Arkansas Trucking Association

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

Over the next year, we will see hundreds of elements of the 2024 election season play out in real time. We’ll watch campaign commercials until we’re seeing red (or blue). We’ll receive fundraising emails and political mailers. We’ll watch or avoid the debates. We’ll see candidates bow out and primary results posted. We’ll endure awkward holiday conversations or maybe offer heartfelt support to a candidate or cause. Then finally, we’ll conclude with the final task of making selections with a stylus on ballots next November.

All of that starts with the filing period, where candidates officially request their names to appear on the ballot.

It’s like the Rube Goldberg machines you see in cartoons or movies—the contraptions that turn some ordinary event into a series of a bunch of small steps carried out by simple machines. Pull this string that flips the cup that drops the marble down the ramp and rolls into an epic domino formation, and when the final domino falls, it lands on the button that turns all the lights on. It’s something you could do without a bunch of levers flipping, wheels turning, but the machine makes the work a performance to behold. The point of a Rube Goldberg machine is the spectacle, to make some banal task fun to watch.

Election season doesn’t always feel fun to watch, but it is a type of Rube Goldberg machine. It’s a chain reaction that we need to work even when all the little steps feel overengineered and unnecessary.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Project Zero and Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) will be partnering with trucking to deliver Christmas for children and teens in foster care across Arkansas.

Over the past few weeks, individuals and businesses adopted wish lists of children in foster care. Today, Friday, Dec. 1, at Project Zero’s “North Pole” at EngageMed in North Little Rock, community volunteers will organize, sort and load the donated gifts onto trucks to be delivered to Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, in preparation for tomorrow’s Candyland Christmas. 

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

Over my 20-year career, I’ve had the honor of meeting dozens of industry titans: J.B. Hunt, Sheridan Garrison, Dan England, Jerry Moyes, Robert Low and other recognizable figures. But some of the most rewarding and impactful conversations I’ve had were with less recognizable individuals: Gary Mars, Loren Hatfield, Danny Fuller, Dave Hall, Jessie King and more.

Who are they? You’ve likely seen them within the pages of this magazine. The work they do impacts communities across our state, but they aren’t household names. If the Arkansas Trucking Association is the voice of the Arkansas trucking industry, these individuals, Arkansas Road Team Captains, are the trucking industry.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – In an executive proclamation, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders officially declared Sept. 10-16, 2023, Truck Driver Appreciation Week in Arkansas. During this week, the Arkansas Trucking Association, along with American Trucking Associations and the entire trucking industry, celebrates the 3.5 million professional truck drivers who work each day to deliver America’s freight safely as part of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

“Professional truck drivers deliver goods to every home, community, school, and business in Arkansas. In times of prosperity or times of crisis, Arkansas’ and our nation’s economy rides on the shoulders of professional drivers who bring what we need every day to thrive, and survive, build and rebuild our lives across the state,” Gov. Sanders said in the proclamation.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

On July 8, my kids and I put on our sequins and smiles, stacked beaded bracelets up our arms and joined 75,000 other Swifties in Kansas City for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. We sang along to our favorite songs, bought merch and had so much fun we forgot to act cool about any of it.

The tour, which spans Swift's career including songs from every album, is shaping up to be a cultural moment, one that I wanted to experience with my two young teens.

Long before we funneled in, windows down, music up, a convoy of trucks had descended on Arrowhead Stadium. The logistics of creating the kind of four-hour spectacle that lives up to fans’ wildest dreams is the result of hundreds of crewmembers, complex planning, back ups for the backups and, of course, trucks—about 90 of them, costing $500,000 each week in fleet expenses alone.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Two graduating Arkansas seniors have been selected to receive scholarships from the Arkansas Trucking Association. Bass Burroughs of Mt. Vernon, Ark., and William Warren of Floral, Ark., are both planning to attend Arkansas State University – Beebe, Searcy campus this fall to pursue careers in medium/heavy duty truck technology. Each of the students will receive a $7,500 scholarship from the Carl Tapp Memorial Scholarship Fund to aid in their education and training.

