Operations

Your Nov. 11 Pre-Trip: Retired trucker, WWII vet shares story

Nov. 11, 2015

Ernie Hobbs, 92, used to work at a trucking company in Ottawa, KS. He is also a veteran who served during World War II, according to The Kansan.

Cristina Commendatore

Here are five things worth knowing today: Ernie Hobbs, 92, used to work at a trucking company in Ottawa, KS. He is also a veteran who served during World War II, according to The Kansan. For Veteran’s Day, The Kansan interviewed Hobbs and captured some of the poignant stories he recalled from his days serving in the 752nd Tank Battalion, driving a tank in North Africa before heading to Italy for combat. His battalion, according to the report, ended up receiving the President Unit Citation. The Kansan has more. According to The Hill, Senate lawmakers appointed negotiators to sit in on highway funding negotiations with the House. Lawmakers believe they can reach an agreement in time to get a highway funding bill to President Barack Obama before the Nov. 20 deadline. The Hill has more.When it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America, suggests that adjusting speed limits and improving the nation’s highway infrastructure are the next steps in reducing emissions and conserving fuel, according to a Fleet Equipment Magazine editorial. The editorial also outlines proposed strategies from the American Transportation Research Institute regarding interstate congestion, fuel consumption and infrastructure investments.Several people in Woodbury County, Iowa, are rallying around Leroy McRoberts Trucking, which is under scrutiny for allegedly violating a county ordinance. According to KTIV, weeks ago, a neighbor complained that the business is an “eyesore,” and now neighbors are showing their support for the company.Kentucky has won a social media trophy at this year’s AASHTO’s Subcommittee on Transportation Communications Awards competition for its use of Facebook last winter, according to The Lane Report. The state’s transportation information officers leveraged Facebook by providing real-time conditions, forecasts and other data after storms dumped more than a foot of snow across the state last year.

About the Author

Cristina Commendatore

Cristina Commendatore was previously the Editor-in-chief of FleetOwner magazine. She reported on the transportation industry since 2015, covering topics such as business operational challenges, driver and technician shortages, truck safety, and new vehicle technologies. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut.