New ATA board intends to bridge gap between trucking, law enforcement

Ccj Logo White Headshot

Trucking news and briefs for Friday, March 26, 2021:

ATA forms group to bolster trucking's relationship with law enforcement
The American Trucking Associations this week announced the formation of the Law Enforcement Advisory Board, a new panel that will advise the ATA Federation on ways to grow and strengthen relationships between the trucking industry and law enforcement organizations across the country.

A statement from ATA said the board is comprised of ATA members who have "previous experience in federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as current and retired law enforcement officials who have contributed positively to the partnership between both groups."

During its inaugural meeting, held virtually last week, the board identified primary issues it will focus on in the coming weeks and months. Those issues include combatting human trafficking; increasing truck parking capacity and ensuring driver safety at rest stops; commercial motor vehicle safety and security; and enhancing access to training for drivers and company safety personnel. 

The 22 members of the Law Enforcement Advisory Board will convene bimonthly to identify areas of opportunity and provide recommendations on priority issues. 

“No two groups have a stronger and more consistent presence on our nation's highways than law enforcement officers and American truckers,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “Therein lies a strategic opportunity for greater collaboration, increased communication, and new bonds. The incredible depth and breadth of experience represented on this board will be an invaluable asset for our industry, the law enforcement community, and the safety of the motoring public alike.” 

Top 250 carrier acquires reefer fleet
Farmington, New York-based Leonard’s Express (CCJ Top 250, No. 154) has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Holman Transportation Services, based in Caldwell, Idaho.

Founded in 1997, Holman is a privately held trucking company providing transportation services to the food and grocery, dairy and frozen food product industries. The company employs approximately 189 people with a fleet of about 164 trucks and services customers in the western United States with a concentration in the Pacific Northwest.

“We are excited about this acquisition," said Leonard's Express CEO Ken Johnson. "It will help us add to our existing refrigerated capacity allowing us to better serve our current customer base and additionally, it will help us expand our coverage in the Western United States.  We find the business models and culture of Holman and Leonard’s are very compatible and the synergies created by the combination of both companies will benefit our customers from a service-level standpoint.

J.B. Hunt integrates load board with KeepTruckin
J.B. Hunt Transportation Services and KeepTruckin announced that the freight-matching platform within J.B. Hunt 360 will integrate with KeepTruckin’s Smart Load Board.

The companies say the integration will bring greater visibility into capacity and offer carriers freight opportunities that better align with their operations.

“By integrating our two platforms, we can gain a more transparent view of the marketplace and better match capacity demand with available trucks,” said Shelley Simpson, chief commercial officer and executive vice president of people and human resources at J.B. Hunt. “KeepTruckin is a trusted name among carriers, and we believe this cross-platform functionality will help businesses move freight with greater efficiency.”

Through the integration, freight available in J.B. Hunt 360 will be accessible through KeepTruckin’s Smart Load Board. Approved carriers will be able to book loads and make offers on available freight using the Smart Load Board’s web or mobile platform. Carriers can also opt-in to provide their location data for the duration of the load, giving shippers the ability to track and trace the status of their shipments in real-time using J.B. Hunt 360.