One thing that trucking is known for is recognition. Recognition for accolades, milestones, achievements, and more for those in the industry who go above and beyond the call of duty. Whether that call is for safety, the betterment of the community, or the overall industry as a whole, trucking never fails to deliver. Here are five good things that happened in trucking this week.
TCA names five Highway Angels; calls for 2022 Highway Angel of the Year nominations
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named Matthew Marchand, Jean-Carlo Gachet, Robert Schuhl, Elwood Blackstock, and Greg Vandel as Highway Angels for their heroic deeds on the road.
- Marchand, from Ottawa, Canada, and driver with Premier Bulk Systems, was named a Highway Angel for providing emergency supplies to stranded motorists during I-95’s standstill near Stafford, Virginia. Read his full story here.
- Gachet, from Chester, Virginia, and driver with Abilene Motor Express, a Highway Angel for offering hot breakfast to stranded motorists during I-95’s standstill near Stafford, Virginia. Read his full story here.
- Schuhl, from Stockbridge, Georgia, and driver with ABF Freight System, was named a Highway Angel for rushing to the aid of a UPS driver whose truck overturned. Read his full story here.
- Blackstock, from Eden, North Carolina, and driver with Best Logistics Group, was named a Highway Angel for helping safely locate a missing elderly man described in a Silver Alert. Read his full story here.
- Vandal, from Strathmore, Alberta, Canada, and driver with Bison Transport, was named a Highway Angel for helping a stranded motorist, en route to a wedding, following a fire that destroyed his vehicle. Read his full story here.
For the first time ever, TCA is calling for a public nomination for 2022 Highway Angel of the Year, an award sponsored by Epicvue. Cast your vote here for the professional truck driver or team who best embodies the spirit of the program. Note: Only one vote per IP address, per day. The deadline to vote is Feb. 18.
SCF receives $50,000 from DDC FPO
The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) received a donation from a new corporate sponsor, DDC FPO, a strategic business process outsourcing (BPO) partner for the transportation and logistics industries.
“We are thrilled to receive such a generous donation and have the support of a company like DDC FPO, that recognizes the trucking industry is the backbone of our economy and professional drivers are the heart of the industry,” Shannon Currier, director of philanthropy, said. “Thank you DDC FPO team for joining our mission and for being a hero to our highway heroes.”
DDC FPO presented the donation at a recent private cocktail reception that the company held during the week of the SMC3 Jump Start 2022 industry conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The presentation put SCF in the spotlight to raise awareness and tie in a fundraising dynamic with DDC FPO’s clients.
“Working in this industry, we understand the critical role that transportation plays in both the global economy as well as in individuals’ daily lives and well-being,” said Madison Conway, DDC FPO’s global marketing director. “The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund takes care of the very special group of people who make it all possible, our truck drivers and their families when they need it most. It is our honor to support you in this effort.”
Ruan VP appointed to One Warm Coat board of directors
Ryan Frederiksen, VP of operations at Ruan, has been selected to serve on One Warm Coat’s board of directors. One Warm Coat is a national nonprofit organization that provides free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability.
Since 1992, One Warm Coat has worked with volunteers and sponsors to hold more than 40,000 coat drives, collecting nearly 7 million coats that have been distributed to people in need through a network of more than 1,000 nonprofit partners across all 50 states.
“I am delighted to serve on the One Warm Coat board because of the tremendous reach of this organization,” Frederiksen said. “While technically a national nonprofit, One Warm Coat is designed to serve individual communities by connecting coat drives with local nonprofits in need.”
To kickstart his board term, Ryan organized Ruan’s first annual One Warm Coat Drive at our headquarters in Des Moines, IA. Ruan team members and tenants in the Ruan Center donated more than 50 coats and numerous winter weather accessories for children and adults in need of warmth.
“We are grateful for the hard work and support of Ryan Frederiksen,” said One Warm Coat President and CEO Beth Amodio. “We’re thrilled the Des Moines Ruan employees came together to provide warmth for your neighbors in need. Thanks to Ruan for sharing warmth one coat at a time.”
WIT launches survey to collect gender diversity data
The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) is encouraging companies in transportation to complete a survey that collects data on gender diversity in the industry. The data will be used to develop this year’s version of the WIT Index, which is the official industry barometer to regularly benchmark and measure the percentage of women who are professional drivers, in corporate positions, and serve on boards of directors.
WIT is requesting for-hire trucking companies, private fleets, transportation intermediaries, railroads, ocean carriers, equipment manufacturers, and technology companies to report the percentage of women in various roles of their workforce. This year, WIT has expanded its collection on the percentage of women in additional functional roles, including operations, technicians, human resources and talent management, and marketing.
“By ensuring we have gender diversity in the marketplace, our overall industry benefits from increased creativity and innovation,” said Ellen Voie, president and CEO of WIT, who spearheaded the launch of the first WIT Index in 2016. “Through more gender diversity, individual companies also can ultimately tap into more people who have the right skill sets and talents they need in their workforce.”
Data reporting will be kept strictly confidential and data will be reported only as aggregate totals of respondents. Participating companies in the survey will receive at no cost an executive summary of the 2022 WIT Index, which will enable them to benchmark their gender diversity practices against other companies in transportation.
Individuals completing the survey must be authorized respondents from the company and can report their data via the live survey through April 1.
UPS driver helps blind woman find Uber
Jeremy Watson, a UPS driver, delivered more than just a package on Feb. 4. When making a delivery, Watson saw a lady standing on a corner. After realizing she was blind, he inquired if she needed help—which in fact, she did.
The lady explained how she was trying to locate her Uber, but couldn’t find it. Watson noticed the Uber across the busy, snowy intersection and lent her a hand.
"I asked her if she needed some help and she said yeah, I'd love some help,” Watson told CBS58. “So I grabbed her arm and we walked across the street."
Watson didn't think much of it, but a woman nearby did. That woman, Shari Engstrom, took pictures and posted the act of kindness on social media.
“As a woman with sight challenges looked around,” Engstrom said in her LinkedIn post. “I wondered how I could park, get out and help her through the construction chaos, but this awesome human was there!!”
Watson wasn't looking for recognition when he stepped in to help, but he hopes his example will encourage others to deliver kindness.
"If all of us keep doing that, It just makes the world a better place to live in, safer and wonderful," Watson said. "That's me, I'm happy 24/7," Watson said. "Life is great, life is wonderful."
