September 2015 Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 1
Newsletter Date
Woody Redmon Celebrates 35 Years with Cowan!
At Cowan Systems, our
in 1979, Woody’s father
continued success in the
was reading the local newstransportation industry is
paper in Kentucky, and nodirectly attributable to our
ticed an advertisement for
diligent and dedicated
trucks to haul loads from
team of professional drivBowling Green to Baltiers. In August, Woody
more. The advertisement
Redmon, a longstanding
was placed by Key Way
pillar of our organization,
Transport, formerly known
is proudly celebrating his
as W.T. Cowan Fast Freight,
35th year at Cowan. In a
located at 820 South Oldcandid interview, Woody
ham Street Baltimore, Maryrevealed the components
land. At the time, the Key
of our company that conWay Transport only had two
tributed to his longevity as a driver for the Cowan family. dispatchers, Wayne Zdenek and Richard Warner.
As a teenager, Woody learned to drive large trucks as
part of his job while working construction. Woody was
instantly attracted to the freedom of the road available to
professional truck drivers. Woody’s father was an owner
-operator who owned ten trucks. He quickly became a
role model for Woody’s future career. One summer day
Woody and his father drove to Baltimore, and began
hauling Whiskey and other goods between Kentucky and
the Baltimore. Eventually, the Key Way freight business
expanded to the Mid-Atlantic area. Woody experienced
some of the most challenging periods of transition for our
evolving organization. Continued Page 2
National Road: We’re with you all the way!
BY: JOHN SAURO, SUCCESS COORDINATOR, NATIONAL ROAD
My resume is simple. I am a husband, father, proud family man, writer, carpenter, umpire, and often a carpooler.
I received an Honorable Discharge from the UNITED
STATES AIR FORCE, where I served as a commodities
transfer engineer. After decades of night classes and online coursework, I finally earned my Bachelors of Science in American History. From 1993 to 2000, I proudly ran OTR in my own Big Rig.
As an Owner Operator, I thought brokers were shady, 4wheelers were crazy, and dispatchers (I swore) shaved 25
cents a mile off every run they offered me. Driving a tractor
semi-trailer rig, and operating your own small business,
can bring an enormous amount of stress, but hey, if it
were easy everyone would do it, right?
Compound the stress with driving out on the road,
breaking down, or being put out of service, without a
knowledgeable and trustworthy support system to call
for help. Fighting for pay and detention time with
countless brokers consumes your drive time, home time,
and will likely cost you hundreds of dollars. As an owner operator, you may have to worry about how much
time you will spend searching the load boards for that
perfect run… only to end up delivering to a location that
you cannot get out of for days and days. Continued Page 3
Page 2
Continued from Page 1:
Woody Redmon Celebrates 35 Years
His dedication and perseverance paid off as the company
transitioned into Cowan Systems, LLC. Although he is
still technically an “independent carrier”, Woody has always considered himself a Cowan Driver. Woody was
the first driver to receive an official new Cowan Systems
custom green company truck. To this day, he still drivers
a Cowan truck (pictured on the front page), that has well
over 2 million miles on the odometer!
tired as the Executive VP of Cowan Systems in 2014.
“Without a doubt, I’m still here because of the people. I
know the executives always do what they believe is the
right decision. If it wasn’t the right decision, they
change what’s wrong, and make it right. I believe in the
company mission and the outcome. I’ve been here for 35
years, and I’ve never had a paycheck bounce. Many
drivers from other companies can’t say that. If I have a
Woody remembers the many wise words of encourageproblem, there is someone listening and willing to work
ment and sound advice from Wayne Zdenek, who always to resolve it”, explained Woody.
coached him through the tough days. ‘Wayne would say,
Currently, Woody hauls loads for R.E. Michael and Sun
“Don’t quit, don’t ever quit, because that is what makes
Products. “I’ll stop driving when I can’t see and they
them win!” ’, recalled Woody.
take my license”, joked Woody. A proud grandfather of
Wayne Zdenek began his career at W.T. Cowan in 1967, three boys, ages 4, 10, and 14, he enjoys spending time
became the Executive VP of Key Way Transport, and re- with his family on his farm.