Bass Burroughs of Mt. Vernon, Ark. Arkansas State University-Searcy, Beebe	William Warren of Floral, Ark. Arkansas State University-Searcy, Beebe

“Trucking is at the forefront of many evolving technologies like autonomous vehicles and collision-mitigation systems. It is critical that we continue to recruit new talent who can not only keep our trucks moving safely down the road, but also equip us for what’s next,” said Shannon Newton, president, Arkansas Trucking Association. “I am honored to welcome Bass and William to our industry and look forward to watching them lead us into the future. Our industry is over a century old, but what we do and what we deliver today is still as relevant as it was a hundred years ago.”

On Wednesday, May 17, the Arkansas Trucking Association announced the 2022 Driver of the Year, Ken Geer; 2022 Safety Professional of the Year, Brett Graves; and 2022 Maintenance Professional of the Year, Samuel Satterfield. The top honors were announced at the awards luncheon during the ATA Conference in Little Rock, Ark.

Each year, the Arkansas Trucking Association recognizes one driver for their strong and noteworthy professional qualifications, experience and performance; one safety professional for their qualifications, safety program and safety achievements; and a maintenance professional for their contributions to their company’s maintenance program, certifications and credentials.

Ken Geer, the 2022 Driver of the Year, has been a professional truck driver for Walmart Transportation since 2020. In his 34-year career, he has driven more than 4 million accident-free miles. Dedicated to safety in his professional and personal life, the former firefighter volunteers to run fireworks displays at Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion and local football games. He’s also a committed fundraiser for the Gravette Lion Band Boosters.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

What should you carry on an 18-mile trek descending 5,000 feet into the Grand Canyon? I’ve spent a lot of time researching this question over the last few weeks. The internet has innumerable lists and a few warnings. A headlamp and some SPF made my packing list. Comfortable shoes were a must. I planned to bring sunglasses, chapstick and layered clothing for protection against the elements. Water, obviously, but how much is enough for a 12-hour hike?

When it was time to step onto the trail, I wanted to be ready to enjoy the awe-inducing view of wind-sculpted rock walls and be prepared for the thirst, hunger, muscle fatigue, blistered feet or any other challenge I might encounter.

I was joining a group of friends to hike seven miles down the South Kaibob Trail to the Colorado River Basin, make a stop at Phantom Ranch, and then climb back up the 10-mile Bright Angel Trail all in one day. Expected to take from sunrise to sunset, this is a feat only 1% of Grand Canyon visitors achieve.

Today—calves sore and memories still fresh—I can say I did it, and though I overpacked, I’m really grateful for all the snacks and that extra pair of socks.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

In a regulated industry like trucking, solving industry problems often seems to require an act of Congress. I don’t mean that figuratively. The IIJA that provides federal dollars to our crumbling infrastructure was a bipartisan victory that passed only after years of lobbying and negotiation. The creation of FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse to keep drug abusers out of commercial trucks was also a literal act of Congress, thanks to Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) partnering with ATA to persuade his colleagues that carriers needed a way to flag drivers with positive drug tests when they apply for the next driving job.

In Arkansas, we often ask our Legislature to understand our business and to pass laws that help us do our jobs better with fewer complications.

But not every challenge we face requires navigating the halls of the Capitol. Over the last year, ATA has been working through a specific challenge without waiting for elected officials to take a single vote or pass any new laws. Some months ago, we learned that the path from interest to employment for a new CDL driver is especially cumbersome.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

It probably feels a little late to send season’s greetings. You’ve eaten your black-eyed peas and cornbread and probably pulled the Christmas tree to the curb or boxed it back up in the attic, but this, too, is a season I am ready to greet.

Arkansas has a new gubernatorial administration for the first time in eight years. There are new cabinet secretaries, new commissioners, new legislative liaisons and policy advisors. As the 94^th General Assembly of the Arkansas Legislature begins, there are even more new faces around the Capitol with 31 individuals serving for the very first time. (see page X for our election recap).

All that newness can be exciting, but the unknown can also be intimidating.

Our elected officials, returning or fresh-faced, are also deciding what to do with this season. As leadership changes, so do agendas and priorities.

Popularity Contest: People Like Truckers

By Trucking Moves America Forward

 In September, Trucking Moves America Forward commissioned a survey to measure the impact of awareness and image campaigns. The TMAF campaign was launched in March 2014 at the Mid-America Trucking Show to improve the image of the trucking industry and educate the public on the impact of the industry and its relevance to the American way of life.

When the survey was last conducted pre-pandemic in 2019, 67% of respondents had a favorable impression of the trucking industry.

Since then, the public’s perception of trucking has only improved. In fact, the image of trucking is stronger than ever.

The public perception of the trucking is at an all-time high with the poll finding that the majority of Americans – 87% of voters – have a favorable impression of trucking, which is the highest public opinion has been since TMAF began tracking industry views almost a decade ago. More and more Americans continue to realize the essential role that trucking plays in the nation’s economy and in all of our lives, thanks to industry-wide education efforts.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

Those who know me well, know that highlighting the differences associated with being a woman in the workplace is not a subject that excites me. I long for the day when it isn’t noteworthy, and we can just accolade the individual. No need to asterisk her success: She’s smart/talented/accomplished for a woman.

But we’re not there yet, so continuing to talk about it is important. Highlighting the successes of women in our industry makes it easier for others to imagine their own. Emulating the path of others seems more achievable than blazing a new one—not only for young girls imagining what they want to be when they grow up but also for young ladies contemplating college courses and career decisions. Our industry needs both. 

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

College football is back. Woo Pig Sooie!! Bust out your team colors, criticize the pre-season rankings, make your own predictions and escape real-world realities for a few hours. Whether you’re gathered in the bleachers or in living rooms and sports bars around the state, supporting your team is just a good way to spend a Saturday. Paint your face, scream your lungs out, invest a little too much emotion in the outcome of the game; however you fan, I’m here for it.

The game day commercial breaks I’m less enthusiastic about.

This year, especially, it feels like the boundary between the challenges of the industry are seeping into the spaces between quarters, and the feeling I am left with is whiplash and even a little bit of dread.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

The heavy task of delivering 10.23 billion tons of America’s freight every year takes millions of people. Millions of people, fulfilling different roles—some put on a uniform before grabbing company keys, others invest in their own class 8 tractor, or pop the hood to maintain the machines, pick up the phones and create efficient routes, train the next generation of drivers or keep the books. Every role matters. An unreasonable burden to interstate commerce would be to dismantle one of the most critical roles—the owner-operator.

For nearly three decades, the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act has forbidden states from enacting laws relating to prices, routes and services of motor carriers to avoid an unreasonable burden on interstate commerce.

However, California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), popularly known as the “gig worker bill,” essentially requires companies that hire independent contractors to reclassify them as employees. Enforcing an ABC test all but eliminates a motor carriers’ ability to contract with an owner-operator because they are both in the business of transporting goods for hire.

Truck Driving Championship Winners

FULL LIST

Technician Championship Winners

FULL LIST

ATA would like to thank all the volunteers, sponsors, vendors, drivers, technicians, and fans for their support.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

In early April, I traveled with a group of Arkansas trucking executives to Washington D.C. to meet with our delegation and share our experiences and asks on important policy issues, as part of our annual Call on Washington.

The trip can feel like a whirlwind.

In two days, our attendees had a briefing with the American Trucking Associations representatives on current initiatives and proposed legislation that affect trucking, followed by face-to-face meetings with all six members of the Arkansas delegation. We had claimed time and attention between committee meetings and intelligence briefings to talk about infrastructure, the supply chain struggles, workforce barriers and lawsuit reform. It was a lot of ground to cover—both policy and literally as we hustled from office to office by trolley, foot and with an escort. 

ATA Elects New Chairman, Directors at 2022 Conference

Representatives from J.B. Hunt, Wayne Smith Trucking, MHC Kenworth join ranks

The Arkansas Trucking Association held Board of Directors elections at its annual conference in Hot Springs, Ark., May 11-13. Outgoing Chairman Mark Morris, president and CEO of Hamburg-based Morris Transportation Services, announced Jeff Loggins, president of Jonesboro-based Loggins Logistics, was selected to succeed him to the crowd of nearly 300 trucking professionals.

“Mark served as a chairman during a critical time for our industry,” said Shannon Newton, president, Arkansas Trucking Association. “We thank him for his leadership when the pandemic, supply chain issues and ongoing workforce shortages put a spotlight on how essential trucking is. We look forward to working with our new chairman, Jeff Loggins, to continue to address these and other issues that matter most to our more than 330 member companies.”

