The polar vortex set off prolonged, extreme cold throughout most of the lower 48 states this week that led to damage-destroying snow and ice from the Northeast to the Southwest. And while that bitter cold is expected to continue into next week, warm up your heart with these five good things that happened in trucking this week.
XPO Logistics dockworkers bet on the SuperBowl to pay it forward
SuperBowlLV ended with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers win and a win for Tampa Bay families who received the generosity of some XPO Logistic dockworkers.
The dock crew in Tampa Bay took their love of football to their wallets and bet on their “beloved Buccaneers would make it to the SuperBowl.”
According to XPO Logistics’ tweet, when the team made it, the dock workers “put all the winnings toward buying more than 760 lbs. of food for Feeding Tampa Bay,” which equals more than 600 meals.
In the words of XPO, "Now, that’s what champions are made of."
TCA reveals this week’s Highway Angels
This week, the Truckload Carriers Association has named four Highway Angels for their heroic acts on the road.
Kloe Myers and John Dowdy, a Hirschbach Motor Lines driving team from Thomaston, Ga., were dubbed as Highway Angels for springing into action and extinguishing flames at the scene of a car fire.
Ty Mauzerolle, a Prime Inc. driver, was named a Highway Angel for stopping at the scene of a fatal two-car accident and working to rescue a nine-year-old boy.
Jackie Burnette, a Mountain River Trucking from Woodlawn, Va., was named a Highway Angel for his caring support of a young driver following a hit-and-run incident that pushed her vehicle against his tractor-trailer.
Penske Logistics announced Class of 2020 Driver Wall of Fame recipients
Penske Logistics revealed the Class of 2020 Driver Wall of Fame inductees and members of the Platinum, Gold and Silver classes as part of the company’s Premier Driver Recognition Program for its professional truck drivers in the U.S. and Canada.
The Premier Driver Recognition Program has four levels to honor consecutive safe driving without an accident: Diamond (20 years), Platinum (15 years), Gold (10 years) and Silver (five years). The 18 members of the 2020 Driver Wall of Fame are Diamond Class members.
The Penske Logistics 2020 Driver Wall of Fame inductees:
- Perry Bastian, Pennsylvania
- Kevin Baty, Michigan
- Esequiel Carmona, Texas
- Saturnino Garcia, California
- Gabriel Gurrola, Texas
- Ronald Hayduke, Tennessee
- David Hertzberg, Michigan
- Randolph Jezewski, Michigan
- Joseph Kilgo, Ohio
- Ricky Kiper, Kansas
- Robert Morgan, Maryland
- Robert Morris, Ohio
- James Reda, Michigan
- Donald Reinert, Michigan
- Gregory Sabo, Michigan
- Chris Secord, Ontario
- Roland Simpson, Michigan
- Mark Willoughby, Michigan
“We are very proud to welcome all four classes of our Premier Driver Recognition Program,” said Marc Althen, Penske Logistics’ president. “While the Diamond Class is especially impressive, our Platinum, Gold and Silver classes have also achieved stellar status in their professional truck driving careers. Their continued dedication to servicing our customers safely and professionally is the benchmark for all drivers across our industry.”
Ann Arbor Public Schools, DTE Energy feed students on a zero-emission school bus
In Ann Arbor, Mich., public school buildings are still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The public school district in Ann Arbor has partnered with DTE Energy to put its new zero-emission electric school buses to good use - to deliver meals to students in Ann Arbor and Roseville schools through federal food assistance programs.
“We are thrilled to help deploy these electric buses as another proof point of our clean energy plan at DTE,” said Trevor Lauer, president and COO of DTE Electric. “From renewable energy deployment to our Charging Forward program offering incentives on electric vehicle chargers, our goal is to continue to lead locally and nationally on combatting climate change.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, in collaboration with MAPT and the Volkswagen Beneficiary Mitigation Plan, provided funding for the buses.
“We appreciate the Ann Arbor and Roseville school districts as well as our state and business partners for working with us to further these goals,” Lauer added.
UPS driver helps Indiana couple get up snowy driveway
Icy and snowy weather conditions made it difficult for Rita and Bill Kollmar of St. John, Ind., to make it up their driveway, but a nearby UPS driver was able to help by being at the right place at the right time.
According to 5 Chicago, the driver, Eddie DeLuna had just delivered a package at the Kollmar’s house when he noticed their car was struggling to make it up the steep driveway.
“When they were trying to pull up, their car kept sliding down,” DeLuna said.
Kollmar just recently had back surgery and his wife had a broken shoulder, so the couple knew they would need help to make it to their house.
DeLuna helped Kollmar’s wife out of the passenger side of the vehicle, up the driveway and into the garage.
“We had to take a couple breaks because she was in so much pain that she had to stop and take like a quick breather,” DeLuna said.
The couple made it inside their house and thanked DeLuna for his assistance.
“Not only did he stop and help, but he also went beyond,” said Kollmar. “He made sure we got in the house.”
Kollmar’s wife added, “We had the UPS driver who was an angel who was posing as a UPS driver."
