Trucking is an innovative, essential industry and a rewarding career, and that message should be shared with the next generation. The organizations in this week's blog of good trucking news do exactly that, as well as celebrate workers and deliver hope to the hungry.
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Fullbay launches children's book to teach trucking
Repair shop software provider Fullbay has released a new children’s book, "Truck Tales: Dan Saves the Festival." The tale, which follows Dan the Technician on a new diesel repair adventure, was written to help teach children about the heavy-duty trucking industry, explain what technicians do, and promote interest in the trades as a potential career path.
See also: Fullbay's heavy-duty repair report shows shop revenue recovery, higher technician pay
Fullbay released its first children’s book, "Truck Tales: Dan the Technician" in 2021, with hundreds of copies sold and downloaded. The company also released a coloring book featuring heavy-duty vehicles and related scenes. While digital copies of the new book are available for free on Fullbay’s website, all profits from Amazon sales of printed copies are donated to industry causes and charities as part of the Fullbay Cares initiative.
“Jobs within the trades don’t get the recognition they deserve,” said Fullbay Co-Founder and Executive Chairman Jacob Findlay. “Almost every item in our country is delivered by trucks, and the technicians who service and repair this equipment are critical to keeping our economy moving. We developed the ‘Truck Tales’ book series as a way to introduce both children and parents to this potential career path.”
Manufacturer donates 75,000th forklift to Convoy of Hope
Irish forklift manufacturer Combilift, for its 25th anniversary, has donated its 75,000th truck—an Aisle Master articulated forklift—to Convoy of Hope, a non-profit humanitarian and disaster relief organization.
See also: Five Good Things: Top Women to Watch in Transportation and running for school funds
Convoy of Hope, based in Springfield, Missouri, works alongside communities and its network of volunteers to alleviate poverty and hunger. As this type of aid is always in demand, operational expansion has also seen a corresponding increase in the requirement for warehousing capacity to accommodate the volume of supplies that are stored and ready for delivery to areas in need.
The announcement at the ProMat supply chain trade fair, with Combilift’s CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar saying, “The work that Convoy of Hope does is invaluable to relieve suffering around the world, and we wanted to make our own contribution by donating our 75,000th truck to this very worthwhile charity.”
Erick Meier, SVP of supply chain at Convoy of Hope, said, ”We are so grateful that Combilift and Martin and the whole team have actually given us one of these trucks for our operations. This is going to help people for years—and ensure that every day someone in the world will receive aid—and that brings hope.”
Next Gen Trucking to create high school truck driving curriculum
The Next Generation in Trucking Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Next Generation in Trucking Association, received a $127,760 grant from Knorr-Bremse Global Care North America to develop a standardized truck driving curriculum that the association will make available at no cost to high schools starting truck driver training programs.
The grant will be used to support NextGen Trucking in collaboration with the Education Development Center, an international education nonprofit based in Waltham, Massachusetts, in the creation of a national one-year online modular high school curriculum for a Commercial Learner’s Permit and Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) standards program. Tested and developed in the field, this program will integrate materials developed by David Dein, co-founder and VP of NGT, to support standards and career pathways within the national transportation, distribution, and logistics industry sector.
Read the full story: NextGen Trucking secures grant to create high school truck driving curriculum
"Currently, there is no standardized high school curriculum for this content," said Lindsey Trent, co-founder and president of NextGen Trucking, "so this program will help meet the need for career pathways into vital areas of transportation and logistics, greatly helping the trucking industry at large."
Schneider celebrates 'Haul of Fame' drivers
Schneider (No. 7 on the FleetOwner 500 For-Hire) celebrated over 30 'Haul of Fame' drivers—drivers with three million safe miles or 20 years of safe driving—at its corporate headquarters in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where the entire Schneider team cheered on the drivers.
See also: Schneider execs join peers in forecasting growing strength in 2023
Reefer carrier PLM voted New Jersey's top workplace
Refrigerated fleet management company PLM Fleet has won the New Jersey Top Workplace Award for the fourth consecutive year.
Read the full story: PLM Fleet wins 2023 workplace award
The award is based on anonymous surveys sent to all New Jersey-based employees to determine a company’s commitment to its staff, customers, and mission. Administered by a third party, the employee feedback measures 15 culture drivers critical to the success of any organization. Results reflect employees’ satisfaction with their employer.