Keep Current with Cowan!
Breaking News, Photos, Upcoming Events, Contests, and Important Reminders
To help bridge the communication gaps between our corporate offices, terminal locations, drivers,
families, and friends, Cowan has greatly increased our presence on social media! Today, you have
immediate access to information regarding employee referral bonuses, driver accolades, contests,
company events, and industry news:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Cowan website:
LinkedIn:
Pinterest
www.facebook.com/cowansystemsLLC
@CowanSystemsLLC
www.cowansystems.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cowan-systems-llc
www.pinterest.com/cowansystems/
LIKE our Facebook page to stay up to date on all of our Cowan happenings! If you have
work related photos, articles, or upcoming events that you would like to feature in the next Dispatch Newsletter or on social media, please email [email protected]
Write a REVIEW for Cowan Systems on Facebook, and you
will be automatically entered to win Cowan apparel!
Next drawing: October 31, 2015.
Page 3
Continued from Page 1:
National Road
You are forced to wait 30, 60, and over 90 days to collect your hard earned money. Delays in payment hinder
your business, because of course, you will always need
to carry ample cash for tolls, scales, load locks, lumpers,
food, and don’t forget gifts for your loved ones!
mother, father… well you get the idea. Our drivers also
remain closely connected to Cowan. I take great pride
in knowing that our National Road drivers are never
alone. You will never find our drivers stranded overthe-road, or chasing their hard earned coin.
Many owner operators are forced to face the realization “WE’RE WITH YOU ALL THE WAY” is the cor that they are great Boy Scouts, but are not ready to be- nerstone of who we are, and the foundation on which we
come Scout Masters.
stand. It is the promise from each and every one of us
associated with this Lease Purchase program. We get
In 2013, I joined THE NATIONAL ROAD DIVISION
our owner operators rolling, we get them paid, and most
as a Fleet Manager. My team specializes in the coordiimportantly, we get them home! I am proud to be a
nation of long haul transportation services, which are
member of a team that is making a real difference in the
consistently in very high demand. National Road offers
lives of so many drivers.
drivers the opportunity to transition into the role of an
entrepreneur, while driving a brand new customized Pe- As a division, we achieved our first milestone in 2015,
terbilt truck. We provide educational, financial, and ad- by dispatching 100 lease purchase trucks over-the-road
ministrative support services for novice, intermediate, throughout the country. We are well on our way to our
and experienced owner operators. National Road offers next goal of over 200 National Road Drivers running
a low risk (instant credit & no money down) and high strong!
reward (consistent miles with competitive rates & flexiIf you’re a driver who possesses the perseverance,
ble home time) carrier position for any professional
determination, and the tenacity to succeed, then The
truck driver, who is willing to perform the hard work
National Road Lease Purchase Program is the right
required to become successful. Today, I’m the National
place for you! We make it possible for motivated drivers
Road Success Coordinator, constantly utilizing my expeto become a successful Scout Masters!
rience as an owner operator and fleet manager to assist
our Independent Contractors
upon request.
In today’s digital world, a traveling professional remains
closely connected to his or her
family, home, community,
bank, library, and even place of
worship. Heck, good luck trying to find a man or woman my
age (don’t ask), who never
learned how to Skype or
FaceTime with his or her
spouse, child, grandchild,
Pictured above: Miguel Oyola, a driver for our National Road Division,
joined Cowan in February 2015.
Page 4
Congratulations, Dale Santee!
MTA Driver of the Month
In January 20, 2015 Cowan Driver,
Mr. Dale Santee was awarded the
“MMTA Driver of the Month” for
the month of April 2014. The
prestigious Maryland Motor Truck
Association’s Annual Drivers of
the Month and Year contest is
sponsored by the Safety Management Council. The award reception was held in Catonsville,
Maryland.
Nominees for the Drivers of the
Month and Year must be
employed by a member of
MMTA with terminals in
Maryland. Driver selection criteria include attitude, work ethic, length of
industry accident free
driving, accomplishments
and awards at truck driving championships, customer relations, and community involvement.
