Bestway Newsletter
Transcription
Bestway Newsletter
Employee Spotlight Employees of the Month Jessi Dowty Jessi was hired as the Benefits Administrator in the Safety and Human Resources Department on May 6, 2013. She handles all insurance enrollment and 401K. Prior to Bestway, Jessi worked for United Healthcare for 7 years as a Client Service Supervisor. She earned an Associate in Science degree from Wabash Valley College and a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Southern Illinois University. Jessi’s husband, Rusty, works at Bestway as the Senior Logistic’s Manager. Jessi and Rusty have twin boys, Easton 3 and Owen 3. In her free time, she enjoys shopping and going to concerts. Jessi can be reached by email: [email protected] or ext 134. Bestway Express welcomes Ed McGonigal EDGAR R. McGONIGAL, the Chief Financial Officer for Bestway Express, has spent most of his life practicing as a Certified Public Accountant in Indianapolis with a primary focus on clients in the trucking industry. In fact, Ed was the outside accountant for Bestway Express when Bestway Express was started until he left Indianapolis in 2004. He grew up in Danville, Indiana and received his accounting degree from Indiana University Purdue University at Indianpolis before joining the firm that eventually became Bailey, Williams, McGonigal & Knowles. That firm then later merged with Katz, Sapper & Miller. Moving to Florida in 2004 to work for a nonprofit, he eventually settled in Orlando and opened a small tax practice there in 2008 while still serving some of his old clients from Indiana. When the former CFO left Bestway in May of 2013, Ed came on board to take the position Heather M. Nesbitt Heather was hired in the Accounting Department in August of 2013. She is originally from Sterling Heights, MI, about twenty minutes north of Detroit. Heather still has several family members in that area, so she enjoys taking the occasional trip up north to seem them. She earned a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree from Eastern Michigan University in Japanese Language and Culture, as well as an Associates Degree of Applied Science in Accounting from Vincennes University. Heather is currently 28 years old and lives in Washington, Indiana with her son Matrim, who is seven and in the second grade. Heather’s fiancé, Josh, is currently finishing his degree in Computer Networking at Vincennes. I her free time, Heather enjoys playing video games with her family, yarn crafting and watching movies and television. Heather can be reached by email: [email protected] or ext 169. 1 of CFO. Ed is a widower but has three children; a stepson in Indianapolis, a daughter in New Orleans and a son in Boulder, CO. He enjoys his work at Bestway and the chance to re-connect with so many old friends in the trucking industry. Inside this Issue New TCA Chairman...pg 2 Healthy Trucker Foods...pg 3 Bestway opens New CNG Fueling Station ...pgs 5,6 Fuel Bonus Scores...pgs 7,8 Gliders...New Trucks Out of Old...pg 13 Truckload Carriers Association Elects Shepard Dunn of Bestway Express, Inc., as 2014-2015 Chairman Incoming chair was not born into trucking, as many company presidents are — but you’d never know it. Grapevine, Texas – The board of directors of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has elected Shepard Dunn, president and CEO of Bestway Express, Inc., of Vincennes, Indiana, as its 2014-15 chairman. The vote took place as part of the organization’s Annual Convention at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. Dunn came to be involved with the trucking industry in a most unusual way. In 1994, he was working in the travel industry when he was approached to manage a dedicated operation for Bestway Express. He knew almost nothing about trucking. The offer came from his wife’s cousin, C.J. “Mac” McCormick, III, who ran the flagship company in the McCormick family chain of enterprises. Believing that Dunn had the necessary people and sales skills to be successful in the business — and ignoring those who said Dunn would fail because he “did not have trucking in his blood” — McCormick hired Dunn as an executive vice president at Bestway. Dunn soaked it all in and loved everything he was taught. By 2003, Dunn had been promoted to president. Three years later, however, his career took a bizarre twist when his mentor was tragically killed while piloting a small airplane. The McCormick family named Dunn as Bestway’s CEO in January of 2007, and the company has continued to flourish under his leadership. Ever since Dunn joined TCA, he has been active on numerous committees, including Carrier/Shipper Relations, Highway Policy, Independent Contractor Practices Policy, Industry Supplier Relations, Membership, Recruitment & Retention Human Resources, Regulatory Policy, and TCA Communications & Image Policy. As a member of the organization’s executive committee and board of directors, he has held the positions of first and second vice chair, secretary, and at-large officer (twice). He is also a member of the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) board of directors and its Safety Policy Committee, and he is a former chairman of ATA’s Highway Policy Committee. Locally, he serves on the boards of directors of the Knox County (Indiana) Chamber of Commerce, the Knox County Development Corporation, the Indiana Legal Foundation, and Conexus Indiana, an initiative that aims to keep the state of Indiana at the forefront of advanced manufacturing and logistics. Dunn also serves on the Transportation Advisory Board for the 8th Congressional District. As he steps into the TCA chairmanship, Dunn believes that continuity should be paramount as the organization continues to build on the programs already established in recent years. He cites the work of 2011-12 Chairman Gary Salisbury, who steered the association toward improving trucking’s image, followed by his successor, Robert Low, who added a unique health-and-wellness focus. “Image really started with Gary – he floated the idea out there and got the ball rolling,” said Dunn. “Then Robert got the entire industry talking about image, especially the health of the professional truck driver. Now look at us… we’re providing equipment, manpower, and funds for Wreaths Across America, producing pro-trucking commercials, and holding health fairs during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. We’ve even got an official, country music singer spokeswoman, Lindsay Lawler, who literally sings the praises of our Highway Angel program to the general public. We’re going to continue to build on those fabulous ideas and make sure they stay in front of our industry. That’s our job,” he said. Dunn’s year at the helm of TCA falls in the middle of a 3-year strategic plan that was initiated by last year’s chairman, Tom Kretsinger, Jr. “The plan really helped TCA focus in on measurements of what we are trying to accomplish,” said Dunn. “Now my philosophy is, ‘Let’s get really good at our core.’ We will roll through my term with good, sound measurements, and then begin the discussion again under next year’s chairman for another 3-year plan. I’m the transition guy that will make sure we keep on truckin’!” Dunn will lead TCA until the next Annual Convention, scheduled for March 8-11, 2015, at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida. 2 Trucker Grocery List: Healthy Foods to Keep in the Truck by Amanda Brown We received a question the other day on Facebook asking for a sample trucker grocery list, and we thought, “What a great idea!” As you all know too well, truckers have some special circumstances when it comes to buying and storing food in the truck. There’s not tons of space, especially for refrigerated/frozen foods. However, if you have a travel fridge or freezer, it makes it much easier to eat healthy on the road, so we Fruits/Vegetables • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Apples Baby carrots Bananas Broccoli Canned fruit (no added sugar) Cauliflower Celery Cherries Frozen fruit (no added sugar) Frozen/steamer bag veggies Grapes Lettuce/greens (the darker the better) Oranges Pineapple Potatoes • • • • • • • Beans – black beans, pinto beans, etc Chicken breast Fish Lean ground beef (85/15) Natural peanut butter Sandwich meat (low sodium): turkey or low fat ham Tuna Meat/Protein 3 strongly recommend picking one up. Here is a suggested list of food items to pick up next time you stop at the nearby Walmart. These are actual items truckers are buying, storing, and cooking in their trucks. This is a master list with many suggestions to help you build your own mini grocery list. Keep in mind, some of these will obviously depend on your living arrangement. But with this list, you can create many healthy meals right from the truck. Especially if you have some of these truck cooking appliances! Dairy • • • • • Cottage cheese Eggs Greek/light yogurt (watch sugar) Light string cheese Low fat milk (1%, skim, almond milk) Grains • • • Brown rice Fiber one/cereal bars High fiber cereal (Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Mini Wheats; check labels) • Light popcorn • Whole grain crackers • Whole wheat bread • Whole wheat English muffins • Whole wheat pasta/spaghetti • Whole wheat tortillas Snacks/Miscellaneous • • • • • • • • Beef jerky (low sodium if possible) Edamame Herbal tea Hummus Protein powder Raw almonds/pistachios String cheese Water On the Lighter Side Trivia In the days of old. The Conestoga wagon ran regular freight lanes. Thus the term teamsters. These old teamsters where as I understand a tough and hardy type of man. As they ran there freight routes they had regular stops along the way called road houses. In these road houses the drivers found both food and drink. As the driver would drink the bar keep would make his mark by the P. As he continues his drink the bar keep will mark the Q. Of course to look after the driver and so he would not falter on his way the bar keep would remind the driver to watch his” P’s and Q’s.” Another fine story of these hearty men. These drivers would have rings of various bells on their wagon which they where fond of. Should they get stuck in bad mud or break down in the ruts etc. And another driver help them out of there situation they must give up a ring of bells as a form of gratitude. There fore a trouble free trip had the meaning.” I’ll be there with bells on.” Courtesy of Brent Blackburn Jokes A trucker stops at a red light and A trucker stops at a red light and a blonde catches up to him. She knocks on the window and says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load." The trucker just ignores her, the light changes, and he proceeds down the street. At the next light, the blonde again catches up and says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load." He ignores her again and continues down the street. At the next red light the blonde catches up, all out of breath, knocks on the window and says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load." The trucker looks at her and finally he says, "Hi, my name is Kevin, it's snowing, and I'm driving a salt truck." Old Trucker An old trucker died and went to heaven. St. Peter met him at the pearly gates and told him that he can have any job he wants. Because he had always been a truck driver and he figured that, in heaven, the road would be smooth and the loads would be great; He told St. Peter that he would stay a driver. St. Peter brought him to a big line of trucks and told him he could pick one out. He picked out a beautiful Peterbuilt, all decked out and climbed into the cab. While he was sitting there he noticed all the other drivers just sitting in their trucks. He got on the CB and asked the other drivers “How do we get our loads assigned?”Another driver replied “ We don’t; we’ve never had a dispatcher make it up here.” Courtesy of Tracy Webber 4 CNG... Fueling Profits for Bestway by Will McCormick CNG As many of you are aware, Bestway Express and KMA have been converting trucks over to operate on natural gas for the past couple of years. During the same time period, there has been a lot of talk in the industry about how natural gas will have a dramatic effect on