Women in Trucking Image Team

Fleet Owner Staff 

Jan 07, 2015

Women in Trucking (WIT) is currently accepting nominations for their 2015 Image Team—a group of female drivers who will be “the face of Women in Trucking” by attending major truck shows, writing articles from their point of view and conducting media interviews. They will be expected to speak articulately and enthusiastically about the trucking industry and to serve as mentors for new Image Team members. 

To be eligible for consideration as an Image Team member, candidates must hold a valid commercial driver’s license and be employed as a commercial motor vehicle driver. They must also have an outstanding safety record and speak convincingly about their commitment to safety.

“We are often contacted by media for interviews and ride-alongs and are excited to be able to offer interview requests in the future with an Image Team [member] ready to speak about the positive aspects of their job and the industry,” said Ellen Voie, president and CEO, Women In Trucking. “Women are still an anomaly as drivers and the media is often intrigued to learn more about the female drivers who are perceived as doing a ‘man’s job.’ These drivers will break that stereotype and will be role models for the women who enter the trucking industry in the future."

Nominations will be accepted through January 31, 2015. Applications can be found on the WITwebsite. The top ten qualifying applicants will participate in a selection interview in February. The 2015 Image Team will be announced at the Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY on March 28, 2015.

WIT was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. The purpose of the Image Team is to represent these goals while bringing awareness of the need for more women in the trucking industry and the obstacles that women face.

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WIT June Member of the Month

Women In Trucking Announces June Member of the Month

Plover, WI (June 1, 2015 )- Women In Trucking Association (WIT) announces Tina Evans as its June Member of the Month. Tina is an owner/operator that has been driving an expedite truck for 14 years with her husband Tom.

They chose expediting because it was common for a husband to be able to train his wife. With Tom’s background, this was the best choice for them. Once they purchased a truck, Tom went out on the road  to gain more experience.

Tina used Tom’s home time as an opportunity to practice her driving skills in their truck. After getting her license, they went on the road together. In 2011 they leased onto Load One.

After working with Load One, they realized how successful they could be with them. They decided to fulfill their dream of owning a fleet and expanded to four expediting trucks. They are doing so well with Load One that they hope to buy two more trucks this year. “We are hoping to be home more as we grow as a company. We have two small grandchildren that we adore, and at this stage of the game, we like being home a little more,” Tina said.

One of the hardest things Tina had to adjust to when entering trucking was attention from men. “The attention I garnered when in truck stops was hard to deal with for a while; but I got used to it. The other hard thing was being patronized by some of the shippers and receivers,” Tina said.

As many women in trucking who run with their husbands, Tina takes care of paperwork including making financial decisions. Tom, on the other hand, takes care of working with their drivers and all mechanical things.
This does not mean Tina does not know mechanical; she can handle anything required on the truck.

To read Tina’s full story visit the Women In Trucking website.

Tina and Tom will be working at the Expedite Expo both at the forums and the Load One booth (B-4). To learn more about expediting and to meet them, plan on attending the 2015 Expedite Expo on July 24-25 in Wilmington, Ohio at the Roberts Convention Centre.

Ellen Voie CAE,  President/CEO

Women In Trucking, Inc.

P O Box 400  Plover,  WI 54467-0400

Ellen@WomenInTrucking.org

888-464-9482     920-312-1350 Direct  

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Women In Trucking's Accelerate! Conference and Expo

Mission:  Women In Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. 

First Autonomous Big Rig in US

My Comments: It's a new world and new challenges. It's going to freak us all out the first time weren't riding alongside of a big truck and there's no driver in the seat!

This announcement just released yesterday......

http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/05/daimler-autonomous-truck-nevada/

So! I started blogging about driverless big rigs about a year ago as coming down the pike (forgive the pun) in like 3 years, like 2017. Heads up folks! Now we're not talking about it's coming, no, it's here.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/05/daimler-autonomous-truck-nevada/

Share your opinion!

DOT Unveils New Tank Standards

U.S. DOT Announces Comprehensive Proposed Rulemaking for the Safe Transportation of Crude Oil, Flammable Materials

Releases new data on Bakken crude oil to support increased safety measures

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released the details of its comprehensive rulemaking proposal to improve the safe transportation of large quantities of flammable materials by rail - particularly crude oil and ethanol - in the form of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and a companion Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM).