Earl Fortney saves coworker with Heimlich Maneuver
BALTIMORE:
On July 22, 2015, a Cowan corporate office employee
who was 5 1/2 months pregnant suddenly had a piece of
food become lodged in her throat, and began to choke.
Luckily, Earl Fortney, Cowan’s Maintenance Specialist
who concentrates on facilitating trailer repairs, was in
the immediate vicinity, and quickly recognized the
signs of the emergency situation. Instantaneously, Earl
began to perform the Heimlich Maneuver.
According to coworkers who witnessed the emergency
and called 911, the coworker began to change colors,
due to the blockage in her airway. Earl remained calm,
and performed the Heimlich Maneuver, until the food
was dislodged. Thankfully, his heroic actions were able
to successfully restore her airway. Eddie Crooks, driver retention specialist and a former firefighter, helped to
care for the patient until paramedics arrived.
Undoubtedly, Earl’s quick response can be credited
with saving the life of his coworker, and her unborn
child. We are very happy to report that both mom and
baby are healthy and doing well!
For information on first aid training in your area visit:
www.redcross.org
POLICY REVISION: Driver Safety Manual
Below, please find the updated Driver Safety Manual text. The handbook was modified to further
clarify Cowan’s holiday and bereavement compensation policies.
HOLIDAY PAY:



Mileage and Trip Pay Drivers: Ten (10) hour s at your r egular hour ly r ate.
Hourly Drivers: Your r egular ly scheduled honor s (maximum of 10) at your r egular r ate.
All Drivers: In the event you ar e r equir ed to wor k on a r ecognized holiday, you will be paid the Holiday Pay
in addition to the pay you are entitled to for working that day.
FUNERAL LEAVE:


Mileage and Trip Pay Drivers: Ten (10) hour s at your r egular r ate.
Hourly Drivers: Your r egular ly scheduled daily hour s (up to a max of 10 hour s) at your r egular hour ly r ate.
Page 5
Knights of the Road
The Knight of the Road honor is bestowed to
Cowan drivers who perform heroic acts that
significantly impact the lives of other motorists and members of the community.
(RIGHT) In February 2014, Arden Casiano received the Knight
of the Road Award, because he assisted the drivers and passengers involved in a serious three vehicle crash. Arden came upon the accident scene in the Albany, NY area and immediately
took action. Photo: Andy Vega, Don Kavicky, Arden Casiano,
and Eddie Diaz.
On May 16, 2015, Chris Baker (LEFT) arrived to the scene
of a serious accident. A passenger van was on its side, and
on fire, so Chris worked quickly to extinguish the flames.
Fearful the fire would reignite, he and another motorist
pulled the injured driver from the vehicle. Chris comforted
the injured driver, and kept him stable until EMS arrived.
Chris was presented the Knight of the Road statue by Andy
Vega (right) and Eddie Diaz (left).
On June 1, 2015, Michael Morris (RIGHT) helped to guide s
vehicle safely thru Middletown Valley and up South Mountain, during a very heavy rain storm. Michael waited for the
vehicle to catch up, made tire tracks, and provided guide
light. Coincidentally, the driver of the vehicle happened to
be an employee of the Cowan corporate office. Photo: Jim
Mechlinski, Michael Morris, Rich Warner, and John Llufrio.
Corporate Recruiters get COWAN-FIT!
A friendly message from your recruiting department:
On a healthier note: Join us in our sit-up challenge! Every hour we are doing 30 crunches – it gets you fit and up
from your desk for a rejuvenating fix. Let’s Get,
“Cowan-fit”!
We are working diligently every day to build the wonderful and nationwide team that we have at Cowan. We
would love to expand our continuously growing organization with your hardworking friends and family, so
Michelle Morrison & Lisa McKinney
please feel free to send over any and all referrals! Our
800-882-6926 x 2055
current job openings are available on the Cowan website,
or the intranet portal. We update the listings daily!
