Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024:
Nominations open for Best Fleets program
Truck drivers can now nominate their fleets for the 17th annual Best Fleets to Drive For program, produced by CarriersEdge.
Now through Oct. 31, company drivers and independent contractors can nominate the companies they work for as Best Fleets to Drive For here.
All for-hire fleets operating 10 or more tractor-trailers in the U.S. or Canada, regardless of freight segment, are eligible to participate in the program.
“Despite coming through some of the most challenging conditions the industry has seen in decades, fleets have managed not to lose sight of the importance of supporting their drivers,” said Jane Jazrawy, CEO of CarriersEdge. “We’re excited to hear about the new, innovative ways companies are making a difference for their people.”
Once nominated, fleets who choose to participate complete a questionnaire and interview, providing information about driver programs across a range of categories. A selection of drivers is also surveyed, supplementing the information provided by management.
Company responses and driver surveys are compiled and scored, with the top 20 scorers identified as Best Fleets to Drive For. The top 20 is then divided into “small” and “large” fleet categories, and the top-scoring fleet in each category is crowned Best Overall Fleet for the category. The top scoring fleet in the Hall of Fame will also be honored as an overall winner in that category.
The Top 20 Best Fleets, the overall winners, and fleets entering the Hall of Fame will be recognized at the Best Fleets to Drive For Education & Awards Conference, which will be held March 3-4, 2025, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
[Related: CarriersEdge names 2024 Best Fleets to Drive For overall winners]
Schneider, Daimler execs to keynote FTR conference’s trucking segments
With just a week until FTR’s 21st annual Transportation Conference kicks off, the firm has announced the keynote speakers for the event, which is taking place Sept. 9-12 at the Crowne Plaza at the Union Station in Indianapolis.
Each day of the four-day conference focuses on a different industry segment -- Truck Equipment, Truck Freight, Rail Freight and Rail Equipment.
A full agenda and registration details are available online here. Last-minute virtual registrations will be discounted 25% by using code GOALLINE25.
On Monday, Sept. 9, the Truck Equipment keynote speaker will be David Carson, SVP of Sales & Marketing at Daimler Truck North America. He will address the challenges and opportunities facing the commercial vehicle manufacturing industry today and in the years to come.
For the Truck Freight-focused day on Tuesday, Sept. 10, the keynote speaker will be Erin Van Zeeland, Senior VP/VP/GM, Logistics and Chief Commercial Officer at Schneider National (CCJ Top 250, No. 6). Van Zeeland will discuss where the truck freight market is going and how recent history is shaping the market ahead.
On the rail side, Luisa Fernandez-Willey, Principal Economist, Canadian National, will be the keynote speaker on Rail Freight. The Rail Equipment-focused day, Sept. 12, will feature two keynote speakers – Paul Titterton, Executive VP & President of Rail North American with GATX Corp.; and Charley Moore, Chief Commercial Officer with TrinityRail.
Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors recalled
Terminal tractor manufacturer Kalmar Ottawa is recalling some of its T2 6x4 units due to an issue with the air brake system, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.
The recall affects approximately 96 model year 2016-’17 Kalmar Ottawa T2 terminal tractors in which the air tanks have an insufficient volume of air for the brake system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Dealers will replace the air tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Sept. 16. Owners can contact Kalmar customer service at 1-785-229-6327. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-620.