the U.S. transportation industry. Because of this hope and its hype, Bestway and KMA decided to get involved and we are proud to say that we are front runners in this area. Because of our regional model, Bestway and KMA decided to use compressed natural gas, CNG, over liquefied natural gas, LNG. Over the past two years, we have been building and converting existing trucks to run on natural gas using dual fuel kits. A dual fuel tractor uses both diesel and natural gas as their fuels source but only really needs diesel in order to ignite the natural gas. However, the added benefit to having diesel fuel on board is that if in the case the tractor runs out of CNG, it will still operate on diesel fuel as if nothing ever happened meaning you don’t have to worry about running out of fuel. Kits Bestway and KMA are using two different kinds of kits on our tractors. The first trucks that were converted have upright tanks on them. These trucks use a kit manufactured by Clean Air Power. These kits use a direct injection system that was specifically designed for the C-12 Caterpillar engine. In case you are wondering, here is the basic rundown on how these kits work. The first step in the process is changing the intake manifolds to a manifold that is full of injectors. It then has a second ECM installed, which allows the system to specifically distinguish between using natural gas and diesel. When running efficiently, these kits use up to 80% natural gas versus 20% diesel. Although a great technology, in the be- 5 ginning the drivers that drove these specific trucks had several issues; some involving the CNG kits and some the trucks. However, after spending a lot of time on these issues, we believe that we have most of them worked out. The new kits we are currently using are manufactured by a company named Diesel 2 Gas. Unlike the first series, these are fumigation kits, which mean that natural gas is inserted into the engine via the turbo. This is how it works. As the truck builds turbo pressure, it allows the vaporizer to open up, and as a result allowing gas to be inserted. Simply put, the more “boost” the turbo creates, the greater supplementation of natural gas. The added bonus is that this kit actually increases the horsepower of the engine. Unlike the Clean Air Power kits, these kits can be used on a variety of engines such as Detroits, Cummins, and Cats. Reasons for our Decisions “What other reasons did Bestway and KMA decide to go with CNG?” With the fluctuation of the price of oil, there is a lot of uncertainty. On the contrary, natural gas is a very stable fuel when it comes to its price. Here is why. It is a domestic fuel, which means it is created here in North America and currently is traded only in North America, because there are no means to export this fuel. This means our money is staying here in the States. Another reason is that it is a cheaper fuel to the consumer. There is a $1.50 savings right now between natural gas and diesel in regards to the price of an equivalent gallon. Although it will take us a couple of years of savings to payback the cost of tanks and kits, in the long run, it is a smart move. As well as being an American product and cheaper, it is cleaner than a diesel burning units. The emissions on these trucks are half of what a diesel truck emits. By going to this model, Bestway Express and KMA have reduced our carbon footprint and we look forward to continuing this trend. Dual fuel versus Dedicated Units What's the difference? Simply put, a dedicated natural gas engine uses 100% natural gas. The big difference is that Continued on next page dedicated natural gas trucks use spark plugs to ignite the gas versus diesel fuel like the dual fuel units. “So why did you decide on dual fuel units and not dedicated units?” One word…cost. A new dedicated natural gas truck cost $78,000 more than a standard diesel truck. That’s right, you read that correctly. I said MORE. The return on investment simply isn’t there for what we do. So the question we asked ourselves as a company is why pay for the newer engines when for less than half the cost, we could convert existing trucks over to CNG using dual fuel kits and benefits almost the same savings. An added bonus to this philosophy is that when the life span of these trucks are up, we can uninstall the kits and either sell the unit as a regular truck or convert that truck over to a donor unit for a new glider kit. Furthermore, it will allow us to utilize the CNG kit on a different truck, may that be a new glider or an existing unit currently in our fleet. Misconceptions Natural Gas is a volatile fuel and therefore not safe. Actually, on the contrary, natural gas is in fact not only safer than gasoline and diesel, but also cleaner for our environment. We have heard several concerns about the high pressure filled tanks and their volatility, but understand that we have taken every measure to make sure this technology is safe. The pressure in these tanks is no different than the pressure in a hydraulic system. When there is a leak, gas dissipates into the air unlike diesel and gasoline, which puddles on the ground. Any of you that have ever experience a leak with either knows the mess it causes and the troubles that come from having to take the proper steps in the cleanup process. The tanks we use for the CNG trucks are type 4 tanks. These tanks are triple layered in Kevlar and at full compression will resist a shot from a high powered rifle. We’ve seen it done…pretty cool. There are two different styles of tanks. The original kits used upright tanks, which can be filled to 3,000 psi. The new and improved kits use horizontal tanks and can be filled to 3,600 psi. Furthermore, these tanks stack on top of each other and are much more visually appealing than their predecessors. Because of this, Bestway and KMA are currently in the process of switching over the older style to the newer style tanks. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our drivers and technicians for helping make this dream come true. I know it has not been the easiest process, and in fact has been frustrating at times, but thank you for all that you have done. We have been getting some national media with our efforts and in turn shedding some positive light not only on our industry, but more importantly our company. At one time we were only one of fifty companies in the United States that were actively using natural gas as a fuel source. That’s pretty impressive. Fun fact: Volvo has a statistic out right now that by the year 2016, forty percent of all class 8 trucks will use some form of natural gas. That being said, natural gas is coming, and I believe that early bird gets the worm. 6 Bestway Fuel Bonus Scores. DRIVER Acton Mark Adams Brian Anderson Matthew "Ash, Mikie" Astle Ronald Baker Damon Baker Robert Bannowsky Chris Barlow Fred Bartig Geoffrey Bradford Conley Brown Danny Buescher Bradley Camden Noel Cape Ricky A Cazel Joseph Chancellor Jesse Church Russell Cichy Michael Cionko John E Clark Tony Collins David Collins Ray Compton Martin Cone Michael Cook Raymond Crawford Albert Cumbee James Dann Danny Daum David DeWitt Bonnie Doll Leo Doucette Richard OVER LONG RPM IDLE 0.7% 55.5% 0.2% 4.8% 0.2% 1.6% 0.0% 49.2% 56.2% 9.5% 0.6% 38.9% 17.5% 49.3% 0.1% 0.7% 9.8% 32.2% MPG 6.4 5.9 5.3 7.4 6.7 6.5 6.6 5.3 5.6 SCORE 60.0 49.0 62.0 Greene Jack 70.0 85.0 74.0 65.0 0.0 6.3 47.0 0.6% 9.5% 6.7 84.0 0.1% 0.2% 0.5% 0.6% 0.7% 0.7% 0.1% 0.5% 0.3% 54.7% 16.3% 67.2% 44.3% 44.6% 43.2% 26.1% 54.8% 14.5% 6.0 5.5 6.5 4.6 6.4 5.8 5.8 6.3 6.0 6.1 0.1% 42.4% 6.6 0.5% 45.5% 6.0 0.4% 1.1% 0.7% 0.2% 0.1% 0.9% 0.0% 0.9% 0.8% 0.4% 27.6% 49.8% 32.6% 4.6% 56.1% 56.6% 0.0% 27.5% 12.6% 57.9% 7.5 5.7 6.4 7.2 6.7 6.3 5.3 6.2 6.4 6.1 59.0 58.0 70.0 60.0 54.0 53.0 57.0 74.0 40.0 50.0 64.0 85.0 34.0 39.0 47.0 83.0 54.0 Ford Ronald 1.0% Ford Tony Fornal Edward 7 0.1% 0.3% 40.3% 12.7% 18.2% 6.3 7.7 6.9 Groeneveld Benjamin 0.2% Hammond James Harris Jack Harris John Harris John C Harrod Dianna Helderman Anthony Hendricks Carl Hendrickson Bobby Hickman Gowon Hightower Danny Hightower Larry Hill Michael Hillard Larry Hirsch Christopher Hunter John James Robert Johns David Kathlina Antonio Keith Nathan Kern Rodney 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.2% 0.7% 0.0% 0.8% 0.3% 0.2% 0.7% 0.3% 0.5% 0.1% 0.0% 4.6% 0.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.2% 28.8% 38.9% 56.5% 48.0% 10.0% 55.8% 68.1% 87.7% 26.8% 48.5% 56.8% 46.2% 40.3% 5.7% 14.9% 28.4% 31.8% 17.5% 58.1% 52.8% 48.5% 8.5% 61.2% 55.0 69.0 6.4 27.6% 0.5% 37.8% 0.8% 6.8 0.6% 60.4% 1.8% 0.6% 0.3% Lantrip Glen 68.0 35.8% 0.1% 63.1% 1.1% 3.7% 79.0 80.0 Fisher Charles England Jacob 0.6% 1.8% 58.1% 57.0 6.0 Gresham Eddie 33.9% 0.6% 7.4 30.6% Gray Robert 0.1% Kerzan Kenneth 18.6% 6.0% Gilpin Scott T OVER LONG RPM IDLE 53.0 Eichenberger Richard 1.6% Eli Ira Funk Marvin Garrett III Joseph 53.4% 56.2% Foughty Gregory 46.0 0.1% 0.1% DRIVER 49.0 62.0 39.0 95.0 67.0 Lair Gary Lamberger Jerry Leonardis Sonny Lincoln Shawn Locke Robert Lockhart Jeremy Lucas Shawn Marcum William Matte Craig May Roger E 0.4% 0.7% 0.7% 0.9% 0.2% 1.1% 4.2% 0.5% 0.3% 0.1% 9.3% 34.8% 31.7% 24.8% 54.6% 53.7% 16.8% 43.8% 15.9% 38.7% MPG 7.7 6.5 6.2 6.8 6.6 7.7 6.2 7.3 6.0 6.2 6.9 6.0 6.3 3.9 6.5 6.7 6.2 6.3 6.5 6.2 6.7 6.7 6.2 7.4 4.8 6.0 6.7 6.3 5.9 7.3 5.6 6.0 6.3 6.4 6.9 6.2 5.8 6.2 6.9 6.4 SCORE 81.0 69.0 74.0 63.0 35.0 5.0 39.0 72.0 53.0 58.0 67.0 60.0 58.0 60.0 61.0 62.0 58.0 49.0 48.0 80.0 85.0 74.0 47.0 82.0 60.0 60.0 53.0 81.0 59.0 91.0 51.0 57.0 61.0 38.0 60.0 53.0 53.0 48.0 87.0 63.0 .. How Do You Rate? DRIVER McCracken Jeffrey Medlock Jonathan Meeks Harold Mefford Joshua Melton Randall Miles Thomas J Miller Donald Moore Daniel Morrow Erickerson Mullee Terrance Mullins Randal Murdock Norbert Murphy Fred Nichols Jerry Onken Gary Parker Paul Patrick Perry Pepper Jerry Perkins Bradford Piper Charles Plunkett Paul Pohl Anthony Pratt Shannon Pritchett Douglas Richards John Riggle Jr Walter Roberts Timmy Robertson John Russell Calvin Ryan Nicholas Salyer Byron Sandwell Stephen OVER LONG RPM IDLE 0.0% 49.6% 0.3% 16.8% 2.5% 5.6% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.2% 0.4% 0.1% 0.8% 0.4% 0.6% 0.4% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.3% 0.3% 1.2% 0.3% 0.3% 0.4% 0.2% 0.2% 0.1% 0.6% 0.2% 0.0% 0.5% 0.5% 0.0% 54.6% 21.7% 16.3% 12.5% 44.9% 58.1% 19.6% 59.7% 59.1% 51.4% 28.6% 51.8% 65.7% 58.6% 23.1% 46.1% 46.7% 53.6% 26.2 24.1% 33.4% 44.4% 35.3% 46.3% 63.7% 46.4% 21.6% 44.6% 15.5% 46.1% MPG 6.1 SCORE 60.0 Snipes Carlos 9.1 100.0 Stephens Link 6.4 62.0 5.3 8.4 9.1 6.4 5.1 6.1 6.2 5.7 7.3 6.4 6.5 6.0 6.1 7.5 6.6 6.2 5.7 6.6 6.8 6.6 7.0 6.0 6.0 5.6 9.0 78.0 100.0 74.0 60.0 68.0 57.0 49.0 71.0 72.0 61.0 47.0 56.0 78.0 48.0 57.0 52.0 57.0 81.0 66.0 50.0 44.0 60.0 35.0 5.9 60.0 5.9 60.0 6.7 6.0 6.1 74.0 59 43.0 Saunders David 0.0% 22.5% 7.5 90.0 Shapinsky Kelly 0.6% 65.0% 5.1 59.0 0.5% 6.1% Sawyer Timothy Sellers Samuel 0.2% 0.0% Sims Jody 0.8% Smith Mark K 1.2% Smith Dennis Smith Jr Maynard 0.4% 5.1% 29.1% 7.0 6.2 83.0 69.0 8.6% 7.0 84.0 55.9% 6.6 51.0 11.3% DRIVER 6.1 6.8 Soper Donald Spruill Joshua Stephenson John Sugg Robert Sullivan John Swaw Gary Sweatt Alton Sylvester Frank Talley James Thompson Brandon Thompson III Theo Toy Donald Ullman Ronald Vaughn III Lawrence Vice Billy Wallace Kelvin OVER LONG RPM IDLE 0.7% 51.4% 0.3% 46.0% 0.3% 0.2% 0.6% 0.2% 0.3% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0% 0.2% 0.4% 0.7% 0.5% 0.1% 5.7% 0.3% 1.2% Wallerstedt Christopher 0.6% Warner Warren Watson James J Wells Alan Wells Rick Whisman lloyd White Dennis White Viola Whitney Patrick Whittaker Donald Wiesener Karyl Williams Emil Yeaman Guideon AVERAGES Last month 2.6% 0.6% 0.0% 0.6% 0.0% 0.4% 0.2% 0.1% 0.0% 0.3% 0.2% 1.4% 0.72% 0.74% 59.6% 51.9% 38.6% 51.6% 40.3% 43.5% 38.4% 31.9% 53.7% 1.8% 44.9% 42.4% 67.6% 13.8% 31.7% 15.2% 18.9% 13.2% 56.9% 5.0% 35.5% 13.1% 24.1% 32.1% 6.9% 69.7% 54.7% 46.8% 19.7% 36.55% 25.25% MPG 5.9 5.0 6.9 5.7 8.1 7.5 5.8 6.5 5.8 6.9 6.2 5.6 6.2 7.1 5.2 5.9 6.0 6.6 5.9 5.7 7.0 6.1 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.3 6.0 5.0 6.2 6.5 6.7 6.36 6.81 SCORE 57.0 59.0 62.0 59.0 79.0 73.0 53.0 53.0 41.0 69.0 60.0 80.0 6.0 68.0 58.0 52.0 59.0 46.0 