Truckers asked for feedback on detention impacts

Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, March 26, 2024:

ATRI launches driver survey on detention time effect

The American Transportation Research Institute on Tuesday issued a call for truck drivers to provide data on their detention experiences at customer facilities. This latest data collection is part of a larger ATRI study examining the effects of detention in trucking.

Earlier this year, ATRI asked owner-operators and motor carriers to participate in a similar survey, covering how time spent waiting at facilities impacts operations.

This new short survey asks truck operators to share details confidentially on their experience with driver detention and how it impacts day-to-day life, professional livelihood and perceptions of the trucking business. While at the Mid-America Trucking Show last week, ATRI staff collected more than 250 surveys from truck drivers in attendance. This online version now provides the opportunity for drivers nationwide to provide their input into this critical research.

“Drivers routinely rank detention/delay at customer facilities among their top industry concerns,” said ATRI President Rebecca Brewster. “This research will update our 2019 analysis on detention to see how and if things have changed post-pandemic.”

Truck drivers are encouraged to complete the survey by clicking here. The survey will remain open through April 26.

[Related: Turn up the heat on detention: How truckers can calculate a fair rate to compensate for delays] 

Women in Trucking names Drivers of the Year

Deb LaBree, Jodi Edwards and Carmen Anderson are the 2024 Women in Trucking Association Drivers of the Year.Women in Trucking Association

The Women in Trucking Association announced on March 22 three drivers as the winners of the fifth annual Driver of the Year award, sponsored by Walmart.

The 2024 Drivers of the Year are: 

• Carmen Anderson, America’s Service Line 
• Deb LaBree, Castle Transport LLC, leased to Landstar
• Jodi Edwards, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.

The announcement was made during the Salute to Women Behind the Wheel event, hosted by WIT at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky. The event honors female commercial drivers for their efforts and successes in the trucking industry. 

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“All of these deserving drivers are members of the WIT Image Team,” said Jennifer Hedrick, WIT president and CEO. “They represent the WIT mission and participate in ride-along events for legislators, regulators, and industry leaders to provide a deeper understanding of the obstacles they face on the road. They also speak to the media and other industry professionals at public events and industry trade shows.” 

Anderson, a company driver at America’s Service Line, has 2.5 million safe-driving miles. In 2015, she won the South Dakota Truck Driving championship and went on to compete in nationals in St. Louis. Two years later, she was selected for the Wisconsin Road Team. In August 2019, she was named the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association (WMCA) Driver of the Month. She also won the WMCA 2019 Driver of the Year, the first woman to be named the sole recipient of the award.

LaBree became a professional truck driver in 2006. She is an independent owner-operator of Castle Transport LLC and has been leased to Landstar since June 2014. She is well-known for mentoring other owner-operators within Landstar and has received the Bronze and Silver Star of Quality awards from Landstar for customer service and mentorship.  

[Related: Trucker of the Year Jay Hosty nets new Bostrom seat, custom replica of his 2006 Western Star 4900EX] 

LaBree has been a team driver with her husband, Del, for all her career. She has received the safety award every year since she began driving and was named a NASTC Driver of the Year in 2020.

Edwards has been a professional driver with J.B. Hunt for more than 25 years, during which she has driven more than 2 million miles collision-free. Throughout her career, Edwards has exemplified a passion for safety and professionalism and is an encouraging advocate for women entering the transportation industry. Among her many accomplishments, she has been named Driver of the Year for her region and has received multiple safe driving awards at J.B. Hunt. 

Three Highway Angels of the Year crowned

Professional truck drivers Anthony Blunnie of Knight Transportation, Dawna Jacobsen of Erb Transport and Terry Reavis of Maverick Transportation were named the 2023 Highway Angels of the Year by the Truckload Carriers Association at the organization's annual conference Monday in Nashville. This is the first year that TCA has recognized more than one Highway Angel of the Year.

Anthony BlunnieBlunnie, on Feb. 15, 2023, witnessed a devastating crash while training a driver on I-20 in Jackson, Mississippi, that left a van in flames and its female driver in peril. Without hesitation, he instructed his trainee to pull over before grabbing his fire extinguisher and leaping into action, battling the fire, and breaking the van windows to extract her from the wreck with moments to spare before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

Dawna JacobsenJacobsen, on an evening in December 2022, was driving along Highway 11 in Northern Ontario and came across snowmobiler who'd been struck by a vehicle attempting to cross the highway. Upon witnessing the snowmobile accident, she maneuvered her truck to shield the boy and signal to other drivers to avoid the scene, protecting him from further injury.

Terry Reavis came across catastrophic collision on Feb. 19, 2023, on I-95 in Brunswick, Georgia, when he witnessed a pickup truck driving backwards across three lanes of traffic and got t-boned by an SUV.

Terry ReavisHe was one of the first on scene and didn't hesitate to assist, rescuing three children and aiding an injured woman until help arrived. His 27 years of experience and training as a first responder enabled him to manage one of the worst accidents he's ever seen, remarkably ensuring no lives were lost.

[Related: Shootout disrupted, crash victim saved in remote desert: Two Highway Hero winners]