for the really long haul

Transcription

for the really long haul
2016 • Issue 1
Road to
success
the
W H E R E T H E B E S T I N T R A N S P O RTAT I O N G E T T H E I R I N F O R M AT I O N
for the
really
Long Haul
199 Foot Windmill
Trailers Expand
Landstar’s Capacity
to Haul
Going the
Extra Mile
Landstar BCOs
Going the Extra
Distance Make
a Difference
FROM
THE CEO
Jim Gattoni
Landstar President &
Chief Executive Officer
In this edition
of The Road to Success magazine,
we highlight those who provide much needed services for
customers, those who volunteer to help others in need and
those who are teaching the next generation about trucking.
Our industry is looking to both the younger generation
and women to help fill the drivers’ seats that were vacated
when the economy took a dip several years ago. We asked a
few of our own female owner-operators for their perspective
on this issue, which you can read about on page 13. Keep
reading to find out how the Girl Scouts are supporting
transportation, women and the next generation with a new
initiative. Don’t stop there. On page 17 is the story of a
Landstar agent who gets her entire team involved in teaching
students about transportation. BCOs who get involved in the
education of students worldwide through the Trucker Buddy
program are featured on page 30.
There are plenty of BCOs who go that extra mile for a
good cause – whether it’s transporting a dog that needs to
go home, clean water for classrooms or a military veteran
who needs a little assistance to visit a war memorial. These
stories, starting on page 19, will warm your heart.
Of course, going the distance doesn’t have to be a
grand gesture, it can be as simple as a job well done. The
feature on page 22 details how a few Landstar agents have
collaborated with customers to meet a particular challenge.
Find out how Landstar is helping the wind energy industry
meet its latest challenge transporting longer blades to
harness the sustainable energy source – check out the story
page 24.
We hope all of these stories help expand your knowledge
of what’s going on in our industry and, at the same time, help
make the public aware of the many positive things you, as
transportation professionals, make happen.
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Editor
Patty McMenamin
Managing Editor
Ginger Jewell
Staff Writer
Beth Milograno Berry
Contributing Writer
Joe Beacom
Design
Natalie Wolf-Saggese
Advertising
Debbie Templeton
The Road to Success magazine is published by
Landstar System, Inc. The Road to Success is written
and published for Landstar contractors, agents and
employees.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced without written permission of
Landstar System, Inc.
©2016 Landstar System, Inc.
Conley, GA 30288
404-361-9777
2 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 3
departments
7 In the News
32 Word Search Puzzle
13
43 In the Spotlight 45 Safety Thursday
45 Upcoming Events
46 Landstars
inside
18
19
12 Throw Away Your Notes!
Tips on Giving Confident Presentations
13 The New Face of Trucking
- Women in Trucking
- Girl Scout Transportation Patch
- Teaching the Next Generation
18 A Royal Delivery
A Kansas City Fan and Landstar BCO,
Scotty Broom Delivers a Winning Load
19 Going the Extra Mile
These Landstar BCOs Go the Extra Mile
to Help Others
22 Above and Beyond
for the Customer
Collaborating with Customers
24 For the Really Long Haul 24
Landstar’s New 199 Foot Windmill Blade Trailers
27 Transporting Skycams
Providing College Football Fans a Bird’s-Eye View
28 Twitter Tips
Marketing Your Agency One Tweet at a Time
29 A Riding Star
Pets to Show the Human Side of Trucking 30 Trucker Buddy
Landstar BCOs Teach From the Road
34 Writing From the Road
The Lost Treasure of the Silk Road
38 The Road to Good Health
29
4 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
38
These BCOs are Working on Healthy Habits
One Step at a Time
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 5
in the news
Landstar Scores Win in Super Bowl 50
OUR MODEL
Landstar System, Inc.
Landstar is a worldwide,
asset-light provider of
integrated transportation
management solutions
delivering safe,
specialized transportation
services to a broad
range of customers
utilizing a network of
independent sales agents,
third-party capacity
owners and employees.
To find out more about
Landstar and how we
can put you on the
road to success, visit
www.landstar.com
6 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
The Road to Success
The Road to Success magazine is published by Landstar System, Inc.,
a worldwide, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management
solutions delivering safe, specialized transportation services to a broad range
of customers utilizing a network of more than 1,100 independent sales agents,
more than 53,000 available third-party capacity owners, and employees. All
Landstar transportation services companies are certified to ISO 9001:2008
quality management system standards and RC14001:2013 environmental,
health, safety and security management system standards. Landstar has
been a SmartWay Transport Partner since April 2005. Landstar System, Inc.
is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Its common stock trades on The
NASDAQ Stock Market® under the symbol LSTR.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
Landstar’s road to success is paved with the entrepreneurial spirit. Built on
solid, long-term relationships, the company enables thousands to turn their
dreams of owning their own business into reality. Those operating under the
Landstar umbrella enjoy the strength and support of one of the industry’s
most stable companies. This relationship enables independent small business
owners to compete with the largest carriers in the industry.
CEOs on Wheels
Landstar considers its business capacity owners “CEOs on Wheels.” Unlike
other owner-operators, Landstar BCOs receive a percentage of the revenue
paid for each load they haul. With no forced dispatch, Landstar BCOs enjoy
the freedom to choose their own freight and to run where they want to go,
when they want to go there.
www.landstar.com
No matter who you were rooting for in Super Bowl
50, Team Landstar scored a big win.
The Wilson factory in Ada, Ohio, has made every
Super Bowl football for the last 50 years, and this
year, Landstar delivered the 400 handmade footballs
to California in time for Super Bowl kickoff.
Wilson in Ada is one of Landstar Agent John
Palasics’ loyal customers. Palasics says he was
honored to transport the crucial load.
“We needed an expedite team because we had
such a short amount of time to get the footballs to
California,” said Palasics.
Landstar BCOs Robert Burrow and Eliza Zepeda
not only carried the precious Super Bowl cargo with
care, the team drivers dropped the balls in California
a day early. The early arrival meant there was plenty
of time to add the team logos - the Carolina Panthers
and the Denver Broncos.
“It was a great opportunity to be part of this,”
said Palasics. “Our BCOs did a fantastic job and
Wilson was pleased.”
On average, 120 game balls are used during the
Super Bowl, 12 of those footballs are kicker balls.
Each team then gets 108 of the footballs Landstar
delivered –
54 of the
“We needed an expedite
footballs are
team because we had such
used by
the teams
a short amount of time to get
for practice
the footballs to California”
and the
second 54 are
considered game balls. The remaining 184 footballs
are split up among the teams or put up for sale.
On February 7, 2016 the Denver Broncos took
home their third Super Bowl title, defeating the
Carolina Panthers 24-10.
McDonald Awarded
Military Order of St. Christopher
Captain Melvin McDonald III was presented with the Military
Order of St. Christopher during a short ceremony at Landstar’s
headquarters in January.
Captain McDonald is Landstar’s Training with Industry Officer.
He was selected by the United States Army to work with Landstar
for one year to study Landstar’s transportation logistics system and
best business practices. McDonald was nominated and selected by
the Army for induction into the Honorable Order of Saint Christopher
– an order approved by the Army Chief of Transportation which
recognizes transporters who have demonstrated the highest
standards of integrity and moral character, have displayed an
outstanding degree of professional competence and served the
Army Transportation Corps with selflessness.
Presenting the medal were Lieutenant Colonel Ben Walters
and Command Sergeant Major Coy Wyche from the 832nd
Transportation Battalion at Blount Island.
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 7
in the news
Cargo Ship El Faro Lost at Sea
Agency Works with Community During
Hurricane Joaquin Recovery
customer, Softdocs Inc., to hold a supply drive for
“Catastrophic Flooding,” was the headline on
residents impacted by the storm.
October 3, 2015 as rains flooded South Carolina,
“We collected food, water, blankets, clothing and
causing death and destruction. The rain came from
personal hygiene items,” said Brannon. “We also
Hurricane Joaquin. Even though the storm didn’t
received a lot of donations in the form of gift cards.
make a direct hit on the United States, Joaquin
In total, we raised $1,400 and filled half of a trailer
stayed just offshore and a stalled frontal system from
the storm brought rain into South Carolina – rain that with supplies.”
After just two weeks of collection, all of the goods
lasted for days.
were donated to the local chapter of the Salvation
As the rain fell, a state of emergency was put into
Army and The Oliver Gospel Mission, a Christianplace, I-95 was shut down throughout the state, cities
based charitable organization in Columbia.
were evacuated and residents were forced to leave
“We received overwhelming support. So much
their homes. In total, eighteen dams breached or
support, in fact, that it became difficult to find
failed during the storm.
groups to take it,” said Brannon who has repeatedly
One of the dam failures sent floodwaters
expressed his gratitude – in person, via phone calls
downstream, forcing evacuations near Columbia,
and emails and on social media.
South Carolina, where Landstar Agent Dennis
Months later, parts of South Carolina are
Brannon is located. Brannon and his agency,
continuing to recover and rebuild. And while the rain
Artisan Logistics Worldwide, saw the impact of
has cleared, the event remains on the minds of many.
the storm first hand.
Researchers say the historic rainfall in South Carolina
“It got real for me. I came into work right after
qualified as a 1,000-year rain event, which means
the storm and there were roads washed out and a
in any given year there’s a 1 in 1,000 chance of an
giant sinkhole in front of our office,” said Brannon.
area seeing rainfall totals of the magnitude that hit
“For a couple of weeks, everywhere you turned
South Carolina in 2015.
there was a flooded road.”
The devastation was real: 15 people died in
weather-related incidents, responders made
175 water rescues and more than 800 people
had to be temporarily housed during the storm.
The impacts of the storm lingered with residents;
more than 400,000 people were put under a boil
water advisory, as 16 of South Carolina’s water
systems were in jeopardy of contamination after
the flooding.
“We had three days of rain that just wouldn’t
let up. We decided we needed to do something,
to give back to our community. We all knew there
was a need, so we sprang into action,” explained
Brannon.
A levee breach at the Columbia Riverfront Canal,
Brannon’s agency teamed up with a local
Columbia, SC
In the wrath of Hurricane
in October near the Bahamas.