79.0 36.0 62.0 78.0 62.0 82.0 78.0 38.0 76.0 60.0 60.0 56.0 68.0 61.9 70.9 79.0 48.0 8 This is the time of year to focus on hazards that extend beyond the roadway. Many companies experience workers' compensation claims that are completely unrelated to driving a truck. Slips and falls happen to represent the most prevalent cause of truck driver injuries. Below is a brief overview of several tips to preventing slips and falls: Safety S afetyManagement M anagemen t Services S ervicesCompany, Com pany,2014 2014 Be Safe Out There An a afffiliate o off Cottingham & Butler Use the three point contact climbing method. Keep three limbs (one hand and two feet, or two hands and one foot) in contact with the handholds or the steps. If a hand or foot slips, two other limbs will be in contact with the vehicle to catch the driver. Always face the equipment. You may be tempted to exit the cab facing forward, which makes the three point climbing method awkward. Facing the truck increases the driver's control. Be Saf afee Out Ther eree Avoid jumping. Some of the most frequent and serious injuries are the result of jumping from the cab, deck plate, or steps. Keep your hands free. You should avoid carrying items while entering or exiting the cab so your hands are free to use the grab rails. Get a grip. The hookup area behind the cab is the scene of many slips and falls. Drivers should place their feet solidly on the surface of the catwalk and use a secure handhold, leaving one hand free to do the work. Keep equipment in good condition. Pre and post trip inspections should include steps, deck plates, and grab rails. Repairs should be done immediately. Preventive maintenance for scheduled services should also include safety equipment inspection. Select proper footwear. You should wear sturdy footwear with slipresistant soles. Clean the deck plate/catwalk area. When you need to connect, unhook, or check brake and electrical connections, the work should be done from the ground, if possible. If not, the area should be equipped with as many footholds and grab rails as possible. Deck plates commonly become slippery from fuel and moisture, so it's critical that proper material be used. Adverse conditions: snow, ice, rain, mud, grease, and even morning dew can increase slip and fall potential. Clean handholds, steps, and truck platforms before entering the cab. When exiting, use extra caution. Also, do not install carpet on the steps to keep the inside of the tractor clean. They can become very slippery during wet weather. 9 HOME SHOPPING CART SIGN IN REGISTER CONTACT US Bestway Store Is Open....Come Visit Quick Search Go! Advanced Search Our Products Shop by Category Men’s Outerwear (6) Ladie’s Outerwear (7) Men’s Casual (5) Men’s Casual (3) 1 - 12 of 15 items Men’ 1 2 » View All Men’s Outerwear Ladie’s Outerwear Men’s Casual Ladie’s Casual Men’s Sport Welcome to Bestway Express Store We invite you to browse through our store and shop with confidence. We invite you to Anvil - Ladies' Full-Zip Hooded Sweatshirt $35.30 Black Sierra Pacific AntiPill Fleece 1/4 Zip Pullover $28.00 Independent Trading Co. Crewneck Sweatshirt $28.30 Options Options Options IZOD - Ladies' Performance Pique Sport Shirt with Snaps $42.90 Inner Harbor Meridian Long Sleeve Pique Royal Blue Polo $24.00 IZOD - Dobby Performance Sport Shirt $42.00 Options Options J. America - Triblend Crewneck Sweatshirt $30.30 JERZEES - Nublend® Cadet Collar Sweatshirt $33.20 JERZEES - NuBlend® SUPER SWEATS® 1/4-Zip Pullover Sweatshirt $33.20 Options Options Options Options create an account with us if you like, or shop as a guest. Either way, your shopping cart will be active until you leave the store. Thank you for visiting. 10 Bestway Express, Inc. / KMA LLC Vincennes Meeting, June 14th-2014 Vincennes University ICAT Building Room 142 Vincennes, Indiana Breakfast at 8am Meeting at 8:30 Eastern Georgetown Meeting, June 28th-2014 Hilton Garden Inn 110 Grandstand Drive Georgetown, KY 40324 Breakfast at 8am Meeting at 8:30am Driver meetings are an excellent time for drivers and administrative personnel to interact. Our discussions will be productive and informative. Remember, your attendance is required. These meetings are for the benefit of our employees, so please respect your fellow drivers by not bringing children to the meeting. However, your wives/husbands are welcome to attend. Driving directions to each meeting location are included herein. Please make sure to attend one of the scheduled meetings. Failure to attend without prior approval will result in the loss of your monthly bonus. We understand there are various legitimate reasons for missing a driver meeting. All you need to do is contact the safety department for advance approval. Ry McCormick / Director of Safety 800-401-1505 Directions to the Spring 2014 Drivers’ Meetings Vincennes, IN – Vincennes University ICAT Building: June 14th From Evansville: Highway 41 North, take the Hart street exit, at the stop light turn left, continue straight until you reach 1st Street. Turn right, go over the railroad tracks and turn left at the stop sign. Follow the road, you will curve to the right and come to another stop sign. Continue straight after the stop sign. You will come up on a ball field to the right, across the street, to your left is a parking lot. The ICAT building is in that parking lot. From Terre Haute: Highway 41 South, take the Hart street exit, at the stop light turn right, continue straight until you reach 1st Street. Turn right, go over the railroad tracks and turn left at the stop sign. Follow the road, you will curve to the right and come to another stop sign. Continue straight after the stop sign. You will come up on a ball field to the right, across the street, to your left is a parking lot. The ICAT building is in that parking lot. Georgetown, KY – Hilton Garden Inn • Lexington/Georgetown: June 28th From I-75 N, take Exit 126. Turn left at stop light. At 3rd stop light turn right onto Champion Way. Hilton Garden Inn will be 1 mile on right. From I-75 S take Exit 126. Off exit turn right. At 2nd stop light turn right onto Champion Way. Hilton Garden Inn will be 1 mile on right. 