Send Resumes & Referrals: [email protected]
Page 6
2015 Cowan Truck Driving Championships
BALTIMORE, MD:
On Saturday, May 9th, 2015, the Cowan Driver Rodeo was
held at the 4555 Hollins Ferry Road corporate office. Fourteen drivers entered the competition, which consisted of a
written exam and driving performance test. Drivers demonstrated their CDL expertise on the course, which required advanced maneuvering skills in very narrow spaces. The family
friendly event included a delicious barbeque prepared by Bob
Ginn, children's activities, open house, and performances by
the Dancing Trucker!
Rodeo photos are available on Facebook, or at:
G:/Everyone/ Cowan Rodeo 2015.
During the event, Steve Wells, Executive VP, pledged Cowan’s continued commitment to the Heather L. Hurd 5K Run
and 1 Mile Fun Walk. Steve presented a $1,000.00 check to
Russell Hurd, which will be utilized to “Scare Away Distracted Driving”. The race honors the memory of Heather, who
was killed in 2008 by a distracted driver who was texting.
The event will be held at the Harford Community College on
Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 9:00am.
Thank you Rodeo committee and volunteers!
Your contributions made this year’s event another huge success!
2015 Rodeo Participants:
Joseph Moses, Thomas Kube, Norman Plopper, Michael Scarano, Henry Arthur, Jack Bullock, Eugene Curry, John Drury,
Wilfredo Pantaleon, Paul Fleming, Jeffrey Clark, Terrance Fletcher, Dion Martin, and Garry Harris.
Five Axle Day Cab
Place
Driver
1st
Dave Shreve
2nd Garry Harris
3rd Terrance Fletcher
Division
Fleet Manager
RE Michel
Baltimore
Coke Capital
John Llufrio
Terry Potter
Ryan Alford
Division
Fleet Manager
National Road
National Road
Riverville
John Sauro
Linda Goddard
Matt Reinke
Five Axle Sleeper
Place
Driver
1st Tom Kube
2nd Eugene Curry
3rd Paul Fleming
Grand Champion: Thomas Kube
Richard Warner, VP of Operations, poses
with Terry Fletcher before entering the
Dunk Tank. Each splash raised money
for the Wounded Warriors Project!
Page 7
Scarano Wins Maryland State
BALTIMORE, MD:
Ex Freight, Pitt-Ohio, and Con-Way. Mike’s victory secured
a spot to compete in the American Trucking Association’s NaCowan Systems Driver, Michael Scarano, was the winner in
tional Driving Championship in St. Louis, Missouri in August.
the 5 Axle Day Cab class of the Maryland Motor Truck 2015
This was Mike’s second visit to the ATA National Driving
Driving Championship! The event was held on Saturday, June
Championship, where in 2010, he finished in the Top 10!
6th, in Timonium, Maryland. Mike has been with Cowan Systems since 1997, and is currently assigned to the R.E. Michael
Fleet, under the supervision of Fleet Manager John Llufrio.
Photo: Mike is in the top r ow, 3r d dr iver fr om the left.
Mike competed against drivers from many different companies, including UPS, FedEx, Fed-
Mike attended the 2015 National Truck & Step Van Driving Championships in August 11th – 15th at the America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, MO. The prestigious event featured over 415 of the country’s top professional drivers! Over 2000
friends, family, colleagues, company executives and fans cheered on the competitors as they competed in a skills test, pre-trip
inspection and a written exam. For more information, please visit the American Trucking Associations website:
http://www.trucking.org
2015 Cowan volunteers pictured below:
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS
Page 8
Page 9
Growth Continues for Logistics and Brokerage
headquarters on Hollins Ferry Road.
BALTIMORE: On Apr il 3, 2015
the Baltimore Brokerage office
moved into our new office space in
the Baltimore Gateway Office Building. The Baltimore Gateway building
is located on Koppers Street, just inside the Baltimore City line, and we
are only three miles away from our
KANSAS CITY: We ar e pleased
to announce the promotion of Chelsea Michael to the position of General Manager for the Kansas City
Brokerage Office. Chelsea joined
our team 5 years ago in a hybrid po-
ATLANTA: Over the last 365
days, the Atlanta family has seen significant changes, highlighted by the
consolidation of the Atlanta/Phoenix
office. With this, Atlanta is very fortunate in welcoming back Gary Paul,
who has brought a wealth of
In total,
our new space is 9,995 square feet,
and includes a lobby, open seating
area, two conference rooms, two offices, a kitchen/ break room, and a
new hire training room area. On the
first floor of the building is also a
deli that serves breakfast and lunch
and there is also a gym that is open
to anyone who works in the building.