Additionally, three transportation leaders were elected to join the Arkansas Trucking Association Board of Directors:

• Neil Corder, President – Wayne Smith Trucking, Inc. of Morrilton, Ark.;
• Brad Hicks, President of Highway Services and EVP – J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. of Lowell, Ark.; and
• Todd Venable, Branch Manager – MHC Kenworth of Little Rock, Ark.

Wyatt Jepsen, Walmart Transportation, and Russ Curbo, Lew Thompson & Son Trucking, receive top awards at ATA Annual Conference 

On Wednesday, May 11, the Arkansas Trucking Association announced the 2021 Driver of the Year, Wyatt Jepsen, and 2021 Safety Professional of the Year, Russ Curbo. Jepsen is a professional driver for Walmart Transportation. Carson is the director of safety at Lew Thompson & Son Trucking in Huntsville, Ark. Both honors were bestowed at the Safety Awards Luncheon during the ATA Annual Business Conference & Vendor Showcase in Hot Springs, Ark.

Each year, the Arkansas Trucking Association recognizes one driver for their strong and noteworthy professional qualifications, experience and performance and one safety professional for their qualifications, safety program and safety achievements.

2021 Maintenance Professional of the Year - Ryan Womack, McKee Foods Transportation

At the Arkansas Technician Championship in Rogers last month, the Arkansas Trucking Association announced the winner of a new award: the Maintenance Professional of the Year Award. The inaugural recipient, Ryan Womack, fleet maintenance superintendent for McKee Foods Transportation, LLC, was named at the awards banquet on June 24.

“We have long recognized the top driver and safety professional at our annual conference, so we are thrilled to add this award and recognize the men and women who keep our equipment safely on the road,” said Shannon Newton, ATA president. “We could not have given this inaugural award to a more deserving candidate than Ryan. He is a dynamic leader within his company, our association and our industry.”

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

Whether you’re eager for your first set of keys and real freedom or seeking a professional license to earn a living, getting a driving license is a process.  Some take drivers’ education courses to prepare, and others flip through the little study guides provided by the state police. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a highlighted version to expedite my studies. After filling in the bubbles and answering dozens of questions to prove we could decode traffic signs and understood right-of-way at various stops, we were only halfway to our license.

The last step is getting behind the wheel with a test examiner. It’s the same for commercial drivers; before someone can earn their CDL, they have to pass a skills test. Unlike the multiple-choice knowledge test which can be conducted with one proctor and several testers at a time, a skills test is one-on-one and therefore takes more human resources and time. While there are more exam locations than counties for individuals looking to get their Arkansas driver’s license, for a CDL skills test, there are only six places in the state to go: Little Rock, Newport, Russellville, Hope, Harrison or Lowell.

In December, I serendipitously learned that some individuals were in a weeks-long queue to take the CDL skills test.

As an industry, we are constantly feeling the pressure of demand exceeding the number of available drivers. In my position as industry advocate, it is my job to enhance and expedite the workforce pipeline that we rely on to provide the flow of qualified workers. The dearth of CDL examiners presented a blocked pipe.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

As I think of all the friendships that I have nurtured over the years and how precious those are to my life, career and place in our community, it is evident that the pandemic took its toll on personal connection. Some may have mastered connecting through a screen, but I was not one of them. Behind a mask, from six feet away, it has been hard to navigate first impressions and introductions. Whether you are starved for connection or most comfortable by yourself, meeting new people or strengthening previous connections feels more challenging these days. 

Making friends in school was easy. You are served the same lunch, walk the same halls, endure the same homework assignments and midterms for 8 hours every day with the same group of peers. The proximity and shared circumstances amount to an understanding that develops into a relationship. It’s almost out of your control how close you grow to the people around you.

Shared experiences are an incubator for fast friendships.

How Trucking Can Rise Above Current Industry Challenges

By Jeremy Reymer

As leaders in the trucking industry, we're all acutely aware of the unprecedented challenges we're facing daily. Unfortunately, these challenges are nothing new. According to the most recent ATRI survey, "Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry - 2021", the driver shortage topped the list for the fifth year in a row. Industry thought leaders such as the American Trucking Associations’ Bob Costello, chief economist and senior vice president, estimate that the industry is short nearly 80,000 drivers, and many expect this to be on the lower end of the actual number.