11 Remembering Billy G. “Preacher Man” Burress Billy G. “Preacher Man” Burress was born August 26, 1955 to Billy M. and Wanda J. Burress. Bill Sr. was an independent contractor who owned and operated his own truck. Because of this luxury, Bill Sr. had Bill Jr. behind the wheel of his eighteen-wheeler at the tender age of thirteen. Billy helped his father drive until he was able to get his own CDL and officially start his professional driving carrier. During his career as a professional truck driver, Bill drove for several different companies. No matter who he was working for, the one thing you noticed about Bill was he took extreme pride in his job and his love for trucks. During his career, Bill made sure that he was always on time and that he delivered his load is the safest manner possible. In his free time, he studied maps in order to identify the most efficient routes. Furthermore, he would constantly check his mileage and continually tried to improve his miles per gallon burned. If you ever came across one of Bill’s trucks, you would notice that they were always spotless inside and out. Bill took great pride in his truck and he spent a large portion of his down time polishing the chrome on the outside of the cab, as well as the chrome wheels. Like a child going to Toys “R” Us to buy toys, Bill’s toy land was the chrome shop. He would often say, “There can never be enough chrome or lights on the truck.” Bill also had another hidden talent when it came to the aesthetics of his trucks. Somewhere along the line, he mastered the art of pin striping. Because of this talent, he would often add a pin strip on both doors, as well as his “handle” on the driver’s side door. Early on in his career, Bill was known as “The Kid”; named after Billy the Kid. Shortly after that name wore off, his peers started calling him Double M or MM, which was short for Mickey Mouse. A little later, that handle was shortened to just “Mouse”. His “Mouse” nickname stuck with Bill until he joined the Bestway family on October 11, 2010. During his tenure with Bestway Express, Bill touched many of his fellow drivers’ lives, as well as his dispatchers and pretty much anyone who he came across. Because of his strong faith in God and his over abundant personality, Bill was given the handle “Preacher Man” at Bestway by his peers. Other than his impeccable driving record, Bill was blessed with an incredible gift; the ability to lend his ear to people in need and the power to offer encouragement and love. There is no question that Bill was full of life. He understood that life was too short to not enjoy every day. He made people feel good about their selves. Most importantly, he never met a stranger. Because of these gifts, Bill was promoted on June 6, 2012 as Bestway’s first ever Driver Liaison. During this career shift, at least in the beginning, Bill spent the majority of his time reviewing and analyzing fuel data. After his analysis, he would make a conscience effort to contact other Bestway drivers who appeared to need help getting their miles per gallon numbers up. During Bill’s time with Bestway Express as a driver, he consistently average 8 to 8.5 miles per gallon. Because of his knowledge and ability to conserve fuel and his ability to connect with others, Bill was able to help raise the fleet’s overall miles per gallon by nearly 1 whole gallon. In this industry, that is almost unheard of. Most trucking companies improve their fuel efficiencies by adding technology. Bill was able to do so by utilizing his knowledge. Now, if that were his only task in this job, that would have been a success; however, he quickly became the go to guy for other drivers, as well as administrative staff, to talk to if they were having personal problems. With his ministry background and over all love for people, he was a welcoming sight to all. His door was always open and he was an extremely welcoming and caring soul. He single handedly made this a better place to work. Unfortunately, during this time Bill’s cancer reared its ugly head again. Despite this battle, Bill insisted that he work every day. In fact, he worked up until the day he succumbed to his illness, which was January 17, 2014. He is a man and a presence that everyone who came into contact with him will miss. In fact, he’s a bit of a legend around here. We will cherish his memory here at Bestway Express, Inc. and we thank him for his dedication and his service. If we can learn anything from Bill it would be to enjoy life and have fun. Life is too short to dwell on the little things. Life is about love and passion. We miss you Bill and God Bless. 12 Bestway Uses Gliders & Donor Trucks to Save Money!! by Will McCormick Over the past two years, Bestway Express, Inc. has been renewing its fleet with newer equipment. However, as some of you are aware, it's not exactly NEW. “Well if they aren't new than what are they?” These newer trucks are referred to as gliders. Gliders have actually been around for several years. These trucks are combinations made up of new components as well as components from our used trucks that traditionally would have found their way onto our sale lot. When we take possession of a glider kit, it consists of a new cab, engine, suspension, and front axle. The next step in the process is to take one of our old trucks, what is referred to as a donor truck, and remove the rear end, drive line and transmission, then install those components onto the kit. When the truck is completed, we essentially have a finished product that has been upgraded to the look and feel of a new truck; however, at a fraction of the cost. Some might ask, “Why are we building gliders vs. buying new?” The answer is quite simple. By using our old equipment to build these gliders, we get more value out of the older equipment by using them as donors vs. selling them out right as used trucks. Furthermore, several of the engines being used have 2003 emission standards, which as many of you know means there is no DEF fluid or EGR's to deal with. These two things traditionally have