved potential minors in human trafficking situations.

The TAT initiative has a four-fold purpose: to educate members of the trucking/travel plaza industry about human trafficking and the role they can play in fighting it; equip them with tools; empower them with steps to take; and mobilize them to take a stand against one of the world’s most lucrative and destructive crimes. The initiative includes a website, www.truckersagainsttrafficking.com with resources such as videos, webinars, Human Trafficking 101 classes and more.

Human trafficking, a term for modern-day slavery, is a $32-billion worldwide industry with more than 27 million people enslaved in the world today. In the United States, it has been reported in all 50 states, and the number of victims is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.

For more information about Pilot Flying J, visit www.pilotflyingj.com.

About Pilot Flying J

Pilot Flying J is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than 550 retail locations across North America. Pilot Flying J is also one of the nation’s largest wholesale fuel providers, delivering over 500 million gallons of fuel to thousands of customers in 47 states and eight Canadian provinces. The company employs approximately 18,000 people and is the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America.

© 2011, Allen Smith. All rights reserved.

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Jasons Law has been added to the Re-authoriztion of the  Senate Transportation Bill-MAP 21 ( moving ahead for progress in the 21st Century )

We received a call this morning from an elated Hope Rivenburg, informing us that Jasons Law was included in the Senate Re-authorization,  the bill will be marked up Wednesday.  During the markup, a business meeting will determine if the bill will pass or fail ( it is expected to pass)
You can watch the meeting live on the Environment and Public Works Committee website:
http://www.epw.senate.gov

You can call up the Committee today to ensure the language for Jasons Law remains within the Bill

Majority Office
phone: 202-224-8832

Minority Office
phone: 202-224-6176

On Monday, June 13, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, reintroduced his bill – S1187 – to address the shortages of long-term parking for commercial vehicles along the nation’s highways. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, is a co-sponsor to the bill, which has been referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Jasons Law has been added to the Transportation Bill, replacing the wording for “truck parking facilities”
P392 Section 1401

4 Subtitle D—Highway Safety

5 SEC. 1401. JASON’S LAW.

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—It is the sense of Congress that

7 it is a national priority to address projects under this sec8

tion for the shortage of long-term parking for commercial

9 motor vehicles on the National Highway System to im10

prove the safety of motorized and nonmotorized users and

11 for commercial motor vehicle operators.

12 (b) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—Eligible projects under

13 this section are those that—

14 (1) serve the National Highway System; and

15 (2) may include the following:

16 (A) Constructing safety rest areas (as de17

fined in section 120(c) of title 23, United

18 States Code) that include parking for commer19

cial motor vehicles.

20 (B) Constructing commercial motor vehicle

21 parking facilities adjacent to commercial truck

22 stops and travel plazas.

23 (C) Opening existing facilities to commer24

cial motor vehicle parking, including inspection

25 and weigh stations and park-and-ride facilities.

393

O:\DEC\DEC11672.xml [file 3 of 7] S.L.C.

1 (D) Promoting the availability of publicly

2 or privately provided commercial motor vehicle

3 parking on the National Highway System using

4 intelligent transportation systems and other

5 means.

6 (E) Constructing turnouts along the Na7

tional Highway System for commercial motor

8 vehicles.

9 (F) Making capital improvements to public

10 commercial motor vehicle parking facilities cur11

rently closed on a seasonal basis to allow the fa12

cilities to remain open year-round.

13 (G) Improving the geometric design of

14 interchanges on the National Highway System

15 to improve access to commercial motor vehicle

16 parking facilities.

17 (c) SURVEY AND COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT.—

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta19

tion with relevant State motor carrier safety per20

sonnel, shall conduct a survey regarding the avail21

ability of parking facilities within each State—

22 (A) to evaluate the capability of the State

23 to provide adequate parking and rest facilities

24 for motor carriers engaged in interstate motor

25 carrier service;

394

O:\DEC\DEC11672.xml [file 3 of 7] S.L.C.

1 (B) to assess the volume of motor carrier

2 traffic through the State; and

3 (C) to develop a system of metrics to

4 measure the adequacy of parking facilities in

5 the State.

6 (2) RESULTS.—The results of the survey under

7 paragraph (1) shall be made available to the public

8 on the website of the Department of Transportation.

9 (3) PERIODIC UPDATES.—The Secretary shall

10 periodically update the survey under this subsection.

11 (d) TREATMENT OF PROJECTS.—Notwithstanding

12 any other provision of law, projects funded through the

13 authority provided under this section shall be treated as

14 projects on a Federal-aid system under chapter 1 of title

15 23, United States Code.

The House Transportation Committee will be drafting their own Transportation Re-authorization Bill.  The date of their bill to be submitted is still not yet determined.
Please call the Transportation and tell them to also include the language for Jasons Law into the their Bill

202-225-9446

If the Senate and House versions of the Transportation Bill are different they will then go to Conference Committee to work out the differences.

© 2011, Allen Smith. All rights reserved.

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