Arkansas Trucking Association

Little Rock, Ark. – In an executive proclamation, Gov. Asa Hutchinson officially declared September 13 - 19 Truck Driver Appreciation Week in Arkansas. The Arkansas Trucking Association, along with American Trucking Associations and the entire trucking industry, is celebrating the millions of professional truck drivers who work each day to deliver America’s freight safely.

“Even as many Arkansans are adjusting to new ways of working, learning, exercising, and even socializing, truck drivers are continuing to do what they do best day-in and day-out—connecting Arkansans to all the things we need to live our lives,” Hutchinson said in the proclamation.

On Monday, August 17, the Arkansas Trucking Association announced the Driver of the Year, Dave Hall, and Safety Professional of the Year, Leslie Stout. Hall is a driver for ABF Freight, a carrier headquartered in Fort Smith. Stout is the director of safety at CalArk International in Little Rock. Both honors were bestowed at the Safety Awards Luncheon during the ATA Annual Business Conference & Vendor Showcase in Rogers, Ark.

The statewide trucking association annually 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.

Old Dominion Freight Line was honored at Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) Awards Luncheon at the organization’s annual business conference this week in Rogers, Ark.

The association recognized winners in six different categories, as well as an overall grand champion celebrating the safest fleets among the Arkansas Trucking Association member companies.

The Arkansas Trucking Association is pleased to announce the 2020 recipient of the Carl Tapp Memorial Scholarship Fund. Hugh “Mac” McConnell IV, a recent graduate of Central Arkansas Christian School will receive $7,500 to pursue training for a career in medium/heavy duty truck technology.

“Truck drivers and diesel technicians are essential to the Arkansas economy and way of life. The success of our industry and state depends on a professional, smart, capable, problem-solving workforce,” says Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association. “We congratulate this year’s scholarship recipient and join in his excitement about the future of technology, trucking and keeping the equipment safe on the roads we all share.”

The Arkansas Department of Transportation is raising the speed limit on highways and interstates. State highway limits will be raised five miles per hour. Interstates inside the city will be 65 MPH and outside, 75 MPH.

Opponents of the increase cited safety concerns, and the Highway Commission has committed to monitor the safety of the motoring public as the speed limits go up.

The American Transportation Research Institute has issued a call for motor carriers to participate in ATRI’s annual update to its Operational Costs of Trucking report.

Now in its 12th year, ATRI’s annual Operational Costs of Trucking collects cost information derived directly from trucking fleets and owner-operators, and is among the most requested ATRI research studies. ATRI’s annual analysis is used as a key benchmarking tool by motor carriers of all sizes. Public sector agencies also utilize ATRI’s real-world data analysis to make better-informed transportation planning and infrastructure investment decisions.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and financial crisis, American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council announced the cancellation of its 2020 national technician championships, SuperTech and FutureTech, which were scheduled to be held this fall.

The annual competitions for trailer and truck technicians as well as technician students are normally held in conjunction with TMC’s fall meeting. The meeting for shop supervisors, maintenance executives, and engineering professionals will now be completely virtual this year on the originally scheduled dates, Sept. 14-17.

On May 18, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her husband, Bryan Sanders, launched a month-long nonprofit program to help struggling state businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Arkansas 30 Day Fund was started to provide forgivable loans for Arkansas-based small businesses so they can meet payroll, preserve healthcare coverage for employees, and save jobs without a lot of red tape, while waiting on federal and state funding.

Qualifying businesses are owned and operated by an Arkansas resident, based in the state and have been operating at lease one year, and employ three to 30 people.

A dearth of professional truck drivers to haul America’s freight has been a perennial concern for over a decade. However, the coronavirus has reduced demand for drivers so much that the driver shortage is no longer the top concern right now.

National industry publication Transport Topics, recently reported, “The often discussed driver shortage is over — at least for the time being — as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deepening U.S. recession and a falloff in the amount of freight being hauled by many sectors of trucking.”

In early May, Utah police reported pulling over a five-year-old boy who was driving his family’s car to California to buy a Lamborghini. A few days later, he was offered a ride in a real Lamborghini and was grounded.

Adrian Zamarripa made headlines after he had an argument with his mom when she told him that she wouldn't buy him a Lamborghini. Not willing to take no for an answer, he decided to go buy the car himself with $3 in his pocket and feet that barely reached the pedals.

The Arkansas Trucking Association today commended Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson for three Executive Orders that will provide business liability protection for Arkansas employers, medical immunity for health care workers, and workers’ compensation coverage for employees during the COVID-19 emergency.

The business liability executive order will allow businesses and their employees to be immune from civil lawsuits as a result of exposure to COVID-19. Immunity does not apply to willful, reckless or intentional, which means business owners will need to substantially comply with public health directives in order to be eligible for the liability protection.