Newsline
11-1-2021 | Issue 21
This Edition of the Newsline brought to you by:
2021 NEWSLINE SPONSORSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE
We are now taking commitments for the 2021 Newsline Sponsorships. If your company would like to be a sponsor, please contact Carol Foster at (615) 777-2882 or [email protected] to reserve your edition. The cost will be $300.00 per edition with your logo and a link to your website. If you would like a banner ad linked to your website it would be $500.00 per edition. There will be a total of 24 editions this year.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL THAT SPONSORED IN 2020!!!

We would like to thank the attached members for their support of the Tennessee Trucking Association in sponsoring TTA Newsline's for 2020. We appreciate your continued support.
Upcoming Events
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Logistics Management Company | TeamOne Logistics, LLC

TeamOne Logistics is a nationally recognized workforce expert focused on asset-based transportation and logistics, along with staffing and warehousing.

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www.teamonelogistics.com
Brian Mitchell, Sr. Regional Sales Manager
TeamOne
960 North Point Pkwy Ste 300
Alpharetta, GA 50005
Phone: (678) 481-4067
About Commerce Bank

Skip To Main Content At Commerce Bank, we know life's best moments can come with financial challenges. Our mission? To help people and businesses solve financial challenges so they can focus on the things that matter most.

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www.commercebank.com
Dan Joniak, Senior Relationship Manager
Commerce Bank
1201 Demonbreun St., #960
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 503-2607
OPTIMARA: African Violets, House Plants and Care Products

2021 Catalogs New Varieties Space Violets Online & Mail Order Variety Identification Care Instructions Optimara Products Ceramic Plant Ware Special Occasion Awards Received AVSA 2014 Show Safety Data for Optimara Fertilizer Other Optimra Sites...

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optimara.com
Reinhold Holtkamp, President
Optimara Distribution, Inc.
1501 Lischey Ave
Nashville, TN 37207
Phone: (615) 513-9359
Business Phones, Plans, Wireless Solutions | T-Mobile...

During congestion, Advanced customers using >100GB/mo. may notice reduced speeds until next bill cycle due to data prioritization; Select customers may notice speeds lower than other customers and further reduction if using >50GB/mo., due to data ...

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www.t-mobile.com
Fawaz Anbar, Business Sales Manager
T-Mobile For Business
1601 Bridgecrest Drive
Antioch, TN 37013
Phone: (703) 679-2270
CHAIRMAN'S CORNER
Jeff Reed
Skyline Transportation, Inc.
Greetings and welcome to the November edition of the TTA Newsline. 

With so much going on recently it’s hard to determine what to comment on. Politics, sports, inflation, economics, supply chain, infrastructure, border crisis, and of course Covid 19 all seem to be competing to see which can outdo the other. At any given point any of these can be exciting, divisive, uniting, heartwarming, or disheartening.

Every time I travel or enter a new place, I’m confused as to if I should be vaxxed or unvaxxed, masked or un-masked, socially distanced or not, and even which restroom I’m supposed to use.  Many of you may know that my dad passed away in December of 2018 which was prior to covid and the massive ripple effects it has caused. I think it’s safe to say that if he were able to rejoin us, he would be in complete disbelief at how different our world is today. (Then he would share one of his many jokes or stories, make us laugh, and distract us from the craziness for a bit).

Since this is November and the month of Thanksgiving, one thing I’ll share that I am thankful for through it all is the stability and comfort that comes from being a Tennessean, a Trucker, and a member of the TTA. All three are grounded, vigilant, and dependable. As I write this commentary our state legislature has convened a special session to address the many issues the citizens and businesses of Tennessee are facing. I want to assure our members that Dave and Donna, along with Dale Allen and his colleagues at Adams and Reese, are engaged and leveraging their influence to represent the interest of our members as well as their employees and families during this special session. It’s up to the rest of us to support them by communicating with our representatives and allowing our voices to be heard!

Until next time, enjoy this upcoming Thanksgiving with your family and friends, be engaged, and stay safe out there!
TTA WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF SAFETY
"We are pleased to welcome Marty Pollock to the TTA as the newest member of our team as our Director of Safety! We believe his addition is right in line with our Association’s motto of Safely Keeping Tennessee on the Move! We look forward to him assisting the safety efforts of all our member companies and helping us to educate all Tennesseans on how to safely share the road with a commercial vehicle," Dave Huneryager says. Marty is a 32-year veteran of The Highway Patrol and recently retired as the Lieutenant of the Research, Planning & Development Division. He has extensive knowledge in traffic safety analysis, policy and procedure, strategic planning, and project management. He was instrumental in maintaining compliance with state and federal regulations for the department. “We are very excited that Marty is joining our team. He is going to be a valuable assist to our Association” commented Donna England. "I am honored to work with the TTA. It is a great organization with a fine group of people. I look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with our members while continuing to further the TTA's mission to serve motor carriers with excellence and integrity while advancing highway safety." Marty says. 

Please join us in welcoming Marty to the TTA! His email address is [email protected].
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
SPORTING CLAY SHOOT - NOVEMBER 3, 2021
There's still time to register! Please join us for our Sporting Clay event on November 3, 2021. This event will start at 8:00 am CST with our Crazy Quail kick-off game! This will be followed by the sporting clay shoot immediately after with a 10 am CST shotgun start. Lunch will be at 12 pm CST. This event is open to all skill levels. No shooting experience is necessary. Safety Officers will be on hand to assist.
 
Registration fee: $195.00 per shooter ($780 for a Team of 4) which includes ammo, gun rental, 75 targets, eye/ear protection, and lunch.
 
Crazy quail costs $20 for 25 targets. You must provide ammo for the Crazy Quail which is available from the gun club.
DONNA ENGLAND TALKS ABOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN WITH FORMER GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE. WATCH NOW!
Donna England appeared on the Huckabee show that aired on Saturday, October 23, 2021.
EAST TENNESSEE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SIGN DEDICATION TO BOB PEMBERTON
On Wednesday, October 20th, Lucy Pemberton and her family, along with several Pemberton Truck Line employees, joined Chairman Jeff Reed, Hal Dowland from PrePass, and TTA President Dave Huneryager at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. They were all there to dedicate a sign on an emergency room at the hospital in honor of Bob Pemberton for his work on the East Tennessee Big Rigs for Little Kids event. Bob loved this event and for many years spearheaded the effort to raise thousands of dollars for the hospital through this annual event. We are proud to honor his memory through this recognition.
Back Row L to R: Jeff Reed, Dave Huneryager, Hal Dowland, Lucy Pemberton, Sydney Pemberton, Sarah Pemberton, Kelli Pemberton, Michael Pemberton, Nannette Porter Rouse, Andrew Pemberton, and Axon Minhinnett

Middle row L to R: Kimberly Pemberton and John Pemberton

Front row L to R: Holly Pemberton, Christopher Pemberton, and David Pemberton
FAST FORWARD EXPERT ROUNDTABLE, EPISODE 29: ENTRY-LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING FOR TRUCKING - NOVEMBER 3RD AT 10 AM CDT
Join hosts Mark Rhea, Jeremy Rose and Craig Hart on November 3rd at 10:00 am CDT as they discuss the FMCSA Entry-Level Driver Training changes coming in 2022 and how Infinit-I Workforce Solutions is prepared with certified content to prepare you ahead of February 2022.

February 2022, Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) will be required for all new truck drivers. While this won’t affect currently licensed drivers, it will affect new hires:

  • Obtaining a Class B or Class A CDL for the first time;
  • Upgrading from a Class B to a Class A CDL; or
  • Pursuing a school bus (S), passenger (P), or hazardous materials (H) endorsement for the first time.