Our new office space has brought
together our sales side, our broker
side, and our customer service
side. We are now all back under the
same roof, which has been very beneficial for us. Right now, we currently have 40 desks filled, and we have
the ability to seat 96 people in our
new space. Therefore, we have plenWe are extremely excited to be in our
ty of room to continue to grow and
new space and we are using it as motiexpand all sides of our business.
vation to grow even more in 2015!
sition handling both customer service
and carrier dispatch/operations. During Chelsea’s time with the Kansas
City office, she was promoted to Director of Operations and had proven
that she has a tremendous amount of
knowledge and ability to handle the
day to day tasks and challenges for
the office. Chelsea’s performance
in operations has been influential for
the branches excellent record of customer relations, problem resolution,
and on time customer deliv-
ery. Chelsea is known for her ability
to be a team player and overcome
problems during challenging
times. The quality of dedication and
customer satisfaction is very important to Kansas City’s long-term
success and we have no doubts Chelsea will hit the ground running in her
new role as General Manager. We
look forward to seeing Chelsea’s accomplishments as she takes on the
new challenges set out before her and
the Kansas City office.
knowledge and experience, as well as and excellence, which drive the entire office to achieve our larger ora true sense of direction.
ganizational milestones.
Through the combination of the
Phoenix office and Atlanta office Atlanta is also the home of our bloscoming together, many new process soming LTL department. The Lessimprovements have been made. This than-truckload department is continhas set the stage for a very successful uing to grow shipment volume with
year and future here in Atlanta. The the addition of several new regional
leadership currently in place for the and national carriers. We continue to
Sales, Operations, and Customer Ser- see more aggressive pricing and an
vice teams has created a solid foun- expanding carrier base that allows
dation for the entire office to not on- Cowan to have a national presence in
ly visualize but achieve real success. a very competitive LTL marketOur focus is continued improvement place.
Page 10
CLIMBING INTO THE CAB
Left to Right: Drew Mercer, Dan Carter, Tom Branning, and Austin Newman.
“Daniel Carter is one of the nicest gentlemen I’ve ever had the opportunity to meet. His work ethic is remarkable; I was surprised to learn that Daniel lives all the way in south Anne Arundel County, and has to wake up by 3:30m to get to work by
5:00am… talk about an early morning! Being in the cab of a truck, you literally and figuratively see the road from a whole
different perspective. Daniel was constantly scanning the road for hazards, watching other vehicles moves and making sure
us, the truck and our freight were safe at all times. I was surprised to learn that Daniel offloaded all the freight that was not on
pallets. Working in dispatch, we all know that trucking and logistics never sleeps. Freight is constantly moving and our customers’ needs must be met in rain, snow or sunshine. It is easy to neglect how difficult it is to wake up at 03:30 in 18 degree
weather and get to work. Most of us can’t imagine waking up at that hour and driving over 300 miles in rough weather, making multiple stops, all the while being solely responsible for tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of freight. An experience like
this is crucial in developing a healthy level of compassion and full understanding of what we ask our drivers to do every
day. Even if you already have a great respect for drivers and all that they do on a daily basis, there is no substitute for actually
getting in their shoes and seeing their side of the business. After all, their side of the business drives our country, company,
and gets us all paid.”
