Trucking news and briefs for Friday, June 20, 2025:
Saia recognizes drivers, dockworkers, mechanics for safety milestones
Saia Inc. (CCJ Top 250, No. 19) announced this week that nearly 8,000 Saia dockworkers, mechanics, city drivers, and line drivers were recently recognized for achieving a major safety milestone.
Nearly 2,400 dockworkers and mechanics were presented with a Safe Work Award this year, collectively contributing over 15,000 years of injury-free service. These awards recognize employees who consistently demonstrate operational excellence and prioritize safety protocols in every aspect of their work. Saia honored individuals across a range of service milestones, including three employees who have achieved more than 40 years of safe work without a recordable incident.
Standout recipients included:
- Houma, Louisiana, Lead Dockworker Harold Castell, Jr.
- Lafayette, Louisiana, Lead Mechanic Lawrence Benoit
- New Orleans, Louisiana, Mechanic Darryl Gay
Saia also honored over 5,500 city and line drivers with a Safe Drive Award, recognizing a remarkable total of nearly 40,000 years of accident-free driving. Drivers were celebrated for reaching critical safety milestones ranging from one to more than 40 years without a preventable accident. This year, six drivers were recognized for achieving 40 or more years of safe driving, an exceptional accomplishment within the transportation industry:
- Dallas, Texas Line Driver Jack Ikey
- Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Line Driver Frank Lee III
- Jacksonville, Florida, Line Driver Charles Layman
- New Orleans, Louisiana, City Driver Joseph Dominguez, Jr.
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Line Driver Michael Shumake
- Las Vegas, Nevada, Line Driver Roy Coleman
Across the company, over 70% of Saia drivers and a significant percentage of dockworkers and mechanics were recognized, demonstrating Saia’s deeply ingrained culture of safety.
"Since June is ‘National Safety Month,’ this is the perfect opportunity to recognize how important safety is at Saia and across our industry," said Vice President of Safety Steve Greenhill. "The awards we present honor the commitment our employees make every day to protect themselves, their coworkers, and the communities we serve. Their achievements underscore our longstanding emphasis on training, accountability, and continuous improvement."
I-40 closed near Tenn./N.C. border due to rockslide, flooding
Transportation officials in Tennessee and North Carolina are warning drivers to take alternate routes due to a rockslide and flooding along I-40 in Tennessee near the states’ border.
According to Mark Nagi, Tennessee DOT’s Regional Communications Officer for Region 1, the slide occurred at milemarker 450.
In a Thursday morning update, Nagi said the interstate remains closed, adding that crews are on site assessing the interstate and the slope where the slide occurred.
The Tennessee DOT noted that while the damage is in the same area of I-40 in Tennessee that was damaged during Hurricane Helene, damage this time around is not as extensive. TDOT said at this point, it expects the interstate to be closed for two weeks.
Eastbound traffic heading to North Carolina is being detoured to I-81 North to I-26 East. Nagi reminded truck drivers that, just like during the I-40 closures related to Hurricane Helene late last year, that commercial vehicles are prohibited on U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as it’s a two-lane road with steep grades and tight curves.
The North Carolina DOT said I-40 West is closed on its side of the border between Exit 20 and the state line. NCDOT is advising motorists to use the following detours:
- Take Exit 53B (I-240 West) and follow I-240 West for 5 miles to Exit 4A (I-26 West). Follow I-26 West 74 miles, crossing into Tennessee, to Exit 8A (I-81 South). Follow I-81 Southbound 57 miles to re-access I-40 at milemarker 421 in Tennessee.
- Traffic originating from points east of Winston-Salem should take Exit 193-B (U.S. 52 North) and follow U.S. 52 North for 34 miles to Left Exit 140 (I-74 West). Follow I-74 West for 12 miles and keep right to take I-77 North toward Wytheville, Virginia. Follow I-77 North for 38 miles, crossing into Virginia, until merging with I-81 South at Fort Chiswell, Virginia. Continue on I-81 South for 156 miles, crossing into Tennessee, to re-access I-40 at milemarker 421 in Tennessee.
- Traffic originating between Winston-Salem and Statesville should take Exit 152-B for I-77 North. Continue on I-77 North for 87 miles, crossing into Virginia, until merging with I-81 South at Fort Chiswell, Virginia. Continue on I-81 South for 156 miles, crossing into Tennessee, to re-access I-40 at milemarker 421 in Tennessee.
Dot Foods expands Canadian footprint with new Calgary distribution center
Dot Foods Canada, a subsidiary of food industry redistributor Dot Foods, and Dot Transportation Canada, its exclusive Canadian transportation affiliate, celebrated their move to a larger distribution center in Calgary, Alberta, on Tuesday, June 17, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The new facility, located at 4639 72 Ave SE, Calgary, Alberta T2C 4H7, significantly expands Dot’s Canadian footprint. The company relocated from its previous site in Calgary, tripling its warehouse capacity to meet growing customer demand across western Canada. Dot invested approximately $2 million to retrofit the 284,212 square-foot building. The new Dot Foods Calgary distribution center includes dry, refrigerated, and frozen storage, expanded dock space and office areas, and upgraded break room facilities for employees.
Dot currently employs more than 40 people at its Calgary location. The expansion is expected to create 35 new jobs in warehousing, truck driving, and administration over the next three years.
Dot Foods Canada launched operations in 2016 through the acquisition of Canadian redistributor Marketwest and initially operated facilities in Calgary and Brampton, Ontario. In 2023, the company built a 168,875-square-foot distribution center in Ingersoll and closed operations at its leased Brampton location.
“We see so much potential in the Canadian market,” said George Eversman, president of Dot Foods. “That’s why we continue to invest in larger facilities. The new Calgary distribution center gives us the space and infrastructure to continue to grow and to operate more efficiently and better serve our customers in Western Canada. It also reflects our long-term commitment to the Calgary area, investing in the region and creating jobs.”
Texas crash data compromised, personal information potentially exposed
The Texas Department of Transportation has issued an alert notifying the public that a compromised account within its network “has led to improper downloads of a large number of crash records.” TxDOT is working to notify anyone affected.
On May 12, TxDOT identified unusual activity in its Crash Records Information System (CRIS). Further investigation revealed the activity originated from an account that was compromised and used to improperly access and download nearly 300,000 crash reports. TxDOT immediately disabled access from the compromised account.
Personal information included in crash records may contain: first and last name, mailing and/or physical address, driver license number, license plate number, car insurance policy number and other information. Notification, in this case, is not required by law, but TxDOT has taken proactive steps to inform the public by sending letters to notify the impacted individuals whose information was included in the crash reports.
Anyone who receives a letter about the issue is asked to call the dedicated assistance line at 1-833-918-5951 (toll-free), Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, excluding U.S. holidays, and be prepared to provide the engagement number included in the letter, TxDOT said.
TxDOT is implementing additional security measures for accounts to help prevent similar incidents in the future. The compromise is under investigation.