Joaquin, a Jacksonville, Florida
Debris from El Faro was found
based cargo ship, El Faro,
in a 225 square mile debris field,
was lost at sea. El Faro left
but there were no survivors. It was
Jacksonville on September 29,
a tragedy that was felt throughout
2015 bound for San Juan,
the entire maritime community.
Puerto Rico.
In November, using a remote
The captain of the 790-foot
controlled submersible three miles
ship had real-time weather
below the ocean’s surface, the
The container ship El Faro
information when he left the port
U.S. Navy was able to identify
of Jacksonville and he reported conditions as well
the cargo ship. The National Transportation Safety
as a plan to steer away from the storm.
Board confirmed the identification and in December
The vessel remained on its path through hurricane
they held a webinar for the families of the victims to
advisories over the next 21 hours. On October 1,
see the ship’s wreckage for the first time.
El Faro was unable to avoid Joaquin as it grew into
An NTSB spokesperson said the board is still
a Category 4 hurricane with winds topping 130
investigating the tragedy and that it will be months
miles per hour.
before they have any answers about how and why
The Coast Guard later determined that the ship
El Faro sank.
carrying 28 Americans and 5 Polish nationals sank
Winter Whiteout
Satellite image of Winter Storm Jonas
8 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
Winter Storm Jonas made history in January 2016
as being one of the biggest storms to impact the East
Coast. The storm produced huge amounts of snow with
totals that topped 42 inches in West Virginia. At least
six states saw more than 2 feet of snow and 14 states
reported more than a foot of snow from Jonas.
Truckers hunkered down at truck stops up and down
the East Coast to wait out the storm as travel bans
were put in place in New York City, Pennsylvania and
Maryland during the storm. Jonas practically shut down
the transportation industry in the Northeast, forcing six
states to issue emergency Hours-of-Service exemptions to
relieve drivers in the wake of the historic storm.
At least 48 people died during the storm, a quarter
of a million people lost power, and hundreds of crashes
were reported. Experts estimate the economic impact of
Winter Storm Jonas could top $850 million and reach
close to $1 billion.
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 9
in the news
Exclusive LANDSTAR BCO Fleet Workers Compensation Plan.
We’ve got you covered
For The long haul.
Landstar Receives Top Recognitions
From Truckload Carriers Association
Insurance office of America
∙ Pay as you go through weekly settlement deductions
∙ Weekly rates based on number of drivers
∙ Coverage for mechanics, sales and clerical personnel
∙ Coverage through State National Ins. Co. (AM Best Rated A)
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∙ Program sold and administered through
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TCA and CarriersEdge interviewed nominees’
representatives and executives about their company’s
direction, policies and programs. Those comments
were compared to a selection of each fleet’s drivers
or owner-operators surveyed and then incorporated
into the fleet’s final score.
“Landstar’s owner-operators help make Landstar
an industry leader by providing excellence in safety
and service. We are proud that the owner-operators
leased to Landstar feel they have the freedom,
opportunity and the support services they need to
successfully run their own businesses,” said Landstar
Executive Vice President of Capacity Development
Rocco Davanzo.
This is the eighth year of the survey which is
open to all U.S. and Canadian fleets that operate
10 or more trucks. To be considered, fleets must be
nominated by one of their drivers, either a company
driver or an owner-operator.
The 20 finalists will be divided by size and
two overall winners will be announced during
TCA’s Annual Convention, March 6-9 in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
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An enrollment form is required to initiate coverage. You may obtain the applicant enrollment form from
Landstar’s qualification centers or from the IOA web site, which is a hyperlink on www.LandstarOnline.com.
Complete, sign and date the enrollment form and forward it to your qualification center.
If you have any questions about this program please contact Dan Robertson or Tom Scalise at Insurance Office of America.
[email protected]
Phone: 1-800-243-6899 Dan ext. 4268, Tom ext. 4112 ∙ Fax 1-800-788-2324 ∙ E-mail: [email protected]
Road to Success
the
For the fifth consecutive year, Landstar is among
the “Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For” according to
the latest survey conducted by Truckload Carriers
Association (TCA) and CarriersEdge. Landstar is also
honored in two divisions of TCA’s National Fleet
Safety Awards.
Among 17 trucking companies to earn National
Fleet Safety Awards, Landstar was recognized in
the Division II 5-14.99 million miles and the Division
VI 100+ million miles categories. Division winners
were selected based on their accident frequency per
million miles as verified by an independent audit
committee. TCA will select two National Fleet Safety
grand prize winners later this year.
“Landstar is honored to receive TCA’s National
Fleet Safety Awards again this year. We are
pleased to be listed as one of the safest fleets
throughout the U.S. and Canada and proud that
Landstar’s owner-operators and carriers are known
as being among the safest in the industry,” said
Landstar Vice President of Safety and Compliance
Mike Cobb.
The nomination process for the “Top 20 Best Fleets
to Drive For” began in 2015 with transportation
companies evaluated in a variety of categories
including professional development opportunities,
career path/advancement opportunities, annual
turnover rate and their fleet safety record.
Easy to enroll!
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10 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 11
Landstar BCO and team
driver Jackie Wallace
sits behind the wheel.
throw away
your notes!
tips on giving confident presentations
For some, just the thought
of speaking
in public brings on sweaty palms, a racing heart
and a shaky voice. Speech anxiety can range
from a slight nervousness to incapacitating fear,
and while there’s really no way to completely
rid yourself of speech anxiety, there are ways to
lessen the nervous feelings before giving a public
presentation. Here are some tips from author and
speech professional Christine Clapp.
Memorization
One of the ways to feel more comfortable before
you stand up to present, believe it or not, starts
with throwing away your notes! If even the thought
of throwing away those notes is a scary one,
just think about how much more confident and
knowledgeable about your topic you’ll appear. A
presenter who is constantly checking his or her
notes doesn’t look prepared and it damages any
credibility with the audience, according to Clapp.
She suggests becoming an expert on the topic you
are speaking about and knowing the information
inside and out.
Tell stories
Some speakers find that incorporating personal
stories into their speech not only helps with
delivery, but helps ease the speaker’s nerves.
When you know what you are talking about and
the story you are telling is personal, the audience
is more comfortable and more receptive to what
the speaker is saying. “Stories provide powerful
data, and more important, they are much easier to
remember and share than facts and figures,” wrote
Clapp in a recent blog.
Visual aids and props
Incorporating props and visual aids is important,
as props can easily replace notes and serve as
12 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
a visual cue as you present. Plus, according to
Clapp, visual aids help convey facts and other
specific information in your presentation. Props can
be anything from handouts or products to gadgets
or even toys.
Take it slow
The single biggest mistake presenters make is
going too fast. Slow down! Nerves often make
us feel like speeding through the material and
getting it done. Slowing down not only benefits
your audience, it will make your presentation easier
to follow and more effective. Remember the old
saying, “slow and steady wins the race.”
Practice, practice, practice
It will likely take at least six times, if not more,
using a detailed outline to feel in control of your
material. Then, once you have your presentation
glued to memory, it’s time to practice. According
to Clapp, for most speakers, it takes dozens of
rehearsals to master the content and delivery of
their presentation. Practice your presentation in
front of the mirror, in front of your colleagues, even
in front of a video camera. Presenters will often
record their practice sessions and then review
the footage to ensure they are delivering the
presentation accurately.
Go time!
On the day of your presentation, make sure to
relax. Review your notes, but don’t take them
with you on stage. Some people say exercise is
a good way to start the day of the presentation,
it will help reduce stress and anxiety. Remember,
confidence is key – if you look like you can present
and act like you can, chances are you’ll give a good
presentation.
Sources: Christine Clapp is the author of “Presenting at Work: A Guide to Public
Speaking in Professional Contexts” and the president of Spoken with Authority.
www.landstar.com
the new face
of trucking
women in trucking
Expect to see
more want ads recruiting women
drivers in the future. In an industry traditionally
dominated by men, experts are suggesting a
change is needed to fill the empty drivers’ seats
– with more women. According to the American
Trucking Association, the transportation industry
is short about 40,000 drivers nationwide, and new
ways to fill that void are needed to prevent that
www.landstar.com
number from rising, or to reduce the number all
together. Many believe the solution to the growing
capacity shortage is women. Industry experts say
women can not only fill empty seats but are more
likely to stick with the profession, and encourage
other women to find a successful career in the
trucking industry.
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 13
The first female driver to earn her Commercial
Driver’s License (CDL), according to
TruckersReport.com, was Lillie McGee Drennan
in 1929. As time went on, women, although few
and far between, proved their worth in the trucking
industry, showing many who initially doubted a
woman’s ability that they could perform the duties
of their male counterparts without fail.
Right now, just 6 percent of drivers in the trucking
industry are women and the industry goal is to
double that percentage, according to the Women in
Trucking (WIT) Association. National statistics show
that 8 percent of women have completed federally
approved driving programs, but still haven’t made
the move to start driving. That’s another figure the
WIT Association would like to see change.
The transportation
industry has struggled
with filling its ranks since
losing tens of thousands
of jobs during the
recession of 2008-2009.
The recession caused a
dramatic drop in demand
for freight services, which
ultimately resulted in big
losses for thousands of
owner-operators. Once
the economy turned
Landstar BCO and
around, many BCOs
Million Mile Safe Driver
had found employment
Kuljit Rajania
elsewhere, never to return
to the trucking industry. The industry is responding
by welcoming women with open arms to the open
road.
“It was a lot harder
to establish yourself
“it’s getting
in this industry as
better and
a woman when
women just
I started, but it’s
getting better and
have to prove
women just have to
we can do it.”
prove we can do it,”
says Landstar Million Mile
Safe Driver Kuljit Rajania. “I started as a
company driver – and now I own my own truck.
I have independence and I am very successful
with Landstar.”
When Rajania leased on with Landstar 13 years
14 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
ago, she was a rarity
in the industry. Today,
Landstar’s female BCOs
are seeing adjustments
that are boosting the
number of women in the
industry, including truck
cab design, changes at
truck stops across the
United States, and the
overall acceptance of
women driving big rigs.
“The truck stops are
Landstar BCO and
more tailored toward
Million Mile Safe Driver
women. Stopping stations
Rose Ruch
offer more luxuries for
women in a man’s world,” says Landstar owneroperator Rose Ruch.
Ruch started as a team driver with her husband,
William, 20 years ago, and was recently inducted
as a Million Mile Safe Driver during Landstar’s 2015
BCO All-Star Celebration. A successful female
owner-operator, Ruch says she’s not only found
opportunity as a female driver, but she enjoys the
road and the freedom that leasing to Landstar
gives her.
Ruch’s sentiments are echoed by many of
Landstar’s female owner-operators. BCO Michelle
Bump leased on to Landstar with her husband,
Austin, in 1998. Bump feels that she is the definition
of a woman who has it all – raising four children
while driving professionally. She says she’s never
felt that she didn’t have time for her family or that
she’s ever had to put “being mom” on hold to haul
a load.
“I work when I want, I
have financial freedom,
I have time for my family
– it’s a great career for
women,” says Bump.
“It’s a great adventure
and a great opportunity.”
Bump has also noticed
the trucking industry
supporting women more
than ever before.
“The truck stops are
nicer, cleaner and they
Landstar BCO
are safer,” says Bump.
Michelle Bump
www.landstar.com
“I see more women at the stops and more in the
driver’s seat – something you didn’t see just a
few years ago.”
Still, critics say the trucking culture needs to
evolve even more if women are to be attracted
to and stay with a career in trucking – calling
on companies to be more aware of who their
female drivers are,
support them and
“The truck
encourage them
doesn’t care
to continue in
who is
the field.
“The truck
driving it.”
doesn’t care who
is driving it,” says Landstar BCO Linda Caffee,
a WIT board member.
Caffee believes attracting women to the
industry is an obvious answer to capacity
shortage concerns. The team driver says she’s
never felt discouraged about being a female
owner-operator, despite a few bumps in the road.
“I used to drive propped up on a pillow,” says
Caffee, adding that design changes to improve
safety and cab comfort for female drivers are
outstanding. “It’s
easier for women to
drive professionally
now. Bob and I switch
within a minute. I can
adjust everything
to where everything
is perfect for me to
drive. I actually feel a
lot safer driving in my
big truck than I do my
personal vehicle.”
And knowing that
Landstar BCO
they are safer makes
Linda Caffee
“women feel more
confident,” she says.
As efforts are made industry-wide to attract
more female owner-operators, Landstar is
working with the Women in Trucking Association
to help redefine the road for women - offering
programs to educate the younger female
generation about the industry.
www.landstar.com
Landstar sponsors
Women in Trucking
In 2016, Landstar
became a corporate
sponsor of Women
In Trucking (WIT), an
organization created for
both men and women
who are involved in the
transportation industry
or are interested in a
career in the industry.
“Landstar strongly
supports women’s roles
in the trucking industry
Landstar Vice President
and understands
of Capacity Qualifications
how vital Women in
Sandi Edwards
Trucking is to industry
progress as the number of female owner-operators
and logistics professionals continues to grow,”
says Landstar
Vice President
“Landstar
of Capacity
strongly
Qualifications,
Sandi Edwards,
supports
who is also a
women’s roles
WIT member.
in the trucking
Women in
industry.”
Trucking, founded
in 2007 by Ellen
Voie, now has over 4,500 members which include
corporate entities, industry professionals, drivers
and students.
Landstar BCO Linda Caffee is among nine
transportation industry professionals on WIT’s
Board of Directors.
The organization’s mission is to encourage the
employment of women in the industry and promote
their accomplishments. WIT is described as a place
where women can find the best career opportunities
and minimize the obstacles and challenges women
face on the road and within the transportation
industry.
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 15
Girl Scout Transportation Patch
One goal of the Women in Trucking Association
is to encourage the employment of women in the
trucking industry. Their new program called “Trucks
are for Girls” is set up in collaboration with the
Girl Scouts of America and geared toward putting
females in the driver’s seat.
“Trucks are for Girls” is designed to teach young
ladies about the career opportunities available
for women in the transportation industry. Girl
Scouts who participate in the event get a hands on
experience while learning about the transportation
industry and its importance to the world’s economy.
Each Girl Scout who completes the program
receives a custom Women in Trucking Association
transportation patch.
“There are so many opportunities for women in
this industry,” said Landstar’s Vice President of
Capacity Qualifications Sandi Edwards. “Landstar
is so pleased to be part of this fun and educational
event and hopes that the transportation patch
inspires young women to pursue a career in this
industry.”
A “Trucks are for Girls” event took place at
Landstar headquarters in January. During the event,
the Girl Scouts, ages 7-12, heard from speakers
about Landstar and the transportation industry,
worked on a trucking-related craft project and got a
chance to climb inside and look around a big truck.
Drivers interested in becoming owner-operators with
Landstar should contact recruiting by calling
1-877-237-3442 or emailing [email protected].
Teaching the next generation
Landstar Agent and dedicated
fleet owner, Sandy Ambrose-Clark
has her own ideas about how
to fill the driver’s seat – she’s
on a mission to educate the
transportation industry’s next
generation.
“I’ve always tried to teach young
people about safety when driving
around semi-trucks. And now my
community has this great program
to teach the younger generation
about transportation as a whole,”
said Ambrose-Clark.
The agent and her team at
Without-A-Doubt Specialized
Haulers frequently visits 10th,
11th and 12th graders at Butler
Tech in Fairfield, Ohio, one of the
state’s largest career technical
schools.
“These students are learning
about the career possibilities in
transportation. It’s exciting for
me to see young people being
interested in what we do, and
it’s exciting for us as a Landstar
agency to teach them about the
industry.”
The agent and her staff work
with students of all ages, from
elementary to high school, like the
junior achievement students who
are in 9th, 10th and 11th grade
and still another program for
4th, 5th and 6th graders.
“We realize that we need to be
teaching these kids a lot more
at a younger age,” said Ambrose-
Clark. She says she’s
noticed that at any age, the
students all have one thing
in common.
“The younger generation is
more into computers and are tech
savvy. So the trades are dying out.
Many kids didn’t even know
what the trades were, let alone
have an interest in pursuing a
career using those trades,”
said Ambrose-Clark.
She discusses every aspect of
the transportation industry with
the students, from driving trucks
to running an independent agency.
“We talk about driving safely
around big trucks and the role that
safety plays in our agency,” said
Ambrose-Clark. She’s noticed
that often times just talking about
big trucks and moving freight,
gets students interested in related
career opportunities.
“We work with kids in 4H who
come into the agency and learn
about different positions in the
agency,” said Ambrose-Clark.
“They also want to know about
money; they want to know how
much they can make doing this
kind of work and how successful
they can be in this industry.”
Throughout the years,
Ambrose-Clark has also helped
local Boy Scouts earn their
Truck Transportation Merit
badge. Scouts who earn the
transportation badge are
required to have more than a
basic knowledge of the industry.
They not only learn the role the
transportation industry plays in
their community, but what it takes
to maintain a truck, the different
kinds of trucks on the road,
how to prepare for shipments,
configure rates and how to insure
shipments. The scouts must also
have a good understanding of the
five governmental agencies that
work closely with the trucking
industry.
“This year, we’re excited to also
start working with Girl Scouts
to help them receive Women in
Trucking’s new transportation
badge,” said Ambrose-Clark.
With each year, there seems
to be a new opportunity for
Ambrose-Clark to inspire the
younger generations, but she’d
like to do even more. The agent
hopes that the programs they’ve
established will not only pique the
students’ interest, but also pave
the way for others to educate
the next generation about the
transportation industry.
2016 “Trucks are for Girls” event held at Landstar Headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida.
16 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 17
Crowd of over 800,000 fans gathered at
Union Station in Kansas City, MO to celebrate the
Kansas City Royals winning the World Series.
When Landstar BCO Rich Rukstalis
a royal delivery
Expediting a winning load
An avid baseball fan,
Landstar BCO and
Million Mile Safe Driver Scotty Broom watched
the Kansas City Royals win the 2015 World Series
against the New York Mets. When the game was
over, almost immediately, he got a call about a very
important load.
“The game had just finished, I mean just finished
and they called me and said, ‘We need you in Cape
Girardeau, Missouri tonight’,” explained Broom.
The call was about a load that Broom said he was
honored to haul - the t-shirts the Royals would wear
during their celebration parade in Kansas City.
18 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
“900 shirts, 75 boxes,” said Broom. “I arrived at
Cape Girardeau at 3 that morning and had to be in
Kansas City by 11 a.m.”
Broom said he was happy to make the trip
and that he delivered the load on time. He never
expected that while he was rooting for his home
team, he’d get a call to be part of team history.
Scotty Broom leased on to Landstar in 1996, was
named a Landstar Million Mile Safe Driver in 2009
and made his first Royal delivery in 2015.
joined the Chi-town Large Cars club, he
did it because he wanted to help make
a difference in other people’s lives. The
group, perfectly described as “ordinary
people doing extraordinary things,” started
11 years ago when two best friends from
the Chicago area (aka “Chi-town”) got
together to discuss a way to change the
image of the trucking industry.
The group started with just a handful
of members and soon grew with more
truckers who “took pride in their rides,”
and wanted to make a difference in their
communities.
Today Chi-town Large Cars has more
than 160 members and Rukstalis is the
only Landstar BCO in the group. Each year
the club selects and sponsors a family in
need. This year they chose the Wonders
family - Juan, Valarie and the couple’s
2-year-old son, Seth.
Nicknamed “Super Seth” by the club,
Seth was born 4 months premature,
weighing just 1 pound, 6 ounces. Baby
Seth had to spend the first year of his life
in the hospital, enduring multiple surgeries
and hospital stays which left his family
facing more than $2 million in medical bills.
In August, Chi-town Large Cars held a
fundraiser for the Wonders in Linwood,
Illinois. The group held a truck beauty
contest, raffles, games, a driver dunk tank
and a silent auction to raise money for the
family. Eighty-two trucks and 160 members
of the Chi-town Large Cars group attended
the event. In the end, $10,500 went to the
Wonders to help with Seth’s expenses.
In return, the Wonders had their own
award to hand out during the fundraiser
and picked one driver to honor with the
“Family Choice” award. They chose
Rukstalis.
