Good day,
Eighty-five years in business, and still giving to its drivers. Founded as a family business, and still operating as one even though it is now the 14th largest truckload carrier in the U.S. and Canada, Dart Transit Company celebrated Driver Appreciation Week by awarding several drivers prizes, including a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss pickup.
Owner-operator Brad Woodruff took home the pickup, but he was just one of the winners in the celebration as Dart honored the owner-operators and company drivers the company is built upon.
“I have never won anything in my life, and I couldn’t believe it when my fleet manager told me the pick-up truck was mine. I happened to be at home with my wife when they did the drawing, and my wife and I were blown away. In fact, my knees started buckling when the reality of winning the truck began to set in,” said Woodruff.
For Dart, the announcement of the prize winners culminated a celebration that started in February. To be entered into the drawing for the prizes, all owner-operators and company drivers in the Dart Network at the time of the drawings were given 10 entries apiece. Owner-operators and company drivers also earned a specified number of additional entries for making referrals to the company’s recruiting department. An even greater number of bonus entries into the drawings were awarded to the referring owner-operator or company driver if the person being referred joined the company. The winners of the grand prizes were selected at random.
“The cornerstone of our company for the past 85 years has been the dedication to safety and service that we see every day from the owner-operators and company drivers in the Dart Network,” said Don Oren, chairman of the board. Oren’s father Earl founded the company in 1934. “As we considered different options for commemorating the company’s 85th anniversary, we wanted to go the extra mile during Driver Appreciation Week to celebrate the owner-operators and company drivers and how they have continued to drive Dart forward through the years.”
Joshua Stauffacher won a Polaris ATV and Cedric Jones won a Lund Fishing Boat.
“While I was announcing the names of the grand prize winners, I thought back to all the people who have driven with Dart over the years. Everyone has made a contribution to the company’s success, and we are very grateful for all that they have done and continue to do,” Oren added.
Dart collaborated with some of the company’s vendors in developing the prize packages. Freightliner and I-State Truck Center partnered with Dart on the Polaris ATV, while Michelin sponsored the Lund fishing boat. Rihm Kenworth and Eaton worked with Dart to make the Silverado pickup possible.
Did you know?
The national price of diesel fuel jumped 9.4 cents per gallon last week, rising to $3.081, the fourth largest weekly gain since the beginning of 2012.
Quotable:
“When you travel to the U.S. you don’t arrive at the airport with your hands empty… [For trucks arriving in Calais, France] if you don’t have any customs documents, don’t come to the port.”
-Benoit Rochet, deputy head of the operating company for the port of Calais in France, on what will happen to trucks crossing the Channel in a no-deal Brexit.
In other news:
Truckers push more optimization at San Pedro Bay ports
The head of the Harbor Trucking Association is pushing for more optimization at the San Pedro Bay ports to help stymie congestion and improve productivity. (Lloyd’s List)
Kenworth cabovers the centerpiece of Australian fleet
A small Perth, Australia, trucking fleet tries to keep the focus on its highly designed and well-kept Kenworth cabover fleet. (OwnerDriver)
France conducts no-deal Brexit border tests
France is putting trucks through no-deal Brexit cross-Channel border customs checks to test the process to be used should the U.K. leave the EU. (International Business Times)
Luxury vehicles take to the air
Turkish Cargo is reporting a 21% increase in the number of luxury automobiles transported via air cargo year-to-date. (Middle East Logistics)
Large U.K. rail freight operator changes owners
GB Railfreight, the third largest rail cargo operator in the U.K., has been sold to an investment group. (Handy Shipping Guide)
Final Thoughts
Fuel prices jumped nationally last week, up some 3.15%, but for California truckers, the news is good, if it can be called that. The price there rose only 7.5 cents per gallon versus the national increase of 9.4 cents. If you are paying an average retail price of $3.976 a gallon as California truckers are, you’ll take any good news you can.
Hammer down everyone!