The NPRM proposes enhanced tank car standards, a classification and testing program for mined gases and liquids and new operational requirements for high-hazard flammable trains (HHFT) that include braking controls and speed restrictions. Specifically, within two years, it proposes the phase out of the use of older DOT 111 tank cars for the shipment of packing group I flammable liquids, including most Bakken crude oil, unless the tank cars are retrofitted to comply with new tank car design standards. The ANPRM seeks further information on expanding comprehensive oil spill response planning requirements for shipments of flammable materials. Both the NPRM and ANPRM are available for review  here and will be open for 60 days of public comment. Given the urgency of the safety issues addressed in these proposals, PHMSA does not intend to extend the comment period.

“Safety is our top priority, which is why I’ve worked aggressively to improve the safe transport of crude oil and other hazardous materials since my first week in office,” said Secretary Foxx. “While we have made unprecedented progress through voluntary agreements and emergency orders, today’s proposal represents our most significant progress yet in developing and enforcing new rules to ensure that all flammable liquids, including Bakken crude and ethanol, are transported safely.”

Today’s NPRM is based on an ANPRM published by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) last September, and reflects feedback from more than 152,000 commenters. Specifically, PHMSA will seek comment on the following provisions:

Defining the term “high-hazard flammable train” (HHFT).

• Proposes a definition of HHFT as a train carrying 20 or more tank carloads of flammable liquids (including crude oil and ethanol).

Better classification and characterization of mined gases and liquids.

• Proposes development and implementation of a written sampling and testing program for all  mined gases and liquids, such as crude oil, to address:

1. frequency of sampling and testing;
2. sampling at various points along the supply chain;
3. sampling methods that ensure a representative sample of the entire mixture;
4. testing methods to enable better analysis, classification, and characterization of material;
5. statistical justification for sample frequencies; and,
6. duplicate samples for quality assurance.
    

• Proposes that offerors be required to certify that sampling and testing program is in place, document the testing and sampling program, and makes program information available to DOT personnel, upon request.

Rail routing risk assessment.

• Proposes that carriers be required to perform a routing analysis for HHFT that would consider 27 safety and security factors and select a route based on findings of the route analysis.

Notification to State Emergency Response Commissions.

• Proposes to codify DOT’s May 2014 emergency order that require trains containing one million gallons of Bakken crude oil to notify State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs) or other appropriate state delegated entities about the operation of these trains through their States.

Reduced operating speeds.

• Requests comment on three speed restriction options for HHFTs that contain any tank cars not meeting the enhanced tank car standards proposed by this rule:

1. a 40-mph maximum speed restriction in all areas;
2. a 40-mph speed restriction in high threat urban areas[1]; and,
3. a 40-mph speed restriction in areas with a 100K+ population.

• If tank cars in the HHFT meet specifications finalized in the enhanced tank car section of this rule, speed would be limited to 50-mph in all areas (rather than 40-mph).
• PHMSA also will evaluate a 30-mph speed restriction for HHFTs that do not comply with enhanced braking requirements.

Enhanced braking.

• Proposes to require all HHFTs to be equipped with alternative brake signal propagation systems.  Depending on the outcome of the tank car standard proposal and implementation timing, all HHFTs would be operated with either electronic controlled pneumatic brakes (ECP), a two-way end of train device (EOT), or distributed power (DP).

Enhanced standards for both new and existing tank cars.

• Proposes new standards for tank cars constructed after October 1, 2015 (and that are used to transport flammable liquids as part of a HHFT) (e.g., thermal, top fittings, and bottom outlet protection; tank head and shell puncture resistance).  PHMSA is requesting comment on three options for enhanced tank car standard requirements:
  1. Tank car option 1 would have 9/16 inch steel, would be outfitted with electronically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes and would be equipped with rollover protection.
  2. Tank car option 2 would also have 9/16 inch steel but would not require ECP brakes or rollover protection.
  3. Tank car option 3 is based on a 2011 industry standard and has 7/16 inch steel, and does not require ECP brakes or rollover protection
• Proposes to require existing tank cars that are used to transport flammable liquids as part of a HHFT be retrofitted to meet the selected option for performance requirements.  Those not retrofitted would be retired, repurposed, or operated under speed restrictions for up to five years, based on packing group assignment of the flammable liquids being shipped by rail.

PHMSA will concurrently publish an ANPRM on oil spill response plans, specifically current thresholds and their applicability to rail, in part in response to an NTSB recommendation issued in January 2014.