“I didn’t win the award for the best truck,
but I won it for just being me and taking the
time to spend with this wonderful family. I
am humbled by this and they will always
top to bottom
Rukstalis
Landstar BCO
Rich Rukstalis,
Team Drivers
the Parkers and
the Liegels, and
BCO David Ingersoll
all took time to
make a difference.
Liegel
Ingersoll
Going the
Extra Mile
These Landstar BCOs go the extra mile to help others
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 19
and forever be in my heart,” said Rukstalis.
While “Super Seth” still has a long journey ahead,
his health continues to improve. Rukstalis continues
to get updates from Seth’s parents and says he’ll
never forget how the Wonders honored him.
“I love that family. Seth has beat all odds. He is
doing so well and I am so pleased the Chi-town
group could help the Wonders as much as we did,”
said Rukstalis.
For more information about the Chi-town
Large Cars group, visit their website at
www.chi-townlargecars.org.
BCOs transport luggage for Bike MS
Participants say Bike MS isn’t just a bike ride, it’s
an experience that’s fueled by passion, inspiration
and determination. To date, Bike MS cyclists,
volunteers and donors have raised over $1 billion to
help people affected by Multiple Sclerosis.
Landstar BCOs and team drivers, George and
Wendy Parker, and Thomas and Billie Liegel, took
time out of their schedules to support the 2015 Bike
MS participants in Florida. Hundreds of riders from
all over the U.S. cycled during the 2015 PGA Tour
Cycle to the Shore.
During the event, bikers choose to ride anywhere
from 15 to 150 miles. The Parkers and the Liegels
donated their time and trucks to haul all the biker’s
luggage. In their respective trucks, the Parkers
and the Liegels picked up the luggage in Ponte
Vedra and dropped it off nearly 100 miles later
in Daytona Beach.
The event raised more than $1 million for
the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. For
more information on future rides, or how you
can help make a difference, head to
www.nationalmssociety.org.
Pallets of water
headed for Flint, MI
20 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
Water for Flint
A public health
emergency was
declared in Flint,
Michigan, last fall after
tests showed the city’s
water supply could be
the cause of elevated
lead levels seen in
children living in the
area.
Problems started
in April of 2014 when the City of Flint decided to
break away from Detroit’s water system and began
drawing water from the Flint River to save money,
pending the completion of a new pipeline in 2016.
After residents started complaining of hair loss,
rashes and sickness from the water, the state
recommended testing water at home, but said
residents shouldn’t be concerned about lead levels
in the water.
Months later, researchers from Virginia Tech
traveled to Flint to do their own testing and found
there was a health threat in the city’s older homes
with lead pipes or pipes fused with lead solder.
By October 2015, the Genesee County Health
Department declared a public health emergency in
Flint and warned residents that infants, children and
pregnant women should not drink any water that
comes from a tap in Flint.
Enter Landstar BCO, husband and father, Chad
Luce, who lives just outside of Flint and has five
children who attend school within the district. After
hearing about the public health emergency, he
decided to take action.
“I contacted
Nestle Waters
in Stanwood,
Michigan, a local
company, to see if
they’d be willing to
donate any water,”
said Luce.
And they were
willing. After Luce’s
Landstar BCO Chad Luce
call, Nestle agreed to
and family
donate 38,000 bottles
of water for schools in Flint. The next step was
getting the water to Flint, so the BCO volunteered
his truck and his time to haul the water from
Stanwood to Flint.
On October 10, Luce pulled into the Flint
Community School warehouse with 20 pallets
of bottled water.
“I couldn’t imagine my kids not being able to
drink out of their drinking fountains. It’s not just
something I did for my kids, but for all the kids
in Flint,” said Luce.
Since the water emergency was declared, the
City of Flint signed papers to switch their drinking
water source back to Detroit water. People in the
city are also receiving water filters for their homes.
www.landstar.com
The Environmental Protection Agency announced in
November 2015 that they will conduct an audit on
the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s
“implementation of Safe Drinking Water Act and
related rules on lead and copper, total coliform,
nitrates and ground water.”
Bringing Maggie Home
Landstar BCO David Ingersoll made headlines in
2015 for making a very special delivery to Waupaca,
Wisconsin.
In October,
David Fadness,
a company
driver for
another carrier,
was found
dead inside the
cab of his truck
at a parking
lot in Idaho.
Maggie on her way home.
Fadness, who
died of natural causes, wasn’t alone in his cab when
he passed - his dog Maggie was there and once she
was found, the mission began to get Maggie home
to her remaining family.
Fadness’ employer got word out to the trucking
community that help was needed and Landstar
BCO David Ingersoll
says he was just in the
right place and headed
in the right direction to
help. He drove Maggie
back home to Waupaca,
Idaho, where Maggie was
reunited with her family.
“They were terribly
appreciative of my efforts
Landstar BCO David
to bring her home,” said
Ingersoll delivers his
Ingersoll. “It was no
“special cargo.”
trouble for me at all.”
During the trip that took several days, Facebook
fans followed the pair’s progress and when they
reached Waupaca, Ingersoll was interviewed by the
local television station about volunteering to bring
the dog home.
Landstar honored Ingersoll in November
2015 with a Star of Quality award for his efforts.
Landstar’s Star of Quality recognition honors BCOs
and agents for going above and beyond the call
of duty.
www.landstar.com
Honoring a veteran
It was the opportunity of a lifetime for Landstar
BCO Robert Olson to escort his 87-year-old
neighbor and friend, Carl Matuszeski, on an Honor
Flight. The flights, arranged by the nonprofit
organization, Honor Flight Network, are dedicated
to flying veterans to Washington D.C. to visit and
reflect at veterans’ memorials.
“This was a real honor for me, as Carl is always
there for anyone who needs help, and he never
expects anything in return. He served this country
as a young man in the same vein and it’s really
nice that he was recognized for his contributions,”
said Olson.
Matuszeski, a Korean War veteran, applied to
be selected to fly on the Badger Honor flight from
Wisconsin to Washington D.C. When Matuszeski
received word that he was accepted, he was told
that WWII and terminally ill veterans would have
first priority, but that his turn would come, and it
did, in October 2015.
“As the guardian, I was briefed on the proper
technique for transporting and assisting people
using wheelchairs and walkers,” said Olson. “At the
end of the trip, I told Carl now that I was educated,
I’d have no problem showing him how he was going
to wheel me around Washington, D.C.”
The Honor Flight was established in 2005 by
physician assistant and retired Air Force Captain
Earl Morse, who saw a need to recognize the
sacrifices of a diminishing population: World War II
veterans. Since its establishment, Honor Flight has
helped almost 900 WWII veterans visit the World
War II National Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Today, more than 132 regional hubs exist, with
a current count of 43 states registered in the
Honor Flight network. Each flight takes about 150
volunteers and 1,350 man-hours, but the toughest
part of putting the flights together, according to the
organization, is finding the veterans, then convincing
them to actually take the flight.
Matuszeski initially told Olson that he didn’t
deserve to go to the memorial, a sentiment that he
repeated throughout the trip’s planning process.
“People need to encourage and help these guys
through the process,” said Olson. “It is important
they be made aware of this opportunity before it’s
too late.”
For more information about the Honor Flight
Network, head to www.honorflight.org. The 2016
Honor Flight season begins in March.
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 21
above and beyond
for the Customer
Collaborating with Customers
“The Do-It-Yourself method has a much
broader appeal these days than just a handy guy
who shops at a hardware store for supplies for some
home improvement project. Today, DIY applies to
arts and crafts, publishing, even music and videos.
But most do-it-yourselfers understand that
projects turn out the best when you have a little
professional guidance – whether that’s a howto video on YouTube or the specialist at your
neighborhood home improvement store. Even the
professionals who offer DIY assistance could use
a little collaboration from time to time.
Critical, Coordinated, Collaboration
Some years ago, a big-box retailer of home
improvement and construction products began
collaborating with a select group of agents and
executives to improve transport of the retailer’s
products during peak seasons.
“This business required a lot of coordination
between planners, the agents and our trailer
management team,” said Landstar Vice President
of Sales Development,” David Carpenter.
Since the initial meetings, Landstar Agents Jeff
Baker, Kathy Bostedo, Chris Coston and Mary
Montz, along with the support of Landstar’s trailer
management team, have become the go-to source
for many of the retailer’s shipping needs.
“The agents pull it off every time and Landstar
continues to earn high praise from the customer,”
says Carpenter.
22 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
Landstar Agent Jeff Baker is proud of the result.
“We stepped up and proved ourselves to the
customer. Our ability to handle multiple locations
and the ability to position trailers made us stand
above the competition in their eyes,” said Baker.
He and Landstar Agent Kathy Bostedo handle
the retailer’s domestic van FTL freight seasonal
surge business. The agents did so well with the
store’s spring surge a few years ago, they were then
awarded a major
“We proved to the
part of the retail
giant’s fall surge
customer we had
business. Baker
the ability, the
and Bostedo have
capacity and the
now become the
company’s “go to” equipment to get
agents for
the job done.”
surge carriers.
“It’s been a relationship years in the making. We
started a few years ago showing the customer
what we could do to meet their shipping standards,”
explained Landstar Agent Kathy Bostedo. “Then
year after year, we improved. We proved to the
customer we had the ability, the capacity and the
equipment to get the job done.”
Today, Landstar not only supports the retailer’s
seasonal surge business, but their inbound
international business and flatbed shipments as
well. Landstar Agent Mary Montz and her team
coordinate the inbound trans-load facility and
keep all of the impacted parties updated on
www.landstar.com
Landstar carefully identified the flatbed truck
critical shipments.