cost us all a lot of time and money. By using this method, our starting cost per mile is much lower than a new truck from the factory. Over the years, Bestway Express has All needed parts to ensure a quality run trucks that are exactly like the gliders. As a result we factory-like installtion. have seen the life of those trucks reach around a million to a million and a half miles. We are expecting the same results out of these gliders. Currently, we are using either a Detroit Series 60 or a N14 Cummins engine in them. To date, we have built fifty gliders. The good and the bad: Because we have built so many, I hate to say it, but we are running out of old trucks to convert to gliders. Despite all of the benefits, it’s unfortunate that this could possibly be the last year for us to build them. Bestway Express will continue to look at all opportunities to make this company more efficient and a better place to work for. Complete Cab and Interior 13 From The Tool Box of Phillip (Vince) Conover Hello everyone. Spring is almost here and thank goodness for that. As we have watched another winter come and go, I would like to thank all of you for the great job you did under terrible conditions. I would also like to say a final goodbye to Bill Burress. He was a good man. Here are some facts about this winter and how it affected maintenance/fuel costs. Due to the below freezing temperature and the added potential of the fuel gelling, drivers in both operations, Bestway and KMA, were instructed to idle their tractors nearly every weekend in January and February. As a result, the company incurred an additional fuel expense of around $150,000. Additionally, adding the anti-gel fuel treatments over December, January and February cost the company about $50,000, which does not take into consideration the cost of reduced miles per gallon on every unit. As a fleet, we saw a reduction in the fleet miles per gallon average from a high of 7.5 mpg to a low of 6.15 mpg. Thatʼs enough bad news, so here is some good news. The fleetʼs mpg jumped to 6.57 for the time period of February 24, 2014 through Mar 9, 2014. Our overall maintenance cost dropped as well. I know that many of you will be looking for ways to increase your mpg in the coming months. Guys, there is really no secret here. Here are some tips to help in this process: 1) Run the slowest speed in top gear that you can and stay in that right lane. 2) Shut the engine off any time you are not driving or when you are in the bunk. 3) Make sure you are shifting at the lowest rpm without lugging the engine. Keep the rpms below 1600. 4) Get youʼre A and B services done on time. The A is due every 10,000 miles and the B is due every 30,000 miles. Furthermore, the coolant filter should be changed when the B service is completed. 5) Make sure you are checking the tractor and trailer tires every day. A tire with low pressure can cost you anywhere from 2 to 4 % on MPG. 6) Make sure the engine fan is cycling off and on. A fan that is stuck engaged can cost you 10% or more in MPG. 7) Keep the trailer as close to the tractor while staying legal on weight. 8) Plan your trips. Know where you are going to stop for breaks or for that coffee fill up. The more times a driver gets on and off the highway, the more fuel they will use. One last thing, now is the time to give your tractor a good cleaning inside and out. The cleaner we look, the better we feel and it sure looks good to the DOT when he stops us. Thanks again, Vince. 14 Recent DOT Changes to HOS Regulations Can Be Confusing The DOT has recently made some changes to the HOS regulations. These changes have caused some confusion with many drivers, so I wanted to go over some of the regulations, how to work with them and the PeopleNet E-Logs. The DOT has added a required 30 minute break after 8 hours of on duty time. This means that before you are on duty for 8 hours you must take a 30 minute break either OFF DUTY or in the SLEEPER status. The “8 hour clock” works like the “14 hour clock”. Once you start your day ON DUTY, the clock starts and you must take a 30 minute break before 8 hours. For example; If you start your day at 8AM then you must take a 30 minute break before 4PM. You are allowed to take the required break at suppliers while you are getting loaded or unloaded, as long as you can go OFF DUTY or in SLEEPER. Remember that once you take a 30 minute break the “8 hour clock” starts again. If you start your day at 7:30AM and you work until 9:30, where you stop to get loaded and you’re OFF DUTY for 30 minutes. At 10AM you start working (or driving) again. You would have to take another 30 minute break before 6PM. Also; there is no gray area with the E-Logs. The break MUST be a full 30 minutes. If you move the truck at all in those 30 minutes it could change the way the computer reads the break. To guard against this you should always go ON DUTY-NOT DRIVING before you start driving. This should be done at the end of any break. The system will warn you if you are close to, but have not completed your break. It will give you a warning telling you how much time you still need for your break and ask; ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR DUTY STATUS? When you see this please press NO and check the times on your log to make sure they are correct. Call dispatch if you need any help. The other change the DOT has made is the change to the 34 hour restart rule. 34 hours off duty will no longer automatically restart your 70 hour clock. With the new regulations you still need at least 34 hours OFF DUTY, also, within that off duty time you must have 2 periods between 1AM and 5AM, and it must be 7 days (168 hours) between the start of your last restart break and the start of your next one. Again, there is no gray area; if you go off duty on Saturday night but go ON DUTY at 4:45 Monday morning, you will NOT get your restart because you didn’t get 2 periods between 1AM and 5AM. One of the most difficult regulations to follow is the 7 days (or 168 hours) between restarts. If you start your off duty time at 8PM Friday night, you cannot start your next restart break until 8PM the following Friday. If you happen to get home at 2PM, for example, the time between 2PM and 8PM will NOT count towards your restart. Because of this regulation there will be times that you will not get a restart and you must keep track of your 70 hours in a recap to make sure you don’t go over 70 hours in 8 days. Keep an eye on your HOS Summary in the PeopleNet. It will tell you how many of your 70 hours you’ve used, how many hours you will pick up at midnight and when you can start your next restart break. Because you are more likely to have to use a recap; during the week, every week, you should be logging as much time as you can in either the OFF DUTY or SLEEPER status. This time may count towards the 14 hour rule but will NOT count towards your 70 hours. If you are in your sleeper at a supplier it should be logged as SLEEPER. When you log into your truck after a weekend off, ALWAYS log in as OFF DUTY and check your HOS before going ON DUTY. If you check the system and find that you didn’t get a restart or don’t have the hours you think you should; DO NOT assume that the system is wrong, IT’S NOT. If you don’t have the hours available to run your route, you must call dispatch immediately. The DOT continues to work towards making electronic logs mandatory. We are at an advantage because we’ve had a head start. By the time other companies are forced to use E-Logs we will all be PRO’S. If your PeopleNet is acting funny do not automatically start using paper logs. Call your dispatcher or safety to find out what to do. If you make a mistake on your log do NOT ignore it; call safety. Some errors, like forgetting to change a duty status, we can fix. Most importantly you must start to understand and trust the information in the system. Remember, it’s just a computer, it does what it’s told and nothing more. As always; if you are having trouble with logs or anything, call your Fleet Manager, safety or the shop. We are all here to help you and want to make sure Bestway trucks are operating legally and safety. 15 Thank you Tracy Webber HEALTHY HEART ĊĆđ ĊĆđęčĞĊĆėę ęčĞĊĆėę ĆěĊ Ć ěĊ HAVE A What Are Your Numbers? Make sure your heart health numbers are in check by staying within the standard ranges below. If they are not, con tact your provider Taking Care of Your Heart today! food x heart by making choices. Ǥ • Control riskfor disease smart x foods like whole grains, fruits, ǡvegetables, ǡ protein, ǡ ǡ -dairy - • Choose lean low-fat or fat-free products fats. and heart-healthy -Ǥ Cholesterols • Limit calories up on such grains and vegetables. x by filling Ƥ high-fiber foods -Ƥ as whole Ǥ LDL-Less than 100 mg/dI is healthy Men Fats Matter ♥ Triglycerides Less than 150 ♥ mg/dl is healthy HDL- Greater than: mg/dl for ♥ • 60 women is ♥ healthy • 50 mg/dl for men is healthy • Fat should make up 20 percent to 35 percent of your total calories, with only 10 x ͖͔ ͙͗ ǡ͕͔ percent coming from unhealthy, saturated fat. fats partially ǡoils found Ǥin fried foods and commercially • Avoidtrans and hydrogenated baked x goods. Slow and Steady Weight Loss • In men, a 40-inch larger) may be dangerous for health. Losing belly fat is will (or waistline Ǥ help your risk foror better heart disease. x reduce ǡ͔͘ - ȋ Ȍmanage Ǥ • Try subtracting 500 calories from your daily intake if you know your calorie intake may be high Ǥ OR spread out our food intake to 4 small meals a day. x ͙͔͔ Blood Pressure Less than ♥ 120/80 is healthy Note: Always check with your Novia CareClinics Provider on (QuaclMecl) YOUR PERSONAL recommend Values. Women ͘Ǥ Risk Factors Women for • Age: As women get older, their risk for heart disease goes up. x ǣǡǤ • Gender: More women than men have heart attacks and strokes. x ǣ Ǥ • Family History: If a woman has a close blood relative with history of heart disease, her chances x are ǣ ǡ greater. have ahigher Ǥ women • Race: Black chance of heart attack than white women. Their chances x dying ǣa are Ǥ of from stroke also greater. • Previous Attack: has had aheart attack, she is at risk of having another Heart Ifawoman Ǥ one. x ǣ ǡ Ǥ Slow and Steady Weight Loss • Overall health will improve for women, with a 10 percent weight loss, if already overweight x ǡ͕͔ ǡ or obese. high Ǥ as whole grains, fruits and vegetables to stay full throughout • Eat foods in fiber such the x day Ƥ ǡ without packing on calories. • Stay active! x Ǥ Ǩ 16 Not a Clean Start!! °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° These pictures were taken from a unit brought into the Vincennes shop for repairs. This kind of abuse to the company equipment was an absolute shock to everyone here at Bestway Express. This is obviously not proper upkeep of the issued unit to this driver. How and why would any employee from our maintenance department be expected to work on such a poorly kept unit? Bestway Express’s policy states that a driver is responsible for the cleanliness of their tractor. For those who abuse this policy they may lose one or more bonuses and/or their employment with the company. Remember, this is your “home away from home.” The majority of Bestway Express and K.M.A. drivers do an amazing job of keeping the equipment cleaned and for that, we want to say thank you! Our mechanics work hard to get you repaired and serviced in a timely manner. Having your truck tidy will help the maintenance department work on your tractor as to they will not have to crawl around in debris. Keeping your units clean will make for a positive and healthy working environment. It's important to share these stories with all of you so that you can see some drivers simply lack the element of pride in their work. This driver is currently no longer with the company. The condition of this unit along with interior and exterior damage was the reason for their release. Thanks to all of you for your excellence and professionalism in everything you do. Let’s all do our parts to keep our equipment clean and looking great for years to come! Rusty Dowty Senior Logistics Coordinator Bestway Express, Inc. B r u Yo ! ! e m o H y a w t es EXPRESS, INC. 1 . 8 0 0 . 8 8 6 . 7 6 3 3