Award-Winning Regional Journal of the Arkansas Trucking Association


Arkansas Trucking Report is owned by the Arkansas Trucking Association, Inc. and is published bimonthly by Matthews Publishing Group. For additional copies, to order reprints of individual articles or to become a subscriber to ATR, contact Abby Lloyd at 501.372.3462.


publisher JENNIFER MATTHEWS Matthews Publishing Group,


jennifer@matthewspublishing.com executive editor


SHANNON NEWTON


managing editor BETHANY MAY


contributing writers brawnersteve@mac.com


JENNIFER BARNETT REED jbreed13@gmail.com JIM HARRIS


jimharris@arktimes.com art director JON D. KENNEDY


The Freelance Co. LLC, freelanceco@comcast.net production editors


SARAH SHEETS, KATIE THOMASON illustrator


BRENT BENNETT


brentdraw@att.net photographers


JON D. KENNEDY, BOB OCKEN, JOHN DAVID PITTMAN STEVE BRAWNER


stravis@gmail.com SPENCER WATSON


sswatson@gmail.com


I think most of us believe that the trucking industry’s image needs some improvement. I wonder, in the absence of any real data, why we make this assumption.


Are we giving too much power to a vocal minority that may be driving the discussion? Is it the high profile, typically negative and misunderstood media coverage? Have we become so defensive about what we imagine our industry’s image to be that we have come to accept it as fact?


Well, I’m happy to report a recent poll commissioned by the American Trucking Associations suggests that the public’s image of the trucking industry is actually very positive.


www.arkansastrucking.com president


SHANNON SAMPLES NEWTON


shannonnewton@arkansastrucking.com director of operations


SARAH NEWMAN SHEETS sarahsheets@arkansastrucking.com


communications coordinator BETHANY MAY


bethanymay@arkansastrucking.com


corporate services coordinator KATIE THOMASON


katiethomason@arkansastrucking.com


executive assistant ABBY LLOYD


abbylloyd@arkansastrucking.com


CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD CRAIG HARPER


Executive Vice President & COO BOARD OF DIRECTORS


MARR LYNN BEARDEN Marrlin Transit, Inc. President


Central States Manufacturing, Inc. Transportation Director


ALLEN BERRY


GREG CARMAN Carman, Inc. President


P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. President & CEO


DAN CUSHMAN


Star Transportation, Inc. Vice President


AL HERINGER IV Transportation Director


Risk Management and Safety PHILIP MAHONEY


Distribution Solutions, Inc. CEO, Owner


Vice President, Truck Sales MIKE MCNUTT


Truck Centers of Arkansas


Executive Vice President SCOTT MANCHESTER


Great West Casualty Co. Executive Vice President,


JEFF LESTER USA Truck


Tyson Foods, Inc. BLUE KEENE


Morris Transportation, Inc. President


MARK MORRIS


U of A/Walton College of Business Chair of Transportation


DR. JOHN OZMENT


Executive Vice President & COO G.E. “BUTCH” RICE III


FedEx Freight PAT REED


Stallion Transportation Group President & CEO


Walmart Transportation Senior Vice President


TRACY ROSSER


GARY SALISBURY Fikes Truck Line Chairman & CEO


ABF Freight System, Inc. President & CEO


ROY SLAGLE


Wayne Smith Trucking, Inc. President


WAYNE SMITH


VICKI JONES STEPHENS C.C. Jones, Inc. President


STEVE WILLIAMS Maverick USA


Chairman & CEO


An affiliate of the American Trucking Associations


Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) is an Arkansas corporation of trucking companies, private carrier fleets and businesses which serve or supply the trucking industry. ATA serves these companies as a governmental affairs representative before legislative, regulatory and executive branches of government on issues that affect the trucking industry. The organization also provides public relations services, workers’ compensation insurance, operational services and serves as a forum for industry meetings and membership relations. For information, contact ATA at: 1401 West Capitol, Suite 185 Post Office Box 3476 (72203) Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Phone 501.372.3462 Fax 501.376.1810 www.arkansastrucking.com


ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 5 2014


Drivers Legal Plan Drivers Legal Plan


So what now? The poll is clear. The majority of Americans have a favorable outlook on the trucking industry. How can we use this information to benefit our membership?


I believe these poll numbers are suggesting that our advocacy efforts should be less apologetic, less defensive. Promoting the good that so many in this industry do as well as the critical, efficient and responsible role that trucking plays in our economy is a great story, a great American story. It is our story.


This poll shows a majority of the public knows our story. And they like it. Now we know they like it. True, we doubted. But just as we operated under a false assumption, we can be sure that many of our elected leaders and others important to our cause are as well.


Emboldened by the public’s support and our renewed industry self-confidence, we must redouble our efforts to educate our public officials, lawmakers and the media of our industry’s commitment to safety and on just how essential (and liked) trucking really is.


Shannon Newton President


Arkansas Trucking Association 7


J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.


Among the highlights of the poll: 65% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the trucking industry, compared to just 9% unfavorable; 80% of Americans believe truck drivers are safer than passenger vehicle drivers; 90% of respondents believe passenger vehicle drivers are more likely to speed than truck drivers; and 74% of respondents think in accidents involving a car and a truck, the passenger vehicle driver is at fault.


“This is really good news for the industry; the safety numbers are extraordinary,” Newhouse told those of us in attendance. “There’s a consensus across the country that truck drivers are much safer, much more diligent, they’re less likely to speed and cause crashes than passenger car drivers.”


As an industry we’ve been communicating these messages for years through programs like Share the Road, America’s Road Team and the current Trucking Moves America Forward campaign.


The poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and presented to attendees of the annual ATA Management Conference & Exhibition by co-founder Neil Newhouse, a prominent pollster for the 2012 Romney campaign.


jdschulz@aol.com SCOTT TRAVIS


JOHN SCHULZ


UP FRONT


THEY LIKE US, THEY REALLY LIKE US. As an industry, we talk a lot about image. We worry about public opinion.


It’s only natural. After all, who doesn’t want to be loved?


While image is not everything, it certainly has an impact, from driver and industry recruitment to regulatory, legislative or public policy actions.


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