You need to be ready to meet these new legal requirements and prepared to seek training for new hires that meet FMCSA specifications. We are here to help you with that.
Learn how to keep new drivers compliant and how to meet these new requirements using the Infinit-I Workforce Solutions platform. We want to help you meet your training needs without extra hassle with ELDT content that is as easy to use as all our safety training solutions.

Our ELDT training is maintained, taught, and certified by Vertical Alliance Group. Best of all, current clients get the training at NO EXTRA COST!*
18 Wheels During the Week, Two Wheels on the Weekend

from CVSA Guardian Magazine - Third Quarter 2021 by CVSA - By Tim Chelette, Big G Express - I have been a professional truck driver for almost 20 years and have spent almost 16 of those with Big G Express. Throughout my career, I have accumulated...

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issuu.com
TENNESSEE TRUCKING ASSOCIATION CONGRATULATES SMARTWAY TRANSPORT PARTNERS WHO ARE RECIPIENTS OF A US EPA 2021 SMARTWAY EXCELLENCE AWARD
Award Recipients Are Top Environmental Performers and Leaders for Freight Supply Chain Efficiency

Many of our members were honored with a SmartWay® Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as true industry leaders in freight supply chain environmental performance and energy efficiency. These companies represent the top performing, environmentally-responsible SmartWay Partners that move more goods more miles with lower emissions and less energy. Excellence Award recipients were announced at a virtual press event hosted by the EPA with its SmartWay Partners, key stakeholders, and media in attendance. The award recipients are listed below.

  • ABF Freight System, Inc.
  • Danny Herman Trucking, Inc.
  • Hub Group Trucking
  • Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
  • Swift, Inc.
  • U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc.
  • Walmart Transportation LLC
  • Werner Enterprises, Inc.


About SmartWay
EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership is a market-driven initiative that empowers businesses to move goods in the cleanest, most energy-efficient way possible while protecting public health and reducing air pollution. Demonstrating a commitment to corporate sustainability and social responsibility through SmartWay provides for a more competitive business environment while enabling partners to make freight decisions that have a positive impact on efficiency and the environment.
 
Since 2004, SmartWay Partners have avoided emitting more than 143 million metric tons of CO2, 2.7 million tons NOX, and 112,000 tons PM, while saving $44.8 billion in fuel costs and 335 million barrels of oil -- equivalent to eliminating annual energy use in over 21 million homes.
SmartWay Excellence Awardees | US EPA

SmartWay Excellence Awardees lead their industries by improving freight efficiency and contributing to cleaner air throughout their supply chains. The Awardees are chosen from nearly 4,000 companies and organizations participating in SmartWay....

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www.epa.gov
SOUTH EAST TENNESSEE BIG RIGS
Our Southeast Tennessee Big Rigs for Little Kids Golf Tournament was held on October 13, 2021. We were able to raise $12,772.24 for the Shriners Alhambra Temple Transportation Fund, which provides transportation to children in need of specialized medical services, and the TTA Scholarship Fund. Thank you to everyone who sponsored and participated! We greatly appreciate you!
INDUSTRY NEWS
CARRIERS URGED TO PARTICIPATE IN TECH-CELERATE ADAS SURVEY
The American Transportation Research Institute – working with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other trucking industry stakeholders – is researching trucking safety technologies that are often described as “advanced driver assistance systems” (ADAS). The FMCSA-sponsored program, better known as Tech-Celerate Now, is documenting carrier and truck driver issues and opportunities that can speed up, or slow down, adoption of these technologies in trucks. The research team is now conducting the second survey of carriers and drivers to better understand how ADAS awareness and perspectives have changed since the program commenced.  Results of the survey will be released in early 2022. Carriers can take the survey by clicking on the below button.
CVSA Releases 2021 Brake Safety Week Results

Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. inspected 35,764 commercial motor vehicles during this year's Brake Safety Week, a seven-day inspection and enforcement initiative aimed at inspecting commercial motor vehicles...

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www.cvsa.org
October 21, 2021
  
Dear ATA Member:
 
I wanted to update you on the latest developments regarding the Administration’s vaccine mandate proposal, as well provide relevant resources to help your companies navigate this issue.
 