Tom Branning, Director of Carrier Development
“Spending a day in the cab with a Cowan driver is an enlightening and imperative experience for our office employees. I’ve
been in the logistics industry for many years, and find myself continuously learning about the transportation business every
day. My ride-along began promptly at 0500. We traveled to multiple shippers and receivers in Maryland, and also traveled to
the Coke facility in Virginia. Drivers understand the serious responsibility that is associated with getting behind the wheel. In
a tractor trailer, the driver is required to constantly drive defensively, and watch for cars cutting in and out of traffic lanes. In
addition, the driver must continuously monitor the gauges, mirrors, and trailer. Prior to this experience, I knew OTR drivers
worked around the clock, but local drivers in a day cab have very long 14-16 hour days too. 11 hours are spent driving, while
the remaining hours are spent inspecting all equipment, hooking up trailers, and waiting at shippers or receivers. After our last
delivery, we washed and refueled the truck, so it would be ready for the next bright and early day. From start to finish, we
were on the clock from 0500 to 1830.”
Austin Newman, Logistics Coordinator
Page 11
Cowan Single Source Logistics
BALTIMORE: Single Sour ce Logistics (SSL) is
housed in the first level of the 4555 Hollins Ferry Road
corporate office. This small team has the large responsibility of fulfilling the essential driver recruitment and
staffing needs for companies who are experiencing surges
in business, in the greater Baltimore area. Additionally,
Single Source Logistics leases tractors, 53’ trailers, and
customs bonded warehouse space.
SSL drivers are full-time and part-time employees who
are assigned to transport goods on short term or ongoing
driver staffing contracts with motor carriers who
have staffing needs. SSL specializes in finding a perfect match between a driver’s desired schedule and
the client’s needs. SSL’s 50+ clients include
Babikow Greenhouses, Wollenweber’s Trucking and
Warehousing, Northeastern Supply, & JFC International. Similarly, SSL also provides specialized
jockey services for the Port of Baltimore. Drivers, who
are interested in the port jockey positions, are required to
possess container experience, and to obtain and maintain
their Transportation Worker Identification Credential,
most commonly known as the “TWIC ID card”.
Currently, one FT position is available at the Port of Baltimore: 10am-6pm with overtime hours available. To
learn more about this position, or other local career opportunities, please call Cowan Systems Single Source
Logistics: 888-547-6226.
PHOTO (left to right): Carl Kent, Senior Sales and Operations Manager, Jennifer Veney, Operations Manager &
Danny Bageant, Operations Manager.
W.T. Cowan Vintage Advertising Lighter
David Shaeffer, Hazmat Compliance and Driver Trainee
Program Manager located in Baltimore, enjoys researching and collecting antiques. Approximately three inches
long, the vintage round cigarette lighter (pictured right
and below) was customized with “W.T. COWAN, INC
Fast Motor Freight Baltimore Philadelphia New York
Washington Trenton Newark”. Interestingly, David
found the lighter online, listed for sale by an antique dealer in California! Joe
Cowan was
surprised to
see the W.T.
Cowan
lighter, and
does not
recall ever seeing one before. Due to the popularity of
tobacco use during the Fast Motor Freight era, matches
were one of the most frequently utilized customer gifts.
Joe assumes the lighter was a gift for drivers and/ or customers. The antique dealer believes the lighter is circa
1940’s or 1950’s. If you have any information about
this lighter, or any items from the W.T. Cowan era,
please send your photos and information to
[email protected]
Page 12
Driver Training Program Expands:
Hiring Military Veterans & New CDL Class-A Drivers
Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce Foundation, launched in March 2011 as a
nationwide initiative to help veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment opportunities. Working with the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce’s vast network of state and local chambers
and strategic partners from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, the program’s goal is to create a movement across America in hundreds of communities where
veterans and military families return every day.
Cowan Systems pledged to hire 1,000 Veterans as part
of the Hiring Our Heroes campaign. Due to our continued success in the transportation industry and our need
for additional drivers to support new customers, it is vital that our recruitment and hiring strategies align with
the efforts of the U.S. military branches. Cowan provides veterans, especially those who are actively transitioning or underemployed, with opportunities to become
Class-A CDL Drivers. Due to the success of the Cowan
Systems Driver Training Program, which piloted in Fall
of 2014 at our Westfield, MA Terminal, we were able to
expand the program to Baltimore, Northeast, and Cincin
-nati! Non-veteran applicants must be a recent graduate
of an accredited or certified CDL training school.
