The trucking industry likes big—whether it's big rigs or giving big. These organizations recognize the importance of giving big, whether to employees, future industry workers, or giving the gift of music to those on the road.
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Kenworth rolls strong with country band Alabama
Kenworth Truck Co. will partner with country-music band Alabama to sponsor the band's “Roll On 2 North America Tour.”
Kenworth is providing Alabama with a Kenworth T680 76-inch mid-roof sleeper for the band’s 2023 concert tour. According to Kenworth, the partnership, which also coincides with Kenworth’s 100th anniversary, is the renewal of a relationship that spanned a 15-year period from 1988 to 2003 when Kenworth sponsored its annual “Truckers Appreciation Concert” starring the band. The concert was held in Louisville in conjunction with the Mid-America Trucking Show.
See also: Kenworth celebrates 100 years with two special edition trucks
“For over 15 years of touring, we have had the pleasure of Kenworth trucks moving our equipment up and down the road for over a million miles. We are thrilled the fine folks at Kenworth are sponsoring our 2023 Roll On 2 tour,” said Alabama’s Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen. “We just celebrated our 50th anniversary and now Kenworth is celebrating their 100th anniversary. One thing is for sure, we depend on Kenworth trucks, and look forward to continuing our relationship.”
Trucking Cares Foundation gives big to disaster response
The Trucking Cares Foundation has donated $25,000 to disaster response resource Virginia Task Force-1.
"One of the things the Trucking Cares Foundation was established to do was support those in need, domestically and internationally, following natural disasters," said TCF Chairman Phil Byrd, president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express. "The work Virginia Task Force-1 does in post-disaster search and rescue is a critical component in helping people get back on their feet and we are proud to support their efforts."
See also: Trucking's story is America's story, so tell it, says ATA's Spear
Virginia Task Force-1 is a team of emergency managers and planners, physicians, and paramedics, and includes specialists in the fields of structural engineering, heavy rigging, collapse rescue, emergency medicine, and more. The team is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, and assists in search-and-rescue operations around the world and across the country.
"When disasters strike, trucks filled with water, food and fuel are often among the first things people see as they begin picking up the pieces," said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear, vice chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation. "But our work can't begin until groups like Virginia Task Force-1 get on the ground and begin rescue and recovery efforts. We are pleased to help this tremendous organization prepare for the next time the unthinkable happens."
TCA awards over $140,000 in scholarships
The Truckload Carriers Association named its 2023-24 TCA Scholarship Fund recipients.
"The TCA Scholarship Fund is thrilled to recognize the hard work and drive of the 2023-24 class of recipients. I am so grateful for the generous support and outreach of the TCA community who make this amazing TCA member benefit possible. We congratulate each of our 48 recipients and look forward to witnessing their future accomplishments!" said TCA Scholarship Fund Chairman, American Central Transport Senior Vice President, Bob Kretsinger.
See also: TCA's Heller: Gathering with people who face the same problems, leads to solutions
Since 1973, the fund has been providing scholarships to students associated with the trucking industry. Each scholarship recipient must be a student in good standing attending a four-year college or university and must be associated with a TCA member company as an employee, independent contractor, or the child, grandchild, or spouse of an employee or independent contractor of a TCA member company.
"2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the scholarship fund’s creation; the longevity of the program is truly a testament to how strong our truckload community is and the great things we can accomplish when we work together,” TCA President Jim Ward said.
This school year, 10 high school seniors, seven college freshmen, 17 college sophomores, and 14 college juniors were awarded scholarships totaling more than $140,000. Recipients span across the United States and Canada.
Bendix honors employees for safety, productivity
Bendix employees from across its North American locations gathered in Avon, Ohio, where the company is headquartered, to recognize teams and individuals who are helping improve workplace safety, environmental conditions, production quality, and manufacturing efficiency.
Bendix honored four groups and 15 individuals for their commitment to continuous improvement in 2022 as part of the company’s Knorr Production System (KPS).
“Recognizing our KPS award winners and their efforts is something I look forward to each year because it’s an opportunity to shine a spotlight on our team members’ hard work and dedication across locations,” said Eddie Wilkinson, Bendix vice president, project management office. “This being the recognition program’s 10th year makes it all the more special.”
See also: Five Good Things: Trucking honors U.S. heroes
KPS was implemented at Bendix beginning in 2012. A key aspect of the KPS philosophy is encouraging and empowering employees to recognize potential problems, then develop and help implement their own suggestions for quality improvements. These employee-driven changes are what help define a Quick Kaizen environment where people and teams proactively seek to improve manufacturing. In 2022, Bendix team members identified and implemented more than 23,000 ideas—among the most ever since Bendix put Quick Kaizens into operation in 2013.
“For more than a decade, we’ve challenged and empowered Bendix employees to initiate and drive improvements across the KPS priority areas, and our team members have continued to embrace this challenge and drive operational improvements,” said Mike Hawthorne, Bendix president and CEO. “We can take a great deal of pride in the improvement culture we’ve created and how it’s evolved. Together, we’ve not only enhanced the Bendix workplace, but we’ve also enhanced and strengthened our position as a leader in vehicle safety technologies and manufacturing.”
Trucker saves woman who blacks out behind the wheel
The Truckload Carriers Association has named Chicory Calhoun, from York, Pennsylvania, a Highway Angel for stopping to help a trapped crash victim whose car rolled into a ditch. Calhoun works for ABF Freight out of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
One morning Calhoun was on his way into work around 11 a.m. southbound on Interstate 81 near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. As he was driving in his personal vehicle, he saw debris fly up in front of him.
“I see debris—car parts flying in the left lane, the fast lane,” Calhoun said. As he slowed down, he saw a white car cross over several lanes and crash into a ditch on the side of the road, rolling over twice. Calhoun immediately pulled over and called 911.
“I grabbed my [safety] vest,” he said, as he ran to the crashed vehicle to check on the victim. Other motorists who stopped wanted to pull the female occupant out of the crashed car, but Calhoun noted the car was on a precarious edge and any slight movement of the vehicle could tip it over more and cause injury.
“It looked like it was gonna tilt back the other way,” he said. “I said let’s not try to take her out—her weight might tilt it over.”
See also: Five Good Things: Distinguished women, Highway Angels, safe drivers
Calhoun, along with other motorists, stayed there and held the car in position until firefighters arrived to secure the vehicle in place and EMTs could tend to the crash victim.
“She had a bruise around her neck, I’m assuming from the seat belt,” he said. “I was talking to her; she was saying she had just gotten blood work drawn and she blacked out.”