In addition to issuing the NPRM and ANPRM, PHMSA concurrently released a report summarizing the analysis of Bakken crude oil data gathered by PHMSA and FRA between August 2013 and May 2014.  The data show that crude oil from the Bakken region in North Dakota tends to be more volatile and flammable than other crude oils.  Collected as part of Operation Classification (OSD), a joint PHMSA and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) effort, the data were initially gathered to verify that crude oil was being properly classified in accordance with federal regulations, and evolved to include more robust testing to better understand the characteristics of the product.

The safety risk presented by transporting Bakken crude oil by rail is magnified both by an increasing volume of Bakken being shipped by throughout the U.S. and the large distances over which the product is shipped.  In 2008, 9,500 rail-carloads of crude moved through our country compared to last year, when there were 415,000 rail-carloads.   Moreover, on average Bakken crude oil shipments travel over 1,000 miles from point of origin to refineries on the coasts.

PHMSA and FRA plan to continue the sampling and analysis activities of Operation Safe Delivery through the summer and fall of 2014working with the regulated community to ensure the safe transportation of crude oil across the nation.

The new, comprehensive rulemaking will open for public comment once published in the Federal Register at www.regulations.gov, and I urge you to read it and provide your feedback.

Jeana Hysell as May Member of the Month

My Comments: WIT is an amazing organization! Thank you!

Women In Trucking Association selects Jeana Hysell as May Member of the Month FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Plover, WI : Women In Trucking Association (WIT) announces Jeana Hysell as its Member of the Month for May. Hysell is a Regional Safety Manager for CEMEX – Newline Transportation. Hysell currently resides in Phoenix, AZ and her region consists of all transport drivers west of the Mississippi River. Some of her responsibilities surround the regulations of FMCSA/DOT, OSHA/NIOSHA, and MSHA. She is also responsible for accident and injury investigations, face-to-face safety meetings, safety alerts and near misses, and Drug and Alcohol programs, just to name a few.  Prior to her current position, Hysell was the President/CEO at Safety Compliance Professionals LLC, a consulting firm specializing under the guidelines of FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) regulations for many motor carriers. She also served as their Director of Safety with direct responsibility of any accident or accident procedures plus mitigating in reducing a motor carrier’s score under the CSA (Compliance, Safety, and Accountability) program. She has spent many hours in depositions as a representative for motor carriers and served as an expert witness surrounding driver/motor carrier responsibilities for either the plaintiff or defendant in many legal cases. Hysell has been in the transportation industry since 1979, starting out as a company driver then graduating to an owner-operator. She developed her own fleet of five trucks leasing them on with a major carrier. After successfully driving over two million safe miles, she then left her “office behind a windshield” to the “mortars of a classroom,” graduating in 2003 with Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and in 2004 with a Master’s Degree in Occupational Safety/Transportation Safety from CSMU (currently called UCM). In her continuing education, she has obtained many certifications surrounding Fleet Safety Manager including her Certified Director Safety (CDS), Accident Investigation and Fleet Management, and more. Hysell is heavily involved in the industry, not as only a safety manager, but she also belongs to many transportation organizations. She previously served on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Trucking Association until her relocation to Arizona. Ohio is the state where she won the Safety Professional of the Year in 2007. Also, while in Ohio and employed at Walmart, she took her private fleet to the Safest Fleet in Ohio along with a Driver of the Quarter two years running. Recently under the direction of Hysell, she took an Arizona trucking company to the Safest Fleet in the State of Arizona which also produced a Driver of the Quarter and Driver of the Year. Hysell donates her time and professional knowledge to econoLABS, Women in Trucking (serves as Vice Chair of the WIT Foundation, sits on the advisory board for DOT/FMCSA questions, and wrote a monthly safety article for many years), Arizona Trucking Association, California Trucking Association, National Safety Council, and numerous other transportation entities. Today, Hysell still maintains a current CDL with all the endorsements stating, “You just never know, I might need it again.” Ellen Voie CAE,  President/CEO Women In Trucking, Inc. P O Box 400  Plover,  WI 54467-0400 Ellen@WomenInTrucking.org 888-464-9482     920-312-1350 Direct   Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | You tube  Sign up for our weekly newsletter here. Women In Trucking's Accelerate! Conference and Expo Mission:  Women In Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

To Be or NOT to Be an O/O

My Comments: Please add your comments.

To be or NOT to be, is the question for those who think or know they want to become an independent operator.