The Driver Trainers selected for this program are strictly
the “Best of the Best”, who earned the positions through
leadership and professionalism. Driver Trainers provide
one-on-one coaching, and instill years of industry
knowledge into the mind of the new driver. Working
with the trainer provides the novice driver with an irreplaceable educational experience. To qualify for the
training program, one must be a veteran with one recent
year of verifiable and comparable military driving experience. After one year of employment, drivers who participate in this program will receive a monetary bonus
equal to the amount paid to attend and graduate from
CDL school.
COWAN DRIVER TRAINERS
Baltimore Driver Trainers
Larry Hoffman
William Davey
David Shreve
Mark Kearney
Daniel Waters
Michael Scarano
Kenneth Borst
Keith Kunschman
Garry Harris
Cincinnati Driver Trainers
Northeast Driver Trainers
Westfield Driver Trainers
Charles Marlow
David Bastin
Al Larriu
Earl Howard
Lyle Reed
Brian Leddy
Kevin Robson
Dion Martin
John Mastalerz
James Miller
Jeff Clark
Joe Barszczewski
Dennis Cooper
Robert Jensen
Eric Martinez
JR Rivera
Bill Smith
Page 13
The #DancingTruckerOnTour
Raised on the west side of Cincinnati,
John Drury participated in break dancing competitions with his high school
friends. Years later, John revived his
passion for dance and Hip Hop music,
to motivate himself and others to live
healthier lifestyles.
After obtaining his CDL, 6’7” Big
John spent ten years living the stereotypical sedentary truck driver lifestyle.
American interstates are historically
food deserts, which causes many drivers to live off of prepackaged snacks or
fast food meals. According to a 2009
study conducted by the National Institute of Health, only 8% of CDL drivers
exercised regularly.
“I am one of them. I walk in their shoes,
and I know it can be done. I lost 100
pounds in 2011, while driving a truck 60
hours a week, and I will do it again. I
would love to inspire Cowan drivers to
join my fitness mission. I want to plant
the seed in the mind of each driver. You
can be healthy and drive a truck at the
same time. We can help each other stay
accountable for maintaining our health.
No excuses.”
100lbs!
After gaining back some weight in
2014, John was determined to set a
weight loss New Years Resolution,
and felt compelled to motivate other
professional drivers. John knows first
hand the unique set of obstacles faced
by those in the transportation industry.
John knew drivers would relate to his
weight loss journey, and likely draw
motivation from his story. Performing
as the Dancing Trucker, John strives to
educate and uplift the drivers who
need an extra push. “People of any
gender, size, and fitness level can work
toward improving their overall health
and fitness” reiterates John.
In 2011, John’s weight reached nearly
400lbs. Following the passing of a fellow driver in 2010 from diabetes related complications, John knew it was
time to make serious steps toward a
healthier lifestyle. He heard a commercial for a local “biggest loser” competition, and was selected to participate.
For three months, Drury had a personal
trainer, nutritionist, and a gym membership. While working out, he heard
music coming from the upper level,
and discovered the new Zumba classes The “Dancing Trucker On Tour” beoffered at the gym. John had the courage to join a class, and after a few
weeks, fell in love with his new exercise routine. During the competition,
Drury drove regional road routes and
averaged 60 hours each week. Despite
his busy work schedule, John placed
second in the competition, and was
able to successfully lose 54 pounds!
Following the competition, John became a certified Zumba instructor, and
started his own dance class, “Big
John’s Dance Fitness”. He credits
dance with helping him lose more than
gan his journey by creating a new set
of personal weight loss goals. For every 10lbs lost, John celebrated by visiting a truck stop, talking to drivers
about his journey, and filming a new
dance video. John quickly became a
YouTube sensation! The Dancing
Tour extended internationally to the
Petro-Pass truck stop in Windsor, Ontario. John was also featured doing the
running man in commercials for a Season 10 episode of America’s Got Talent.