Since OSHA sent its proposed rule—which has not yet been made public—to the White House on October 12, we have been in constant communication with Administration officials to convey our serious concerns over the impact such a policy will have on the trucking industry and our ability to keep the nation’s supply lines moving.
 
This evening, we submitted official comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs—the White House office responsible for reviewing the draft Emergency Temporary Standard before it can go into effect. Our letter formally requests that the Administration:
  1. Exempt truck drivers from the ETS, in the same manner that Canada has in its national vaccine mandate;
  2. Ensure fleets that hold federal contracts are not subject to overlapping, contradictory requirements; and
  3. Allow for a reasonable implementation deadline of at least 90 days.
Thanks to data provided by ATA members, we have detailed the grave consequences that a misguided rule would have on our nation’s supply chain, which is already under enormous strain. We have made clear that our industry can ill-afford further disruptions as we carry out the vital work of delivering vaccines, PPE, medical supplies, food, water, gasoline, and other essential goods.
 
It bears repeating that no rule—draft or otherwise—has been made public to date. Although we hope the Administration heeds our concerns, we are prepared to respond to every possible outcome, with all options on the table, including potential legal action if necessary.
 
In the meantime, we have prepared this toolkit, including frequently asked questions, to help you and your employees better understand what is undoubtedly a complex topic and complicated rulemaking process.
We will keep you updated with additional developments.
  
Best, 
Chris
ATA Names Ninth Class to LEAD ATA Program | American...

Nashville, Tennessee - Today, the American Trucking Associations welcomed 13 executives into the association's LEAD ATA leadership training program during the annual ATA Management Conference and Exhibition. "In order to continue growing into the ...

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www.trucking.org
Trucking Workforce Issues Top the List of Industry Concerns

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rebecca Brewster (404) 247-8787 October 24, 2021 Nashville, Tennessee - Today, the American Transportation Research Institute, the trucking industry's not-for-profit research organization, released its 17th annual...

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truckingresearch.org
LEGISLATIVE CORNER
Dale Allen, Adams and Reese, LLP 

The Tennessee General Assembly just recently concluded a Special Session limited to the legislature approving financial incentives for the major Ford Motor Company project in West Tennessee. That Special Session wrapped up business in 3 days approving nearly $900,000,000 in incentives that will assist with bringing the largest single manufacturing investment ever to Tennessee. This will create thousands of new jobs in West Tennessee, fulfilling a long-term commitment to the Memphis Regional Mega Site.
 
As announced on October 20, 2021, enough signatures have been obtained in the Senate and the House of the legislature (two-thirds of each body) to go into a COVID-19 Special Session on October 27, 2021, to address COVID-19 mandate issues. This Special Session appears to be very broad and could result in several issues being addressed by the legislature. The Tennessee Business Roundtable has already issued a policy position letter opposing legislative interference and instead has asked that the legislature not impose mandates or prevent businesses from adopting their own workplace health guidelines. The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce also followed up on October 22, 2021 pleading with the Legislature to not adopt legislation interfering with the ability of Tennessee companies to manage their own operations.  TTA is considering issuing its own position statement, as well, which will closely follow the lead of the Tennessee Business Roundtable and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce. I expect more trade associations and major companies to do the same.  
 
The business community as a whole is opposed to the Special Session for COVID-19. There appear to be several members that are pushing to pass legislation that will attempt to interfere with the decisions of private businesses to address COVID-19 issues. This legislation includes penalizing companies for mandating vaccines and requiring testing, penalizing schools for mandating the wearing of masks, and other COVID-19 protection policies. You will find that some members will be introducing legislation that will remove the immunity from liability that has protected businesses and been in place since 2020 in regard to potential COVID-19 litigation. At this time it is difficult to predict the number of bills that will be filed and the COVID‑19 issues the legislature will cover; however, it is expected that any legislation will be very far-reaching in regard to what is required of employers. Companies have adopted different policies across the board to address the challenge of COVID-19 for the past 18 months. Not all policies are the same and some are stricter than others.
 