“The shipments we coordinate are the ones where capacity providers who would dedicate themselves
to the project. Fixed rates were negotiated with
something has gone wrong. If there is a storm at
the providers, which helped reduce the customer’s
sea or factory problems where something hasn’t
dependence on volatile spot market pricing and
gone out on time, the customer contacts us to find
resulted in significant savings.
the solution and we fix the problem,” said Landstar
“Once the training was finished and the
Agent Mary Montz.
organization of the project was altered to fit the
Landstar Agent Chris Coston has worked with
needs of the customer, we had one of the most
the retailer for the last 15 years and handles all the
flatbed shipments that are critical to the retail giant’s finely tuned plans and support needed to get the
job done,” said Daniel Davis of JFA agency. “When
new store openings and refurbishments.
we hit the ground running, Landstar provided key
“Just like with every customer, I never give a load
support. I don’t know any other transportation
back and I believe communication is key. By calling
company that has the resources
the shipper and helping the carriers,
and capability to do what we did
we fill in the gaps where they are
“We set the bar
for this customer.”
needed for the customer,” said
for
what
can
Landstar monitored loads
Coston.
happen and what and shipments by implementing
Landstar Connect, a mobile
Capacity Increases
we are willing
app that allows truck capacity
Customer Efficiencies
to
do
to
help
providers to update load statuses
When a leading automotive
the customer
via their smart phones. When the
company realized a certain project
shipments left production yards,
in 2015 wasn’t a DIY, they called
succeed.”
they were tracked by GPS, giving the
in the professionals at Landstar to
customer an up-to-the-minute update on the loads.
reduce costs and increase loads hauled, as well
“The scale of this project beats everything
as service levels.
we’ve coordinated on a daily basis. We adapted
The top automotive company required a new
to the customer and it became a 7 days a week,
transportation solution to move all the frames
24 hours a day operation. We set the bar for what
for its best-selling pick-up truck from its supplier
can happen and what we are willing to do to help
in Kentucky to assembly plants in Michigan and
the customer succeed,” said Landstar Agent Dawn
Missouri.
Greaney White.
“Collaborating with the customer is nothing new
Within ten days, as the 3PL for the project,
for our agency. I’ve always been an advocate to
Landstar created a new work flow, established
work together, build relationships and rapport and
the production and transport process and moved
make a difference for the customer. In this case, it
approximately 200 to 300 loads per day while
was the most effective way to do the move,” said
saving the customer a substantial amount of time
Landstar Agent Jack Faulk.
and expense in the process. Project done!
He and Landstar Agents Daniel Davis, Dawn
Greaney White and Buck Shrewsbury, as well as
Landstar’s corporate personnel, developed a highly
efficient logistics system specific to the needs of
the customer. Using blended capacity to convert
shipments from rail to truck transportation, the
solution consisted of Landstar’s independent
Business Capacity Owners and third-party carriers.
“We moved anywhere from 200 to 300 loads
every day, and we did it one truckload at a time.
Once we got the routine down, it became a
very smooth operation,” said Landstar Agent
Buck Shrewsbury.
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 23
New wind towers
are getting biggerthey have longer
and bigger blades to
optimize the access
to wind power
for the really
long Haul
Hauling windmill blades across the
country is a big task, even for the most
experienced owner-operator. It’s a delicate
practice of planning and patience.
“We have to do it slow and steady. It takes a
great deal of patience. If you don’t have patience,
you can’t do the job,” explained Landstar BCO
Jeff Kirchner, who has loads of experience
hauling wind blades.
When Kirchner leased on to Landstar in 2001,
windmill blades were smaller than they are today.
Of course, even a small windmill blade can span
dozens of feet and take days or even weeks to
move from one place to another.
“We used to pull into any truck stop for a rest,
but now these things are so big, those days are
over. Some of these blades are double in size
compared to the blades we hauled when I started
with Landstar,” said Kirchner.
And so the art of hauling wind blades is ever
changing. In October 2015, Landstar unveiled its
newest capacity addition - a 199 foot windmill
blade trailer. The new trailer allows Landstar
BCOs to haul the longest wind blades ever built.
The trailers weigh in at 49,000 pounds and are
able to haul a 36,000 pound windmill blade.
“This gives Landstar greater flexibility in
transporting longer windmill blades and enhances
Landstar’s position as a key player in wind energy
transportation,” said Landstar Vice President of
Trailer Management Matt Miller.
The extendable trailers were specifically
designed and built to meet the demands of the
evolving wind energy industry. Researchers have
found that bigger windmill turbines are a better
way to harness the wind’s power.
Research continues to seek ways to improve
the logistics relating to longer and larger wind
turbine blades. For example, in 2015, the
U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
announced $1.8 million in awards for the research
and development of technology to improve the
manufacturing, transportation and assembly of
wind turbine blades longer than 196 feet.
“New wind towers are getting bigger, they
have longer and bigger blades to optimize the
access to wind power. With these new trailers,
Landstar is at the cutting edge in this area of the
logistics world and is now among the premier
blade haulers in the United States,” said Landstar
Agent Mike Meyer who has specialized in wind
transport for over a decade.
“The customer came to us because of the
quality, performance and safety record Landstar
has to offer. We were willing to commit and
accept the challenge to move these large
windmill blades. This is something other
companies do not have the capacity to do,”
said Landstar’s Executive Vice President of
Specialized Freight Services John Collins.
Experienced specialized heavy haul BCOs like
Kirchner started
“We are hauling
transporting
blades that are
with the new
extendable
close to double
trailers in 2015
the size that we
and Landstar will
started with
be bringing more
years ago”
BCOs into the mix
to haul the new oversized blades.
“We are hauling blades that are close to double
the size that we started with years ago, which
means transport is a lot slower paced and more
planning is needed,” said Kirchner.
He will use his 15 years of experience and
expertise hauling oversized blades to train
existing Landstar BCOs interested in the new
specialized heavy haul opportunities.
“It is neat to be part of the next step in
hauling these blades,” said Kirchner. “A lot has
changed since I started doing it. I’m glad I’ll have
some input mentoring the BCOs who will pull the
bigger blades.”
199 foot windmill blade trailers
24 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 25
Iowa’s Shell Blade Tour
Last August Landstar BCO Jeff Kirchner spent
some time at the Iowa State Fair. He wasn’t riding
the rides or eating cotton candy – Kirchner hauled
the shell of a blade that was set to go on display
during the fair.
The 130 foot blade is a real windmill blade,
but was scrapped by the American Wind Energy
Association years ago and is now put on display
throughout the state of Iowa.
Fair goers not only got an up close look at the
enormous blade over the summer, but they also had
a chance to sign the blade and add their signatures
right next to the signatures of some of our country’s
leaders.
In 2011, the same blade was actually transported
to the straw poll in Ames, Iowa, where Republican
Landstar BCO Jeff Kirchner’s truck displaying a
130 foot windmill blade at the 2015 Iowa Fair.
Presidential Candidates Mitt Romney, Tim
Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain
and Thaddeus McCotter signed the blade.
After the fair, Kichner hauled the blade back to
the TPI Composites plant in Newton, Iowa.
You know the industry
You know the people
Get to know landstar
Landstar agents provide
sales and operations functions
for their clients. Landstar
provides the tools and financial
backing you need to succeed.
• No limits to what you can earn
• Freedom to set your priorities
• Support to help you succeed
To learn more about
becoming an independent
Landstar agent, call us today.
888-949-2880
www.landstar.com
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26 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
transporting
Skycams
Providing college football fans a bird’s-eye view
Every year just before
the leaves start
changing, something happens in homes across the
United States - something people look forward to
for months. They head to their closets, pull out their
lucky alma mater gear and turn to the television
to watch their favorite team kicking off the college
football season.
A Landstar team helped make that possible during
the 2015-2016 season. Landstar Agent James
Rutledge of San Diego, California, and several
Landstar expedited BCOs helped give college
football fans a bird’s-eye view of their favorite
teams by delivering Skycams to stadiums across
North America.
Thanks to a partnership with Rock-it Cargo, a
freight forwarding company, six Landstar BCOs
made the Skycam hauls throughout the season –
Rodney Griffin, Carlton Wilder, Eric Young,
Thomas Krumma, John Cortez and Randall Ince.
“It is really a great sensation to be watching my
favorite football team, see the view from the Skycam
and know that Landstar delivered those cameras
and made that happen,” said Landstar Agent
James Rutledge.
In October, a Skycam was shipped to Everbank
Field in Jacksonville, Florida, for the annual Florida
vs. Georgia football battle at the border. John Cortez,
a Landstar BCO of 15 years, made the delivery to
Everbank that rainy October morning.
“I’ve been everywhere,” said fleet owner John
Cortez. “You can name a city and I’ll give you a story
about my trip there.”
Cortez called transporting the cameras a
“good gig,” and spoke about hauling the Skycams
throughout the season without his wife and team
driver, Robin, by his side.
www.landstar.com
“This was something I could do this year that let
my wife stay home and take care of our sick
goddaughter. This way I could stay out on the road
and provide for all of us,” said Cortez.
Skycam has played a large role in changing the
way sports are broadcast. The company, based
out of Ft. Worth, Texas, created the flying studio
camera to travel anywhere in a defined threedimensional space. The camera’s unique design
and highly sophisticated fiber optic network aims to
make viewers feel like they are in the game, when
watching from the comfort of their couch.
The Skycam games this season were broadcast
on ESPN, ABC, CBS and FOX. Landstar also made
camera deliveries for the Canadian Football League.
Canadian BCO Randall Ince delivered a similar kind
of aerial camera called Cablecam, a sister company
of Skycam. Ince made the last delivery of the season
to Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada for the 103rd Grey
Cup Championship, which is equivalent to the NFL’s
Super Bowl.
Unloading the Skycams at Everbank Field in
Jacksonville, Florida.
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 27
Twitter Tips
Marketing your agency one tweet at a time
Marketers are ranking Twitter as the most
useful social network available to boost their
businesses – no matter what size the business is.
According to research done with Act-On, a cloudbased integrated automation software company,
Twitter has more than 271 million active users who
are producing 500 million tweets every day. The
trick is finding ways to focus usage of the social
media platform in a way that targets and engages
specific audiences.
Much like conducting business face-to-face,
first impressions through Twitter are some of the
most important. And because Twitter can be a very
powerful marketing tool, it’s important to know
how to use it. To start, make sure your company or
agency Twitter page has the following:
• A catchy handle – Make your Twitter handle
as short and catchy as possible. Don’t use special
characters and make it something people will
remember.
• Company logo – A simple form of your
company’s logo should be used as your Twitter
profile picture. For agents, that could mean the
Landstar Agent logo* or your agency logo, if you
have one.
• Header – A high resolution header* on
Twitter makes a big difference to customers who
are visiting your Twitter page. This should also
incorporate your logo and the services you provide.
• View – Be sure to view your Twitter page in a
number of different browsers and devices. Check
out how your page looks on your phone, tablet and
computer to make sure your profile picture doesn’t
obscure text and text is still legible.
*Landstar Agent logos and headers for Twitter
are available on MyLandstarAgent.com. Under the
Brochures & eMarketing topic, click the eMail tab.
Once your Twitter page is ready and your handle
is finely tuned, you are ready to start tweeting,
gaining and engaging an audience. Here are some
helpful tips to help you achieve maximum reach with
your Twitter audience.
• Be a leader – Publish original content and tweet
out links to your agency’s or company’s blog or
website. Remember, tweeting about current news
demonstrates that your company is well-connected
to the industry and community.
• Engage users – Twitter is meant to be a
two-way conversation. If a business or customer
mentions you in a tweet, you should respond in real
time so the customer feels acknowledged and that
your company cares.
• Check out your competition – Know who
else is on Twitter and what companies like yours
are doing on the social media platform. Searching
a competitor’s brand will also help you learn more
about what they are doing and how they are
marketing themselves on Twitter.
• Remember all time-zones – All time-zones
are on Twitter, whether you schedule your tweets
ahead of time or have someone live tweet for your
business, it’s important to schedule tweets in the
time zones that are relevant to your business.
Be sure to follow Landstar on Twitter! We have
four handles to support various areas of the
Landstar System. • @LandstarSystem is Landstar’s main Twitter
handle where we publish system-wide content.
• @LandstarNow is Landstar’s Agent Twitter
handle.
• @Lease2Landstar is Landstar’s Business
Capacity Owners Twitter handle.
• @LandstarLCAPP is Landstar Contractors’
Advantage Purchasing Program Twitter
handle.
Source: Act-On eBook: “Twitter For Business”
28 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
A Riding Star
Pets to show the human side of trucking
Rachel Zelten
is on the road
to become a TV star, thanks to her
humans Landstar BCOs Kenn and
Beth Zelten. Rachel, a 14-year-old
Jack Russell Terrier, was among
seven furry and feathered friends
whose humans participated in the
production of the pilot episode of
Paws & People TV.
Paws & People TV is a new
show in development, featuring
drivers and their lives on the
road with their pets. Beth Zelten
said Rachel, who has spent her
entire life in a truck, was especially
excited to participate.
“When we got the call to do this,
we were all so excited about it,
Rachel too. We were so glad to be
part of an opportunity to show this
side of truckers,” said Beth Zelten.
She and Kenn leased on with
Landstar as a team early in 2015.
www.landstar.com
Rachel gives a friendly greeting to
her co-star Landstar Vice President
of Operations Gregg Nelson.
In October, video cameras rolled
at the I-80 Morris, Illinois, TA Travel
Center, capturing not only the
Zeltens but six other truckers who
make every long haul with their
pets by their sides. The segment,
“Truckers Companion Animals
Across America,” will feature
professional truck operators who
travel with their pets.
“Rachel had a great day, she was
certainly a star. I think this show
will do a great job showcasing all of
these drivers and their companions
as a positive part of the trucking
industry,” said Beth.
Landstar Vice President of
Operations Gregg Nelson also
had a part in the video shoot.
“Pets are a widely accepted
part of the trucking industry and
travel centers are increasingly
catering to their needs. Landstar
is honored the Zeltens were
selected to participate in the
show,” said Nelson.
Details on when and where the
segment will air is, well, still up
in the air. Stay tuned for more
information in future articles or
follow Landstar news on our
Facebook page www.facebook.com
/LandstarOwnerOperators.
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 29
When Landstar BCO
Steve Grillo first signed up
for the Trucker Buddy program, he was eager to see the
students learn about the many facets of the trucking
industry. More than four years later, Grillo believes the
program is working and is something that’s changing the
way the next generation looks at trucking.
Trucker Buddy International, a nonprofit organization
which started in 1992, is dedicated to helping educate
and mentor K-8 students via a pen pal relationship with
professional truck drivers.
This school year, Grillo is working with second graders
at Jim Falls Elementary School in Wisconsin. The BCO
makes multiple visits to the classroom throughout the
year with his tractor-trailer and, when he is on the road,
Grillo writes to the students. He also participates weekly
in “Trucker Buddy Tuesday” by skyping with the class to
give them updates from the road.
“It gives the students an introduction to geography,
something which will help them as they build upon this
initial knowledge in class,” says Grillo, adding, “I explain
to them how I use math every day to determine things
such as how many miles I can drive in a day and how
many gallons of fuel I would need for a trip.”
The program gives
schools and students
“These kids
another tool for
are our future learning but, Grillo
says, it has also
drivers; the
re-energized him.
more we reach
“This helps rekindle
the
passion and joy
out to them, the
I feel for the trucking
better drivers
industry. I am so
they will be
cognizant that our
around trucks, industry unfortunately
or they may even carries with it a
negative stigma
want to become that’s misguided
and unfounded. This
professional
truck drivers.” program, along with
the others in the
industry, can play
an integral role in portraying more accurately the many
positive aspects of our industry,” says Grillo.
Landstar BCOs and team drivers Bob and Linda Caffee
also participate in the Trucker Buddy program. During the
2015/2016 school year the Caffees have worked with a
school in France and spend time each week skyping with
and emailing 150 French students in grades 6-8. The kids
send the Caffees post cards and the Caffees return their
messages with pictures and stories from the road.
“At Christmas we got a huge package full of letters,
drawings and even some treats. The kids have
Changing the
way the next
generation
looks at
trucking
Trucker Buddy
LAndstar bcos teach from the road
30 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
cheered us on and we cheer them on too. Their
English is fantastic,” said Linda Caffee.
In May, the Caffees plan to visit the school in France
and meet the kids they’ve corresponded with throughout
the school year. In 2015, Linda was appointed to Trucker
Buddy’s Board of Directors.
“These kids are our future drivers; the more we reach
out to them, the better drivers they will be around trucks,
or they may even want to become professional truck
drivers,” said Caffee.
Throughout the years, both the Caffees and Grillo
have noticed a positive trend in schools involved with
the Trucker Buddy program and look forward to the
continued growth of the program and its impact on
students around the world.
“The feedback is so positive. The program is so
successful. I think sometimes we might lose sight as
to why we chose to become professional drivers.
Seeing the kids’ smiling faces renews the love I have
for this industry,” said Grillo.
Owner-operators who are interested in being
part of the Trucker Buddy Program should visit
www.truckerbuddy.org.
Outstanding Trucker Buddies
Landstar BCOs Rusty and Shari Ann Fry were
named Outstanding Trucker Buddies of 2015 by
Trucker Buddy International.
The Frys are Trucker Buddies with Jeffrey
Walker’s first grade class at Verner Elementary
School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Walker and his
class nominated the Frys for their dedication to the
Trucker Buddy program.
“We signed up after reading about the program.
I send them pictures of our travels, maps to see
where we’ve been and I write them letters every
two weeks,” said Shari Ann Fry.
The Frys have worked with the school and
the Trucker Buddy program for the last 6 years
and have taught the students there about the
transportation industry and how to practice safety
around big trucks.
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 31
on the road
W O R D
S E A R C H
Locate the hidden words from
Going the Extra Mile
page 19
QTROCSEZFRYACH I LDREN
DMQDEL I VERYCSOFR IEND
VRDOMXPSTLEGARUOCNEV
SXECQWVNARUGRGVNPPCR
NRTSXRUQNCSGBEEHHSLS
AMEHIOKPOFRFGRTRRUXR
GTRDCAJCUHA I EAJAOCEQ
I RMCNTRFOMTFFTGJWCBD
HUILNOVDINFLJISEOYSS
CCNOOPWLN I TOATCGXTQL
I KAGI PYKDUUEBENEHLGA
METATOHZYRFNSIHGSGY I
SR I CCR I ONEDQTT IWNCOR
GSOI UTWENAN I NLNBNDKO
FONHAUYMNOOOFY I ENPHM
FHXCKNVPQNRRMKGUMNOE
NMULT I PLESCLEROS ISMM
VOLUNTEERSNUEHZDHHEX
DSFM I YSLM I AMJVMAGG I E
MI HOKSVLQJENA I DRAUGC
AUCTION BIKE
CHICAGO CHILDREN CONTEST COUNTRY
DELIVERY
DETERMINATION
DIFFERENCE
EMERGENCY
ENCOURAGE ESCORT
FAMILY
FLIGHT
FRIEND
FUND RAISER GUARDIAN
HEALTH HOME HONOR JOURNEY
LUGGAGE
MAGGIE MEMORIALS MICHIGAN MONEY
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
OPPORTUNITY RECOGNITION SACRIFICES TRUCKERS
VOLUNTEERS WATER
WONDERS
Check your answers on page 45
32 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 33
It was a stormy night
in Michigan and
Landstar BCO Saeed Derakhshani was snowed in
with nowhere to go and nothing to do but sit in
his truck.
“My TV broke down, I had nothing to do and it
just happened out of pure boredom,” explained
Derakhshani, recalling the night he starting writing
his first novel.
Derakhshani grabbed a note pad and a pen and
he did something he’d never done before - he
started writing down his thoughts. The BCO said
suddenly his imagination was on paper and a story
started to come together.
“I know a lot about the history of Persian and
Iranian people. I wanted people to know what
the Persians gave to this world. With that and my
imagination, it became a story,” said Derakhshani.
A history buff, Derakhshani knew what he wanted
to do with his first novel, The Lost Treasure of the
Silk Road. Derakhshani moved from Iran to the
United States in 1979 when he was 22 years old
and wanted to give others a story that showed
ancient Persia, accurately and in a way that would
make people proud of his ancestors’ history.
“No one really knows the rich history that the
Middle East has. All they know is what they see
on mainstream media now. There is so much more
behind these people and what the Persians have
given us,” said Derakhshani.
With the help of his wife Dorothy and daughter
Shirin, six years after he started writing,
Derakhshani published The Lost Treasure of the
Silk Road. His tale follows the life of the main
character Persicus on a quest to find a legendary
treasure on what’s commonly referred to as the
Silk Road. The Silk Road derives its name from
the Chinese silk trade and is an ancient network
of trade routes that were developed throughout
the Asian continent. The Silk Road connected
the West and East from China and India to the
Mediterranean Sea.
Persicus is persuaded by another man, Hakim,
to join him on a treasure quest, and together they
writing
from the road
face bandits, sand storms, a mystical cave with a
dragon – and a lot of adventure along their journey.
Each chapter of the book is packed with action
and mystery.
“This is his way of teaching the readers about
ancient Persia and the Iranian people, along
with giving them an entertaining tale,” said
Derakhshani’s wife Dorothy.
After Derakhshani
finished the book,
“Donating this
he handed it over to
money to the
his daughter Shirin
Markey Cancer
to help edit and
Center is our
refine the story. The
way of giving
first edition of the
book, published in
back to that
2014, has sold over
community”
3,000 copies.
“I don’t care about making money off of the
book. We really just want people to read it, enjoy
it and learn a little about the history that so many
don’t know,” said the BCO and author.
The Derakhshanis say they are saving all the
proceeds from the book for a donation to the
Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
The donation is the family’s way of supporting
those fighting ovarian cancer, which Dorothy was
diagnosed with and treated for as Saeed wrote
the book. After 18 rounds of chemotherapy,
Dorothy’s cancer was listed as in remission.
“Donating this money to the Markey Cancer
Center is our way of giving back to that
community,” said Dorothy Derakhshani. “It just
makes sense to put that money back into our
community and support cancer research.”
Derakhshani, who plans to keep giving back to
his community, says book number two is already in
the works. The Lost Treasure of the Silk Road can
be purchased and downloaded or ordered through
Amazon.com or by visiting the book’s website at
http://www.thelosttreasureofthesilkroad.com.
The Lost Treasure of the Silk Road
34 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 35
QUALITY BRANDS.
QUALITY TIRES.
truck giveaway
powered by
YOU COULD WIN A BEAUTIFUL BRAND NEW TRUCK! HERE’S HOW:
Contest Rules & Eligibility Requirements
how to enter
• Complete and return your “Wild Card”
entry card for one entry in the contest.
• For each ten Landstar loads picked up
and delivered during the contest period, a
BCO will receive one entry into the drawing.
If a BCO uses the LandstarConnect app to
update his or her status on any load, that
load will count as two loads when the loads
are counted to determine the number of
entries earned during the contest period.
• Attend a Landstar Field Safety Meeting
or participate in a Landstar Safety Thursday
Conference Call, held on the third Thursday
of every month.
• Attend an Appreciation Days event.
• Receive and notify Landstar of a clean
Level 1 roadside inspection.
• Review Success magazine and
complete and return question/answer card.
• Additional entry methods may be
added from time-to-time.
• BCOs who voluntarily utilize ELDs get
5 additional entries.
contest periods
The contest will run from January 1, 2015
through June 30, 2016, and all entries
must be received by July 30, 2016. During
that time, there will be six separate periods
(“quarters”) for the purposes of counting
loads:
• January 1, 2015 – March 31, 2015
• April 1, 2015 – June 30, 2015
• July 1, 2015 – September 30, 2015
• October 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015
• January 1, 2016 – March 31, 2016
• April 1, 2016 – June 30, 2016
36 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
At the end of each of these periods, a
count will be made of loads picked up and
delivered during the quarter. An appropriate
number of entries will be auto-generated for
each BCO and the “load count” will be reset
to zero to start the next quarter. There will be
no contest credit or carryover for fractions
of ten. For example, a BCO with fourteen
loads picked up and delivered during any
quarter will receive one (1) entry and will
begin the next quarter at zero
qualifying bcos
To be eligible to win, a BCO must meet
all of the following criteria:
• Must be leased to Landstar continuously
from January 1, 2015 through the date of
the truck presentation in September 2016.
• The BCO must be accident-free*
and claim-free** during the period
January 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016.
choosing the winner
Prior to Landstar’s Appreciation Days,
scheduled to take place in Rockford, Illinois,
September 13-14, 2016, five qualified
finalists will be selected by random draw
from among all entries. If necessary, the
finalists will be notified in advance and
transportation provided to Rockford where
the Grand Prize winner will be selected by
a final random drawing from among the
finalists to take place on Tuesday, September
13, 2016 during Appreciation Days. Should
a finalist be unable to attend, the Grand
Prize winner will be chosen from among the
remaining finalists in attendance.
taxes
The fair market value of the truck will be
included on the winner’s IRS Form 1099.
Landstar will assist the winner in determining
2016 income tax liability and will pay the
net increase in 2016 income tax resulting
from winning the truck, provided the winner
retains title to the truck through the oneyear anniversary of the truck presentation.
Should the winner elect to sell or trade the
truck prior to the one-year anniversary, he
or she forfeits this offer. Landstar, at its sole
discretion and only in writing, may waive
this one-year contingency. It is assumed that
the manufacturer will pay the Federal Excise
Taxes and the winner will be responsible for
paying state sales taxes, insurance and state
titling and registration fees.
All Landstar BCOs are expected to operate
safely and comply with all applicable traffic and
safety laws and federal regulations.
*Accident-free means no preventable
accidents from 1/1/15 through 6/30/16.
**Claim-free means no more than 2 cargo
or property damage claims with an aggregate
loss, collectively, of $1,000 or less from 1/1/15
through 6/30/16.
Odds of winning depend on number of entries
received.
Landstar reserves the right to amend these
entry rules as it may deem necessary with or
without notice to the participating BCOs.
Contest is not open to Landstar employees or
their immediate families.
www.landstar.com
MICHELIN® and BFGoodrich® Brands offer tires to fit every application.
Choosing the right tire allows for the best performance and durability for your specific need.
For more information on selecting the right tire for fuel economy or vocational use, visit
michelintruck.com or bfgoodrichtrucktires.com.
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 37
“My plan is to be
fit as a fiddle for
the next Landstar
event.”
Landstar BCOs and Team Drivers
David and Debra Long
The Road to
Good Health
one step at a time
38 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
When the doctor told Landstar Million Mile
Safe Driver Kim Blakely that he was borderline
diabetic in 2015, the BCO said he knew it was time
to make big changes to his lifestyle. Blakely was
nearly 50 pounds overweight, he ate poorly and he
never exercised.
“It was an eye-opener to change my life. I was
a heart attack waiting to happen. My mission was
twofold - exercise and change my eating habits,”
explained Blakely.
And he did just that. He started by simply
walking which, he said, was no easy task. Walking
just one mile took him 35 to 40 minutes, but as he
went on, he noticed that walking became easier
with each day.
Six months after
starting to change
his lifestyle, Blakely
was able to walk two
miles in less than 30
minutes. In fact, with
a fast paced walk, he
can now complete
a mile in 13 minutes
and 22 seconds.
Blakely has also
added adjustable
dumb bell weights
to his routine, as
well as arm
Landstar BCO Kim Blakely
resistance training.
before making the
“I have too much
commitment to improve
energy
now,” said
his health.
Blakely. “People see
me now and they say, ‘Hey, you are buffing up’ and
I am, even my shoes are loose on me.”
Blakely believes he found the right combination
of diet and exercise to make the major advances
in his health. The BCO stays away from all sugary
drinks and any additional sugars in his diet. The
only carbs he eats comes from the multigrain bread
to make his sandwiches at lunchtime.
“A lot of times I go into the stops and see what’s
for dinner there. They have baked chicken sitting
in grease and they have vegetables, but they are
drenched in butter. So I go back to my truck and
I make myself a turkey sandwich instead. I cook
and slice the turkey myself so I know it’s healthy,”
said Blakely.
www.landstar.com
Blakely after losing 50 pounds by changing his
diet and adding exercise to his regular routine.
Since changing his life with diet and exercise, he
has seen dramatic changes in his health. Blakely is
happy to report that his doctors say he is no longer
pre-diabetic, his blood sugar has dropped
15 points, his cholesterol is down 60 points and
the scale went from reading 243 pounds to 189!
“Anybody can do this. It isn’t easy at first, but
you just have to do it in order to live a healthier life.
I tell the guys all the time, walking is key. Start out
walking just 15 minutes at a time and eventually
you’ll keep going,” said Blakely.
*Remember to check with your doctor before
beginning any diet and exercise routine.
TEAM STEPPERS
Canadian BCOs and team drivers Debra and
David Long say it’s not easy, but they too have
found a way to live a healthy lifestyle while they’re
on the road.
“We feel so much better when we are exercising,”
says Debra Long. “I look forward to waking up in
the morning because I am not as tired.”
Like Blakely, some days the Longs will simply
walk around the parking lot, but other days they
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 39
the
take it one step further.
Safe Driver. We caught up with them at the 2015
“I have a portable stair stepper in the truck,
Landstar All-Star Celebration.
I have weights, I have strength bands and I have one
“My plan is to be fit as a fiddle for the next
of those thigh masters. I tell myself, I am
Landstar event,” explained Debra, who is already
going to do it and I do it,”
well on her way. “I still have 30 pounds
explained Debra. She admits that
to lose.”
“I want to do
finding the incentive to do so after
Aside from fitting exercise in their
it so that I can schedule and equipment in their
a long day of driving is often the
play, go hiking truck, Debra cooks in the truck nearly
biggest hurdle.
“The hardest part of exercising
every day. In fact, when we interviewed
and do fun
in the truck is finding the motivation things with my the Longs for this article, there was
to do it, but I do try,” says Debra.
a healthy meal of hamburger, onions,
granddaughters.
“I want to do it so that I can play,
cabbage, potatoes, carrots and parsnips
That’s what is
go hiking and do fun things with
simmering in their
important.”
my granddaughters. That’s what
slow cooker.
is important.”
The combo of healthy “home cooked”
The Longs leased on to Landstar 18 years ago.
meals and exercise in (or around) the truck appears
Dave is a Landstar Roadstar and a Million Mile
to be a recipe for success for these BCOs.
Road to
Success
DEFINE SUCCESS ON YOUR TERMS,
ALIGN YOUR career with LANDSTAR
IA80com LS Success 021716.qxp_Layout 1 2/17/16 3:58 PM Page 1
GET YOUR
FREE CATALOG!
• Go online to www.iowa80.com and
request your FREE CATALOG of
the finest selection in Chrome and
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•
Or Call Toll Free – 866-4-IOWA80
(866-446-9280)
As an independent
Landstar BCO you’ll enjoy:
• Access to a large and diverse freight base
• A Load Alert system that notifies
you when loads are available
• Discounts on fuel, tires and more
• Support of a financially stable
company
CALL 800-435-4010 0r visit
www.lease2landstar.com
As an independent
Landstar agent you’ll enjoy:
• Technology you need to succeed
• Unmatched access to capacity
• Realizing your earnings potential
• Excellent growth opportunities
• Support of a financially stable
company
CALL 888-949-2880 0r visit
www.landstar.com
• Shop online today!
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SCAN OUR CODE
to learn more
Truck Accessories For The Professional Driver
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LS 2016
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40 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 41
Transportation management solutions • Air • Ocean • Rail Intermodal • truckload • LTL • Heavy Haul/Specialized • expedited
Environmental, Health, Safety & Security
Landstar’s environmental, health, safety & security (EHS&S) program is the right thing to do. It enhances
the value of the organization to Landstar customers and the environment we operate within through the
supportive actions of its agents, employees and capacity providers.
Landstar’s commitment is to:
• Reducing, and where feasible, eliminating the generation,
discharge, disposal or spilling of hazardous materials.
• Train its employees on how to conduct their activities in an
efficient, responsible manner, consistent with this policy.
• Meet or exceed the environmental, health, safety &
security requirements of regulatory agencies and strive to meet
other requirements as known to Landstar.
• Monitor its performance to determine progress toward the
achievement of EHS&S program goals and objectives
through appropriate measurements and internal audits.
in the Spotlight
Evolving Expectations
performance with respect to EHS&S programs.
• Promote and communicate its EHS&S programs to
Landstar customers, agents, employees and
capacity providers.
• Encourage its customers, agents and capacity providers
to institute sound practices consistent with these objectives.
• Work to continuously improve its management practices
with respect to EHS&S.
Revised: 05/14
Commitment to Quality
Landstar’s Commitment to Quality is the cornerstone of the planning process for its Landstar Management System.
It is the basis for continuous improvement and to establishing goals and objectives that support the company’s
Critical Success Factors, which then flow to all Landstar departments. This commitment starts with executive
leadership and flows throughout the entire Landstar organization.
Landstar expects to be recognized by its customers as the provider of superior transportation logistics
services and transportation management solutions.
improvement is encouraged and expected by everyone
within the organization.
• Involve each Landstar employee and strive to influence
the actions of its third-party capacity providers, agents
and key vendors in the process.
• Conduct regular meetings of management to review
performance of the company’s Critical Success Factors,
key initiatives and improvement opportunities.
Landstar Vice President
and Chief Safety &
Operations Officer
• Conduct regular meetings of management to review
Landstar’s pledge is to be a positive influence within the transportation and logistics industry
and we accept the responsibility to do so.
• Create and maintain an environment in which continuous
Joe Beacom
• Identify and understand the requirements of its customers
and strive to offer innovative solutions to challenges.
• Ensure that all Landstar employees fully understand the
requirements of their job and the role their job plays within
Landstar.
• Provide transportation services and transportation
management solutions that meet or exceed the requirements
of its customers.
Anyone who has
purchased products via the
Web has very likely received an update on when
the product shipped and when it will arrive on
their doorstep. This level of visibility was, at one
time, popular within just a few niche markets –
automotive production parts, expedited or LTL
services and high-value shipments. The means to
obtain and provide the information was typically
manual and not always reliable.
Today, customers across the spectrum of
industries and products have come to realize
the availability of technology that can provide
this information. With this knowledge has come
a significant increase in customer requests to
provide greater visibility into the movement of
their product from order to delivery, along with
exception reporting, on a real time basis.
Landstar has provided a means to meet
customer expectations in an efficient, cost
effective manner. Equipping the Landstar van
fleet with a tracking and reporting capability
and enhancements to our Shipment Manager
application have provided improved visibility
and exception management to the agent family.
The implementation of ELDs and the availability
of Landstar Connect as part of our mobile
strategy allows BCOs and carriers to provide
shipment visibility and status in real time. Further
enhancements are planned throughout 2016.
At many customers, the ability to consistently
communicate
the departure,
Landstar has provided a
position and
means to meet customer
arrival of their
product equals expectations in an efficient,
or exceeds the
cost effective manner.
importance
of on-time
service. Landstar remains committed to providing
the means for agents, BCOs and carriers to meet
these requirements in an efficient manner.
To find out more, please address any questions
or comments to [email protected].
To do anything less is unacceptable to Landstar and its customers.
Revised: 02/14
42 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
www.landstar.com
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 43
DRIVE FOR FIVE
WHEN IT COMES TO SAFE DRIVING, Landstar believes it is important to expect the
unexpected and always have “an out.” Maintain sufficient space around your vehicle.
Check your blind spot mirrors, using the lean and look method every 3-5 seconds.
Choose to drive safe and legal. Protect the zones around your truck and
DRIVE FOR FIVE - yourself, the vehicle directly in front of and behind you, and to each side of you.
safety thursday
You’re Invited to Participate!
Landstar’s monthly safety call
Each month, Landstar holds a Safety Thursday
Conference Call and various safety events at agencies
and truck stops across the country. Every faction of
On Your Side:
Behind You:
Help prevent rear-end collisions,
by maintaining a safe speed and
avoid sudden stopping.
Limit changing lanes
and stay in the right lane
whenever possible.
the Landstar family participates in the monthly safety
call – including our President and CEO Jim Gattoni,
BCOs, agents, employees, third-party capacity
providers, state and federal DOT officials and other
interested parties, like Landstar customers. Everyone
is invited to participate.
Landstar’s Safety Thursday Conference Call is
always on the third Thursday of the month at 12 p.m.
(noon) ET. On Safety Thursday, dial 877-717-5921.
2016 Dates:
1/21, 2/18, 3/17, 4/21, 5/19, 6/16, 7/21,
8/18, 9/15, 10/20, 11/17, 12/15
upcoming events
2016
March
30 - April 3:
Landstar Annual Convention, Boca Raton, FL
31 - April 2:
MATS, Louisville, KY
April
8: BCO Appreciation Day,
Ft. Worth, TX
May
31: Memorial Day Observed
July
1-3: BCO All-Star Celebration, Orlando, FL
4: Independence Day
August
25-27: GATS, Dallas, TX
September
5: Labor Day Holiday
13-14: BCO Appreciation
Days, Rockford, IL
November
24-25: Thanksgiving Holiday Observed
December
24-25: Christmas
Holiday Observed
Note: Dates of events are subject to change.
Visit www.landstar.com/corporate-information
for up-to-the-minute information.
On the Road Puzzle Answers - from page 32
On Your Side:
To prevent sideswipe collisions
when changing lanes, signal early,
wait and look before making
a move.
In Front Of You:
Remember safe speed and
proper following distance
prevent rear-end collisions
and jackknife accidents.
Just imagine family and friends occupying
those other vehicles around you.
44 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
www.landstar.com
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www.landstar.com
Advertising
Index
Southeast Trailer Service.......2
TA/Petro........................5, 33
IOA....................................11
Lease2Landstar.com............11
Landstar.................26, 41, 48
Smart Truck........................26
Michelin.............................37
Iowa80.com.......................40
Randall Reilly.....................47
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 45
landstars
on the road with American idol
America’s favorite singing competition,
American Idol, is in its 15th and final season, and
some lucky Landstar BCOs got to be part of all
the action during the farewell season of one of the
most successful reality shows on television.
Landstar BCOs Tom Arnold, Milt Gernhart, Chris
Grimshaw, JR Stambaugh and Gavin Tookey joined
the audition tour, hauling all the equipment for the
show, including audio and visual equipment and
everything needed for the American Idol stage.
With their trucks donning the American Idol logo,
the group traveled from August through October as
auditions took place in cities across the
United States.
46 •
The Road to Success | 2016 Issue 1
Landstar BCO Chris Grimshaw started hauling
for the show during the 13th season and signed on
for this year as soon as possible.
“The opportunity to be part of a production like
that, watched by millions and knowing ‘I was part
of making that happen,’ plus the the friendships
and working relationships I made, it was like a
family,” said Grimshaw.
After weeks of traveling through the 50 states,
the Idol audition tour made its last stop in
San Francisco, California.
American Idol first aired on Fox in June 2002.
The final season premiered in January and ends
in May 2016.
www.landstar.com
THE VOICE OF THE
AMERICAN TRUCKER
Overdrive is the premier magazine for leased owneroperators and independent owner-operators. Get
business and equipment features relevant to the
owner-operator trucker, as well as trucking news,
truck driving jobs and other trucking industry
information of interest to the independent contractor
delivererd to your tablet, mobile phone, and home.
www.landstar.com
Subscribe for free now at
overdriveonline.com/subscribe
2016 Issue 1 |
The Road to Success
• 47
the
the
Road
Roadtoto
Success
Success
Ififyou
profit
youwant
wantmore
to make
a
in your
pocket,
good
living,define
there’ssuccess
no
on your
own terms
as a Landstar
better
place than
landstar.
- Ben Easters, Landstar BCO
independent owner-operator.
“
”
- Roy Butler,
Landstar BCO and
Million Mile Safe Driver
• Earn a share of the revenue
for every load hauled. As
freight rates go up, your
settlement check does too.
• More home time: the
independence to run when
you want, where you want.
• Big fuel discounts at the
point-of-sale, no waiting for
rebate checks. Big fleet
National Account tire prices.
Cash rebates on new tractors,
factory-direct trailer pricing.
• There are thousands of loads
available every day. There’s
• 100% of all billed fuel
always something waiting
surcharges paid straight to you. for you.
See for yourself - landstar load board webinar demonstrations
contact us: [email protected] or 1-877-472-0107
VAN•REEFER•FLATBED•STEPDECK•expedited
•HEAVY/SPECIALIZED•Hot Shot
www.lease2landstar.com
1-877-472-0107
Follow us on Twitter @lease2landstar
www.facebook.com/LandstarOwnerOperators