On April 26th 2015, John’s mother
was tragically killed by a drunk driver
as she drove to church in Somerset,
KY. John’s grief eventually transformed into motivation, including the
need to find a way to honor his mother,
and to raise awareness for the consequences of driving under the influence.
The Drury family is organizing a
Dance-A-Thon event, which will be
held on Fountain Square from 11:00am
a.m. to 7:00pm p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2015. Participants will donate $20.00 to join the fundraiser, and
all proceeds will be donated to Mother’s Against Drunk Driving and the
Asbury Tabernacle in Corryville,
where Sandra Drury attended church
for
30
years.
Please keep the
Drury family in
your thoughts on
Saturday, and if
you’re in the area,
get out there and
The Drury Family: Kori, John, Peyton, and Lori.
DANCE
LIKE
MAD!
Page 14
Carrier Development
Tom Branning, Director of Carrier Development
We are all aware the US driver shortage affects many
aspects of our business. The same restrictions and challenges faced on the Assets side of the business are faced
within Cowan Logistics as well. Being a brokerage, we
rely 100% on the health and success of our third party
carriers. Since 2010, the number of small “mom and
pop” carriers in the US has greatly diminished. The
same “mom and pop” carriers that we rely on so heavily
to move our customer’s freight. Knowing there was no
way to fight the diminishing number of carriers our only
solutions were to develop healthy, stronger and mutually
beneficial relationships with our current carriers, as well
as to put an emphasis on recruiting new carriers with capacities in our high volume markets.
payment after making delivery. It only took a few
months for us to find out where we stood relative to the
industry leaders and to devise a roadmap to get us where
we need to be.
Before taking off in our chosen direction, a firm action
was taken to remove the “transactional” mentality from
our dispatch culture and in turn promote individual relationships between Cowan dispatchers and our carriers. To encourage and facilitate each relationship, we
have created numerous processes and tools to gain as
much information as we possibly can about our carriers. After many trial and error periods, we have been
able to apply new information to different applications
within TMW as well as various new outside tools and
resources. With our new resources fed by carrier information, we have been able to market each freight opporIn the late fall of 2014 Vice-president of Operations
tunity to carriers based on their needs, not ours. FurtherKristin Hurdle and I were given a directive by Dan Evmore we have been ultimately able to rely less and less
ans to develop a Carrier Development Team within the
on posting our loads out on various 3rd party load boards
Logistics Division. A team that would take the time to
and websites simply because we know who our carriers
meet and talk with carriers in an effort to define who we are and where they want to go. As we continue on this
were and why we were a great option for finding
venture I am very eager to bring “It’s all about the serloads. Conversations took us “through the life of a Cow- vice” full circle, carriers included.
an load” via the eyes of our carriers: Starting from the
very first call a carrier makes to inquire about a posted
load all the way to the check they receive in the mail for
Real Life Trucker Podcast Series
Apps 4 Truckers, in association with Live Trucking.com, presents
the Real Life Trucker podcast series. Each episode features one
interview with a professional trucker, answering a wide range of
questions. The interview will cover a broad range of subjects including your childhood and your professional career in trucking;
from the industry attitudes to proposed solutions. Interviews are on
a first name basis only, with no company names mentioned, so that
the guest can speak freely about his or her history and opinions.
“Westbound I-80”
T. Michael Carrick captured this photo in Wyoming.
Are you interested in sharing your story and industry suggestions?
To be interviewed for the Real Life Trucker Podcast Series, you must contact Apps4Truckers by
Calling and leaving a voicemail: 615-669-9478
AND / OR
Completing the online form: http://www.apps4truckers.com/real-life-trucker-form
Page 15
Children from coast to coast are collectively accepting the challenge to write 11,000 letters of appreciation to our
local police officers, fire fighters, and military service members between September 11th and November 11th.
This letter writing campaign begins and ends on two critical days in the United States:

9/11: National Day of Service and Remembrance where children and families unite to serve in the same
remarkable way that so many came together following the attacks.

11/11: National holiday to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism and willingness to serve.
Visit: http://www.teamkids.org/what-we-do/letters-from-home
1. Download the letter template
2. Mail your letters
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Irvine, CA 92618