An Increasing Loss in Drivers

Several reasons can be attributed to this increasing loss in drivers over the last few years. The first is the introduction of the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, which has been steadily disqualifying non-compliant drivers since January 2020. According to the FMCSA, over 70,000 drivers have been removed or disqualified from operating a CMV due to the Clearinghouse.

Add to that an aging workforce – the average age of a truck driver is 55 years old; the average age of a new entrant is 35 years old – coupled with a global pandemic that exacerbated drivers leaving the industry while also restricting new entrants from joining, and you’ve got a perfect storm that has led to the challenging driver shortage we currently face.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

I’m a strong believer in managing expectations. It helps avoid a lot of life’s disappointments. So as people start to sign their e-mails with “Happy Holidays,” we need to talk about setting our expectations for a “happy” season.

No one wants to talk about toilet paper again, but images of empty shelves where rolls of three-ply should have been stacked deep encapsulates the chaos of the early days of the pandemic in America. COVID-19 cases were low, only a few states were dealing with hospital capacity issues and misinformation was only starting to breach questions that scientists were just beginning to research.

We knew plenty of toilet paper existed, but the temporary disruption to the supply chain was enough to make the paper product aisles appear post-apocalyptic for a few weeks. The run on Charmin was a pandemic outcome I didn’t expect. Since then, every delicate link of the chain has been tested.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

We tend to categorize, label and rank everything around us. Being human is to analyze and keep records of the best, the worst, the most, and the least, to assign order to all the things.

This summer, I celebrated 18 years with the association. My titles and scope of responsibility have changed, but ATA is just my second job after college. My first was in the accounting department of a member trucking company. Approaching college graduation, I attended a job fair on campus and clicked with a recruiter from Maverick Transportation. Almost 20 years later, I have a fulfilling career in this industry because of an opportunity that was available to me at a time in my life when it mattered.

Who you meet, what you study, where you work and experiences you have entering adulthood undoubtedly shape your future.

Shannon Newton
President, ATA

We tend to categorize, label and rank everything around us. Being human is to analyze and keep records of the best, the worst, the most, and the least, to assign order to all the things.

Superlatives sell. That’s why you see billboards for the biggest steak, the highest rollercoaster and the fastest car.  Later this summer, millions will tune in as the Olympic Games deliver some of the most impressive superlatives in the world. Athletes will earn titles like fastest runner, strongest weightlifter, highest jumper, best gymnast.

In trucking, I’ve seen another superlative making the headlines, declaring the driver shortage is the worst it’s ever been. In July 2019, months before the global pandemic, American Trucking Associations released its latest numbers on the shortage, urging the industry to hire 1.1 million new drivers over the next decade, or an average of 110,000 drivers each year.

The Arkansas Trucking Association is pleased to announce it has selected five new members to join the Arkansas Road Team, a group of professional drivers chosen for their commitment to highway safety, communication skills and interest in improving the image of the trucking industry. This complimentary outreach program of the ATA serves as a public education service to address highway safety and to educate the motoring public on safe driving, especially near large commercial vehicles.

The following professional drivers were selected for the Arkansas Road Team:
Wesley Cox of Fayetteville, Ark. – J.B. Hunt Transport       
Ronnie Mahan of Sherwood, Ark. – FedEx Freight        
Donnie Pace of Little Rock, Ark. – ABF Freight 
Lazaro Ruiz of Bono, Ark. – Old Dominion Freight Line  
Austin Simmons of Siloam Springs, Ark. – FedEx Freight         

Secretary visits Memphis to view damage, meet with industry leaders

On June 3, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited Memphis to survey the damage of the I-40 bridge and meet with local and industry leaders, shining a light on the importance of this major commerce corridor.

“The protracted closure has been frustrating, it has been difficult, it has been challenging and it has been costly,” Sec. Buttigieg said. “We often have a single piece of infrastructure in a single place that really influences the life of the entire country when it’s not available or when its availability is diminished. I want to emphasize our awareness as a department and an administration that the greater Memphis metro area is critical to the national supply chain and the global supply chain.”

Arkansas Trucking Association President Shannon Newton was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with the Secretary where she highlighted the significant impact the bridge closure is having on trucking.