Five good things that happened in trucking this week – Oct. 2

October is here, full of cold temperatures and changing leaves. No matter how much closer we get to 2021, every week in 2020 seems to need a push of positivity, and this week is no exception. So, without further ado, here are five good things that happened in trucking this week.

2020 Road Safety Art Contest Winners revealed

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced the winners of the 2020 Road Safety Student Art Contest. Top honors were awarded to Gianna Liu, a second-grade student from Hillsborough, New Jersey, and Sanjana Arudala, a sixth-grade student from Irving, Texas. The two grand prize-winning entries will hang in FMCSA’s headquarters in Washington, DC.

Second grader Gianna Liu, from Hillsborough, N.J. showed that large trucks and buses, cars, bicyclists and pedestrians are all a part of road safety.

“This year’s winners show that it’s never too early to make road safety a top priority,” said Wiley Deck, FMCSA deputy administrator. “The impressive artwork from these students will help effectively communicate FMCSA’s important safety messages to motorists throughout the country.”

Sixth grader Sanjana Arudala, from Irving, Texas demonstrated that everyone who uses the roads has a role to play in safety.

The contest was open to all students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Student entries focused on educating passenger vehicle drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians to coexist on the same roadways as commercial motor vehicles and work together to reduce crashes.

Check out the other 10 finalist's artwork at the video below.

Montgomery Transport adds appreciation pay for truckers

Montgomery Transport, based in Birmingham, Ala., announced a fourth quarter pay program to show appreciation for its truck drivers. The two-installment Appreciation Pay program will reward drivers based on all miles driven and is timed to give them additional holiday cash.

“We are so proud of our driving force here at Montgomery Transport. While we recently celebrated National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, it is important to us to continue to showcase our appreciation, so our drivers know how important they are every single day,” says Rollins Montgomery, CEO of Montgomery Transport.

As part of the program, company drivers will earn an additional two cents per mile for all miles they drive from September 29 through January 31. The first installment will be paid on December 18, 2020, for all miles during October and November 2020. The second installment will be paid on February 5, 2021, for all miles during December 2020 and January 2021. Drivers are eligible immediately upon hire but must be employed on the date of distribution to receive their bonus.

MT Dedicated drivers will also receive appreciation pay during the same time frame of up to $30 per week paid out on December 18, 2020, and February 5, 2021.

Companies launch October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and trucking companies are already showing their support for the people fighting the disease.

The DART Network featured its #FightLikeABoss Breast Cancer Awareness tractor driven by Scott Draper while Hino Trucks promoted the Stories of Hope from the American Cancer Society to spread positive journeys of those affected by breast cancer.

Stay tuned during the month of October to see what other trucking companies are doing to promote breast cancer awareness.

Women In Trucking Association names 2020 Top Companies for Women to Work For In Transportation

Redefining the Road magazine, the official magazine of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT), revealed the recipients of the 2020 “Top Women to Work For in Transportation.” According to Ellen Voie, president and CEO of WIT, the magazine created the award in 2018 to support an element of WIT’s mission: To promote the accomplishments of companies that are focused on the employment of women in the trucking industry.

There are several key features that distinguish companies recognized on this list, said Brian Everett, publisher of Redefining the Road, including:

Corporate cultures that foster gender diversity
Competitive compensation and benefits
Flexible hours and work requirements
Professional development opportunities
Career advancement opportunities

“This is the third year for this award, which is largely driven by the marketplace,” said Everett. “The sheer number of individuals in the industry who participated in the process underscores the importance practitioners in the industry place on this award.” More than 13,000 votes were cast to identify the companies named to the list.

Congratulations to each company recognized. You can find the full list here.

Truckers team up to save a man from jumping off an overpass

A two-year-old video recirculated across the internet this week of truckers teaming up together for a joint act of heroism.

In the viral Tik Tok video, 13 truck drivers worked with the Michigan State Police and parked on a six-lane highway to save a man from jumping off of an overpass.

Chris Harrison, who claims to have been part of the ‘trucker wall’ shared his experience in a Facebook post on the Twisted Truckers page, and said the effort took place between 1 and 3 a.m., starting with one truck. According to WBIR, the teamwork allowed officers to talk the man down from the edge.

While the event in the video is two years old, it reminds us of the good that truck drivers have always done and will continue to do after the COVID-19 pandemic passes.