the last word

The giant Great Dane statue standing in front of the headquarters of Great Dane Trailers in historic Savannah, GA, comes with a tale all its own. Originally erected in front of the Great Dane branch facility in Orlando, FL, in 1960, the 20-ft-high pooch withstood Hurricane Donna that year only to be overturned by Hurricane David in 1979 and again later by a tornado that passed through the city. The towering mascot was also toppled by a hit-and-run driver in the late ‘90s. Yet he hung tough, got put back on his feet and survived relocation to Savannah in 2001 when the Orlando location closed. Groomed with a fresh paint job, this truly Great Dane now helps welcome tourists and visitors to the Savannah area. Sorry giant dog fans but, oddly enough, we have no word on his name.

“We have said from day one that the [federal hours-of-service] rules as they stand need to be changed. They force drivers to work more hours with less rest over the course of a given week. Their safety and the citizens they share the roads with are put at risk because these rules only lead to increased driver fatigue.”
— James P. Hoffa, Teamsters general president

Mack Trucks, Inc. has awarded more than $155,000 to seven Lehigh Valley, PA-based non-profit organizations for community improvement projects under its Mack Community Grants program. The projects were chosen from some 60 proposals by a review committee of Mack employees. Recipients of the Mack Community Grants funding include Adult Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley; American Cancer Society; Burn Prevention Foundation; Minsi Trails Council, BSA; National Canal Museum; Valley Youth House; and Wildlands Conservancy. Mack notes that over the past two years, it has contributed more than $250,000 to community-improvement efforts through this grants program.

Green-tagious — Sorantine Express, Cedarville, NJ

Xtreme Transportation, Champaign, IL

Truckload carrier J.B. Hunt Transport Services ranks 11th among the Top 50 most military-friendly U.S. companies, according to the annual list compiled by G.I. Jobs magazine. Some 2,500 firms with annual revenues in excess of $1 billion were surveyed for the list and only three trucking companies made the Top 50, with J.B. Hunt ranking the highest. “We value the experience and leadership our employees with military backgrounds bring to J.B. Hunt,” said Kirk Thompson, the carrier's president & CEO. “They have helped make us one of the most successful transportation companies in North America.” The magazine ranks its winners based on their hiring of military veterans and their policies on National Guard and Reserve service.

(Quote)