Even during the recent Special Session to approve financial incentives for Ford, members filed anti-business legislation.  House Bill 1643, sponsored by Representative Susan Lynn, provides that employers would be liable for COVID‑19 vaccine-related complications should employers require vaccines. House Bill 8003, sponsored by Representative Rusty Grills, would allow individuals who choose to leave their employment because an employer requires a COVID-19 vaccine to continue to receive unemployment benefits based on that choice. These two bills are just examples of what will be filed within the next few days. Please note that these two bills were not heard during the Special Session on the Ford expansion but I expect them to be refiled for the COVID-19 Special Session.
 
Remember that just because legislation passes, that does not mean it will be upheld in a court of law should the legislation be challenged. As we all know, at this time the federal mandate on employers requiring vaccinations or weekly testing for companies with 100 or more employees is still being developed as an OSHA regulation. No one knows for certain the final rules and regulations issued by OSHA will encompass that will be enforced through TOSHA in Tennessee. Hopefully, as ATA has pointed out, the federal policy will take into consideration that trucking companies operate differently than many other companies in that thousands of truck drivers are on the road delivering goods all across the country, and mandating weekly testing will be a huge challenge for those who don’t want to get vaccinated. In addition, unlike what the Legislative Committee proposed recently, Tennessee just cannot ignore federal OSHA rules and regulations. Trucking is an interstate commerce business and having different policies adopted by several states could be very challenging.

I am confident that there may be little that the legislature can do that would interfere with federal regulations or change the rules on how unemployment benefits are paid. However, I am very concerned about the employers’ exemption from immunity that is now in place in Tennessee in regard to COVID-19 issues. I will continue to keep you updated as we work through this next Special Session which could last for weeks.  If you have any questions, please contact me.
FOUNDATION NEWS
Raffle Update
1st Prize Sponsored by Titan Transfer, Inc.
2nd Prize Sponsored by Goggin Warehousing, LLC
 
 
There are 42 working days left before D-DAY (drawing day). Staff are working hard as we email, call and send out blasts to each of you. We would like to have your help. Would you please go to this link and print out the raffle notice with a QR code your employees and/or co-workers can scan to purchase raffle tickets? You can also send it to friends and family to give them a chance to order as well. Don't forget to order yours as well.
 
Road Team Captains are competing for sales as well, so if you have a favorite Road Team Captain you would like to give credit to for your ticket purchase, just make that note when you purchase your tickets. For every 10 tickets, a Road Team Captain sells, they will receive one free ticket for themselves. You can also go to this LINK, and purchase your tickets. At the bottom of the payment page, there is a place for notes where you can enter the name of your favorite Captain if you choose to help with the contest. You may also DOWNLOAD a form and email it to [email protected]. Tickets purchased will be mailed out weekly.
2021 ROAD TEAM IN ACTION
National Night Out on October 14, 2021, with the Collegedale Police Department and Road Team Captains, Matt Neary, McKee Foods Transportation, LLC, John Tetreault, Averitt Express, Inc., and Josh Johnson, Titan Transfer, Inc.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO TENNESSEE TRUCKING FOUNDATION IN MEMORY OF...
John Norman Thompson, Sr. 
 
Contributions were made by: Tommy Hodges
 
Acknowledgement Sent to Steven Thompson
Andrew Barron Seaton
 
Contributions were made by: Tommy Hodges
 
Acknowledgement Sent to Hank Seaton
Tennessee Trucking Foundation Contribution
Want to make a contribution to our Foundation? You can easily donate to the foundation on our website. Thank you to all that support our Foundations mission. 
  • Advancing highway safety
  • Educating the public through programs designed to make our roads safer
  • Providing Tennessee children’s charities with funds to improve the lives of our state’s children
  • The TTF Scholarship, administered annually by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee