Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019:
Truckers deliver 2.2 million wreaths to cemeteries for Wreaths Across America
Truck drivers from across the U.S. volunteered their time and rigs to make Wreaths Across America Day possible this past Saturday, Dec. 14. Truckers delivered 600 truckloads of wreaths, totaling 2.2 million wreaths, to cemeteries across the country.
Boyd Brothers Transportation helped deliver wreaths for this year’s Wreaths Across America event. Boyd Brothers was one of six Daseke companies to participate in Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 14. (Photo courtesy Daseke)The wreaths were placed on veterans’ gravestones as part of Wreaths Across America’s mission to “Remember the fallen, honor those that serve and their families, and teach the next generation the value of freedom.” At Arlington National Cemetery alone, 38,000 volunteers placed 254,000 wreaths.
Truckers helped distribute the wreaths to more than 1,600 cemeteries in the U.S.
“The theme for Wreaths Across America this year has been ‘everyone plays a part,’ and I am reminded daily how true this statement really is,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “As we grow to include new communities and honor and remember more veterans each year, it is clear, there is no role too small. We are grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support across the country.”
J.B. Hunt was one of many fleets that helped make National Wreaths Across America Day happen this year. This marked the fleet’s sixth consecutive year volunteering with WAA, with 86 of the fleet’s drivers delivering wreaths to cemeteries throughout the country.
Daseke, which owns a number of flatbed and specialized hauling fleets, had six member companies participating in the event, including E.W. Wylie, Lone Star Transportation, Smokey Point Distributing, Central Oregon Truck Company, Boyd Brothers Transportation and J Grady Randolph.
Some other fleets to participate in the event included Swift, Dart, H.O. Wolding, A. Duie Pyle and more.
National Wreaths Across America Day 2019 at Arlington National Cemetery!! Thank you to the 38,000 volunteers who came out to place 254,000 wreaths! #RememberHonorTeach
Posted by Wreaths Across America – Official Page on Saturday, December 14, 2019
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Love’s to add Bojangles restaurants to stores in four states
Love’s Travel Stops announced it will add 40 Bojangles restaurants at some of its locations in Illinois, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Mississippi. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based restaurant chain is known for its Cajun-spiced chicken and biscuits and other Southern favorites like sweet potato pie, biscuits and gravy, and dirty rice.
The locations will be managed by a dedicated Bojangles’-trained Love’s team, according to a statement from the two companies.
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OOIDA video shows owner-operators how to sign up for the CDL Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
As Overdrive wrote last week, owner-operators have expressed confusion and frustration over the requirements for the fast-approaching CDL Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse rule. Many readers were quick to note in comments on the Overdrive site and on Facebook that their registration process was mostly painless and straightforward. If you haven’t registered for the Clearinghouse yet, which is a requirement for independent owner-operators and small fleets, see this instructional video from OOIDA to learn how. Truckers can register at clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/register.