Back in the day (many moons ago) I was co-driver with my significant other (Bob) as co-owner/driver for hauling commercial kitchen supplies and appliances and office furniture. We ran mostly E Coast, NE and SW regions of the US. When I met Bob he had rig almost paid off but it was time for a new one which meant we would not enjoy freedom from truck payments for very long. He had already replaced the engine and the transmission had it's issues so rather than sink more money into an old KW, buying new made sense. This is a major decision and should not be made without great contemplation and thought. Business owners that become successful are born, not made. If you're not born to be one you shouldn't be one. OOIDA posted to their site some important facts to consider before making that giant leap from a company driver to an independent operator or as some companies call it these days, power provider.

Source: OOIDA: http://www.ooida.com/OOIDA%20Foundation/RecentResearch/OOfacts.asp

Owner-Operator and Professional Employee Driver Facts

Owner-Operators are those individuals that own and operate their own trucking business.  They may lease on to a carrier or they may operate under their own authority.  If they operate under their own authority they will have a Department of Transportation (DOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) number identifying them as a registered carrier.  There are approximately 350,000 owner-operators registered in the United States, most lease on to larger carriers and operate under that carriers DOT number.

Professional Employee Drivers (PEDs) do not own or operate their own truck and trailer, nor do they have a DOT or MC number.  Instead, PEDs work directly for a carrier as an employee.

The Owner-Operator:

• Are mostly Truck load carriers (TL)
• Regarding trucking experience
• Been the trucking business for 26 years
• Average age of becoming an owner-operator is 37 years old
• Have been an owner-operator for over 18 years
• Average age is 55 years old
• Very stable in their habitat as most have lived in the same area for 11+ years
• Are educated with at least 86% completing high school and approximately 45% going on to receive some level of a college education
• Trucking Business information includes:
• Receives a net income of approximately $50,000+ per year
• Receive pay by percentage of the line haul pay if leased to a carrier
• 95% run solo
• Average over 101,000 miles driving per year
• Majority are away from home a 100+ nights a year with 41% spending over at least 200 nights away from home.
• 69% own either a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or both
• Most own 1.2 trucks and 1.2 trailers
• Regarding the truck:
• 66% have their trucks paid off
• Peterbilt and Freightliner are the trucks most likely owned
• Caterpillar engines are the most popular
• 69% have 450 horsepower engines or greater
• 13 speed transmissions are the most common followed by 18 speed
• Dry Van and Flatbed trailers are the most common trailer owned
• Biggest maintenance problems were tire and engine troubles
• Average maintenance per year is $14,000
• 36% have served in the military
• 90% are registered voters
• 86% plan to vote in the upcoming 2014 election
• Are mostly republicans followed by independents

The Professional Employee Driver:

• Concerning demographics:
• Male (95%), which is consistent with the most current census of drivers in the United States
• 55 years of age
• 5 foot 10 inches tall
• Weighs on average 222 lbs. unfortunately, this will place the average drivers in the obese category devised by the Department of Health in terms of the Body Mass Index.
• Caucasian (91%)
• 89% are high-school graduates, which exceeds the national average for high school graduates for that age group.
• The PED is stable in that he or she is more likely to own his or her own home (80%) in a rural or small town (54%) for over 10+ years.
• Most independent drivers plan on retiring at 67 years of age with the largest majority of them expecting social security to pay for their retirement.
• The majority of the PEDs have some form of medical benefits either through the carrier (48%) or they are covered by their spouse's medical insurance (15%).  While this is better than the owner-operators, it still indicates that 16% have no medical benefits while the national average is around 14-15%.
• 22% are smokers which represents a 33% reduction from 2007
• 40% exercise regularly
• 35% have served in the military
• 75% own a firearm
• Been an OOIDA member for approximately 7 years.
• Regarding Trucking experience:
• The PED is not a novice driver as he or she has been in the trucking industry for 26 years
• Been with the present carrier for the last 7 years. 
• 41% have attended a truck driving school, and most lasted for 3-6 weeks with 65 hours of behind-the-wheel training.
• They get paid by the mile (64%) and average $.36-.40 per mile
• With a yearly gross income of $38,000-40,000.
• They drove an average of 110,000 miles in 2013.
• 54% were away from home 200+ nights a year.
• Regarding the truck:
• The truck will probably be a 2007 Freightliner with a 10 speed transmission and a 400-500+ Cummins engine averaging 5-6.9 miles per gallon.
• Only 37% will have an ELD
• A third will have GPS tracking devices on board. 
• 70% drive for a carrier that has a speed limiter device on the truck with an average speed setting of 66 mph. 
• 20% indicated that their carrier has encouraged the driver to log loading/unloading times as off-duty not driving.  A similar percentage indicated that they have driven for a carrier that has audited and changed their logs.
•  Most independent drivers are pulling a dry van trailer (38%) or a reefer (21%).
• 88% of the independent drivers are registered voters
• 81% voted in the last National election. 
• They remain politically active and 53% have contacted elected officials to share their position
• 50% belong to a political party that reflects a conservative outlook.
• That party is Republican

If you fit this lifestyle and have these stats burned in your mind and know going in what's up, then start by lease purchase or outright buying your first truck. We wish you success!

Blog Author: Marge Bailey

DriverFinder Network

Quality & Productivity Consultant

My Comments: Thanks Bob!

The Blogger has Spoken...

Bob RutherfordQuality & Productivity Consultant--Freelance Writer

But all of this attention to air pressure and size can be undone if tires are not balanced. An off-­balance tire is not only subject to premature damage and uneven wear, it also can affect fuel economy, said Bob Rutherford, an independent consultant and blogger on tire ­related issues.

Proper Inflation, Wheel Balancing Help Extend Tire Life, Experts Say | Transport Topics Onlinettnews.com

Preventive tire maintenance handled in-house with everyday equipment is vital for private fleets looking to maximize tread wear and longevity, even for those that outsource some or all of their work, fleet and industry experts said.

Ryder Systems, Inc. supports WIT

My Comments: Thanks Ellen for the updates!

Ryder Systems, Inc. supports Women In Trucking Association as new Gold Level Partner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PLOVER, WI: Ryder System, Inc. has recently become the newest Gold Level Partner of the Women In  (WIT) Association, Inc.  Ryder System, Inc. is a FORTUNE 500® commercial fleet and supply chain management solutions company headquartered in Miami.

Patrick Pendergast, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition has been appointed to the WIT board of directors for a two-year term. Mr. Pendergast joined Ryder in 2010, and has held various positions of increasing responsibility, including Manager of Central Support Recruiting and Director of Fleet Management Recruiting Services. He has more than 20 years of staffing and recruiting experience with a diverse background in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. He is responsible for designing and executing staffing strategies that facilitate over 5,000 hires annually.

“Partnering with Women in Trucking aligned well with our core values to be a diverse and inclusive employer as we work to deliver compelling value to our customers,” said Patrick Pendergast, Senior Director of Recruiting Services, Ryder. “We see a significant opportunity to make the trucking and transportation space a great and rewarding career for women.”

Pendergast holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy from Gettysburg College and is completing a Masters of Business Administration from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management.

“Gold level partners, such as Ryder, have shown their commitment to moving the mission of Women In Trucking Association forward by supporting the organization at a higher level,” said WIT President/CEO Ellen Voie.  “We have had a collaborative partnership with Ryder in the past through our combined efforts to change the working conditions for female drivers and enhancing safety through ergonomic truck cab designs that address the unique challenges women face when operating today’s commercial heavy duty vehicles.”

Future goals for Women In Trucking Association include a WIT Index, to monitor the level of women employed in the trucking industry as drivers, managers and board members.  Other initiatives include the creation of a Girl Scout Transportation Patch, an Image Team and the promotion of ride-alongs with legislative and administrative officials who regulate the transportation industry.

Ryder is a commercial fleet management and supply chain solutions company, with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia.  The Company, founded in 1933, operates behind the scenes, managing critical transportation and logistics functions for more than 50,000 customers, many of which make the products that consumers use every day.  Ryder employs more than 30,000 people, manages a fleet of more than 216,000 commercial vehicles, and operates over 35 million square feet of warehouse space. 

Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, as 16 percent of its members are men who support the mission. Women In Trucking is supported by its members and the generosity of Gold Level Partners: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, Daimler Trucks NA, GE Capital Transportation Finance, Great Dane Trailers, J.B. Hunt Transport, Ryder Systems, Inc., U.S. Xpress, and Walmart. Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. For more information, visit http://www.womenintrucking.org or call 888-464-9482.

Ellen Voie CAE,  President/CEO

Women In Trucking, Inc.

P O Box 400  Plover,  WI 54467-0400

Ellen@WomenInTrucking.org

888-464-9482     920-312-1350 Direct  

Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | You tube 

Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.

Women In Trucking's Accelerate! Conference and Expo