$1,000 Winner
The eTrucker.com Money for Miles program’s most recent winner was Gary Gudenkauf of Wyoming, Iowa. For more information on the sweepstakes, visit www.eTrucker.com.
Blood Drives
More than 130 truckstops last year raised 3,590 pints of blood via the NATSO Foundation’s Drive to Save Lives. Muralt’s Ambest Travel Plaza in Missoula, Mont., collected 531 pints in the state’s largest blood collection effort. Other large collections were made at TravelCenters of America locations in Gallup, N.M., Barstow, Calif., and Greencastle, Pa. The American Association of Blood Banks honored the NATSO Foundation’s blood collection efforts with the Outstanding Achievement Award.
More PrePass
PrePass has opened two new sites in Florida, bringing the state’s total to 16 and 230 in all PrePass states combined. The new sites are located along the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-10 at Ellaville. PrePass enables qualified carriers to bypass weigh stations by using electronic sensors in the trucks. PrePass, which operates in 24 states, expects to open 37 more sites soon.
Ford Racing to Use International Trucks
Ford Racing outfitted itself with 35 International 9400i Series 6Ă—4 tractors to haul leading NASCAR teams throughout the country this season. Beginning this year, the International trucks will transport team vehicles and equipment for Ford teams such as Robert Yates Racing, Roush Racing and Wood Brothers Racing. The trucks will be hauling equipment in the NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck series.
Flying J Founder Killed in Plane Crash
Flying J founder and chairman of the board, O. Jay Call, and two passengers were killed March 15 in a plane crash. Call, who had been a pilot for about 40 years, was flying Richard “Buzz” Germer and wife Irene to their home in Hailey, Idaho. The jet crashed in mountainous terrain about seven miles southeast of the Friedman Memorial Airport in Hailey. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Call, 62, started Flying J in 1968 with four retail gas stations. Today, the company boasts 167 travel plazas.
Faster Internet
High-speed Internet access will become available at more than 1,000 truckstops nationwide via an agreement between three companies. IBM and Texas-based Rocksteady Networks announced they would provide the Washington-based Columbia Advanced Wireless Network with the infrastructure to provide high-speed wireless Internet. Rocksteady software will be used on IBM Intel-based servers running Linux, which will allow truckers to connect through these wireless local area networks. CAW said use of its wireless Internet card is 20 times faster than a dial-up connection. Truckers will need a laptop and a PCMCIA card. For more information, visit www.cawinc.com.
Award Finalist
Overdrive Editor Linda Longton’s “Viewpoint” editorial was a finalist in the 2003 Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards, which were presented in March at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The contest drew nearly 1,100 entrants.
The award program created by American Business Media recognizes excellence in business publications. With 17 years of trade journalism experience, Longton also serves as vice president of editorial for Randall Publishing Co., the parent company of Truckers News, Overdrive and CCJ.
Truckers Jamborees
All three Iowa 80 Group truck stops will be hosting Truckers Jamborees this summer. Iowa 80 Truckstop, I-80 Exit 284, will host the 24th Annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree July 10-11. It will feature an antique truck display, more than 200 exhibits, the Super Truck Beauty Contest, live entertainment, an Iowa pork chop cookout, trucker Olympics, and more. The other two Truckers Jamborees will feature similar events. The Joplin, Mo., Petro event, I-44 and Hwy 43, Exit 4, will be June 11-12, and the Oak Grove, Mo., Petro jamboree, I-70 Exit 28, will be July 24-25.
Hiring Drivers
Werner Enterprises is hiring 125 drivers to fill dedicated account positions in Ohio, 15 in Wisconsin and 10 drivers in Michigan. The carrier is hiring truckers who live within 50 miles of Columbus, Ohio; Howell, Mich.; and Oconomowoc, Wis. The Ohio and Michigan drivers will support Werner’s new Anheuser-Busch account while the Wisconsin drivers will haul for Target. For more information call (800) 637-8452 or visit at www.werner.com.
Ohio Fuel Changes
Ohio lawmakers passed a transportation bill that hikes fuel taxes 6 cents by 2005 but also phases out a diesel surcharge by that year.
The nearly $5 billion, two-year transportation budget would be effective July 1.
While everyone will be hit with a state fuel tax increase of 2 cents per year, truckers would lose the 3-cent fuel tax differential they pay on top of state fuel taxes.
