Fleet Owner

Deborah Whistler

Articles by Deborah Whistler

NHTSA study: Truckers the most sober drivers on the road

Drivers of large trucks had the lowest occurrence of impaired drivers involved in fatal accidents in 2010, with only 3% of fatal crashes involving truck drivers with a blood-alcohol content above zero, and just 2% caused by drivers with BACs above the U.S. legal limit of .08, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study.

However, startling new NHTSA statistics show 70% of deaths in drunk driving crashes in 2010 involved motorists with blood alcohol levels that were nearly twice the .08 legal limit.

Frito-Lay expands all-electric delivery truck fleet

Frito-Lay’s California electric truck fleetis growing and once all of the new vehicles are deployed by the end of this year, California will be home to 105 all-electric delivery trucks, the largest deployment in any state.

Truck lane proposed for California Highway 60

California state highway officials are proposing to build a truck lane on eastbound Highway 60 between the Coachella Valley and Riverside to help speed traffic normally stalled behind slow trucks traveling the steep grade.

Two injured, 100 evacuated after trucking company blast 2

Two people were injured and about 100 were evacuated from their homes after an explosion Saturday at an Elk City, OK, trucking company.
The blast occurred at Hodges Trucking, according to a report in the Oklahoman.

Firefighters spent several hours fighting a massive blaze at the company, an affiliate of Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy that provides trucking services to the oil field industry.

Crete premieres five new trucks to honor military

Crete Carrier has added five special trucks into its newly launched Patriot Fleet, devoted to honoring the United States Armed Forces. The new black International ProStar tractors differ from the other 6,000 company trucks in a significant way: they are proudly decorated with decals that honor the military.

Celadon Trucking Services acquires USA Dry Van assets

Celadon Trucking Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celadon Group, Inc. announced that it has agreed to purchase a portion of the operating equipment of USA Dry Van Logistics, based in McAllen, TX. The terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.

Women In Trucking CEO and founder Ellen Voie honored by White House

Each week the White House honors “ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things” through its “Champions of Change” initiative. This past week, the White House recognized leaders who have developed innovative programs in the area of transportation.

ATA seeks nominations for Trucking Image Award

The American Trucking Assns. is seeking nominations for the sixth annual Mike Russell “Good stuff” Trucking Image Award. The award honors those that creatively generate positive awareness of the trucking industry. This year’s award is sponsored by TMW Systems Inc.

California launches ‘Gear Up for Clean Truck Month’

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is launching a multi-agency campaign throughout the month of August to make sure that trucks traversing the state’s highways are in compliance with state air pollution laws as part of its “Gear Up for Clean Truck Month.”

Working in conjunction with the California Highway Patrol and other allied agencies, CARB will deploy inspectors throughout the state, focusing on trade hubs, weigh stations, ports, rail yards, and major points of entry into the state.

Natural Gas in Trucking summit registration now open

Registration for the Natural Gas in Trucking summit is now open to the public, according to the American Trucking Assns. president & CEO Bill Graves.

This event will be a “watershed moment for the trucking industry as more and more fleets look to America’s most abundant and environmentally friendly transportation fuel to move the nation’s goods,” Graves said.

Roadrunner buys two reefer fleets

Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Cudahy, WI, announced that it has acquired R&M Transportation and Sortino Transportation, both based in Omaha, NB, for approximately $24.4 million, plus an earn-out capped at $5 million.

R&M and Sortino are both refrigerated truckload carriers that utilize a combination of independent contractors and a fleet of company-owned trailers. In 2011, R&M and Sortino together generated revenues of approximately $64.5 million.

Truckers Against Cancer promoting upcoming fundraiser convoy

Truckers Against Cancer (Formally Convoy for a Cure - USA) will be promoting its upcoming convoy in Laredo, TX, on Oct. 26-27, as well as putting on a convoy for Special Olympics on Saturday night, Aug 25, at 7 p.m. in the Reunion Arena parking lot at the Great American Trucking Show.

The group will also be joining forces with Truckers United for Charities and cooking and selling food in the Reunion Arena parking lot all three days of GATS to support various charities.

California cop fires on semi to prevent crash 5

A California police officer fired his weapon into a semi’s windshield in an attempt to change the truck driver’s direction to prevent a crash with an automobile.

According to a report in the Press Enterprise, a Fontana, CA, police officer didn’t hit anyone when he fired at the big rig driven by Tyrone Hatchett.

Research report takes historical look at the future

Recovering consumer confidence and increased spending will support growth in freight volumes, boosting trucking industry demand. However, the industry will face rising competition from other modes of transportation, such as rail, air and ocean, according to an IBISWorld report titled “Local Freight Trucking industry.”

National Truck Driving Championships next week in Minneapolis

More than 400 top professional truck drivers from across the United States will be heading for Minneapolis, MN, next week for the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships, to be held Aug. 7-11 in the Minneapolis Convention Center.