Press Releases
With the world seemingly at a standstill because of the coronavirus, “America’s Rolling Backbone” keeps on trucking.
City streets and interstates across the United States are as empty as they’ve ever been in modern history, with the pandemic and ensuing stay-at-home orders causing a drastic downturn in traveling. However, the number of big rigs on those roads hasn’t decreased at all.
“Most people don’t realize this: when you walk into your house tonight, everything you look at inside that house, including the house, was delivered by a truck driver at some point, whether it’s before manufacturing, after it was assembled, delivered to your house,” said Joe Schnittker, a part-time trucker from the Grand Valley. “The only thing inside your house that wasn’t delivered by a trucker is the oxygen you breathe. Even the fruit. Sure, you can go out to Orchard Mesa or wherever and pick fruit, but all that irrigation pipe, the seeds for the trees, the boxes they put it in, all of that, everything in our lives is touched by these truck drivers.”
Schnittker has been driving trucks for 46 years. He now delivers locally for a company that lays concrete.
In March, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s national emergency declaration eased regulations on how many hours truck drivers can be on the road on any given day. Under normal circumstances, truck drivers keep log books and take mandatory half-hour breaks every four hours. They can only be on duty for 14 hours a day, and they can only drive for 11.
Now, because of the coronavirus and the increased importance of deliveries, those regulations are no longer in the way.
“It’s federal guidelines,” Schnittker said. “Like anything, there’s room for improvement. It makes you spend more time away from home, but it also keeps you safer, and that’s what’s most important.”
Some truck drivers have seen their workload increase exponentially as a result of the coronavirus. Others haven’t noticed much of a change at all.
Carl Cruz was heading to Cardinal Health in Denver with medical supplies from California when he stopped in Grand Junction for food.
Though the pandemic has come with challenges for him and his fellow truckers, he admitted he has enjoyed the open roads.
Driving time going through Las Vegas has been cut to a fraction of what it typically is, Cruz said, as he’s been able to get through the gambling capital of the world in a matter of minutes instead of hours.
“The traffic through Vegas ... man it’s really been nice,” he said.
James Wood, a driver for Moon Boys Trucking, stopped in Grand Junction on Wednesday on his way to his hometown of Ladysmith in northern Wisconsin, nearly 1,300 miles away.
“It’s non-stop. It’s been an increase for me,” Wood said. “Right now, I’m hauling scaffolding, but I normally haul for the railroad. The amount of stuff we’re moving has increased. The product is going to different railroad spots. We haul a lot of construction material. We’ve been running to Las Vegas every week.”
Cheryl Polk of Elegy Trucking has been driving professionally for 22 years. The routine for the Elkland, Missouri, resident remains the same as it ever was: six days of driving a week, 10 hours of driving a day.
There’s only one thing missing from her lifestyle right now.
“I just want to sit down somewhere and have a steak dinner,” Polk said.
Bobby Chaffin has been driving for Peregrine Transportation Co. for a year and a half. He and his other three group members follow a dedicated route under normal circumstances, transporting metal planks from Jeffersonville, Indiana, to Kansas City, Missouri, three times a week.
However, the coronavirus has disrupted that route, bringing him briefly through the Western Slope of Colorado instead.
“I feel (cabin fever) all the time. I get out of my truck wherever I stop, stretch my legs,” Chaffin says.
Whenever the virus outbreak lessens and restaurants are re-opened, he’ll waste little time gathering with his group at a sit-down restaurant.
“I’m probably just going to go where the group goes,” Chaffin said. “Four of us are involved in dedicated runs and once a week, we try to stop and have supper. We haven’t been able to do that.”
Most drivers sleep in their trucks instead of hotels, so the closure of many hotels hasn’t affected them too much. However, not only are the restaurants that are still open limited to takeout, but at rest areas, bathrooms and changing stations are harder than ever to come by.
“Everybody likes to have a shower, sleep on clean sheets,” Schnittker said. “When most people go home, they can go mow the lawn or play with their kids or throw to the dog. These guys are stuck in the cab of that truck. The ones that do it, they do enjoy it.”
The Federal Highway Administration announced it would temporarily open rest areas to food trucks last week.
The state of Ohio is following suit by allowing food vendors to sell to truck drivers and other essential personnel at the state's 85 rest areas.
"Although our rest areas are not as crowded as they usually are, it’s important that our truck drivers and other essential personnel have access to hot meals as they get food and other essential items to our grocery stores," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on Friday.
The permit is free and can be found on the Ohio Department of Transportation's website.
Truck drivers have encountered issues with fast food restaurant dining rooms closed and low clearance at drive-thru windows.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol is reminding people to never drive drowsy after a trucker fell asleep Thursday morning on Interstate 80 and plunged into the North Platte River.
Sgt. Jeremy Beck says the crash occurred around 5:40 a.m. near milepost 229 east of Sinclair.
Beck says Carbon County Search and Rescue used their boat to get the driver and his passenger out of the truck, and Game and Fish and the Carbon County Fire Department worked to contain any hazardous material leaking from the truck.
Two truck drivers blocked a van from gunfire while it traveled into the highway median in Missouri.
Chad Michael Kennedy, 28, from Boonville, was arrested and charged for allegedly firing shots from his moving vehicle striking and disabling a van with three passengers in it.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, law enforcement responded to the report at 3:31 p.m. Tuesday.
After the shooting took place, the MSHP said the victim's vehicle came to rest in the median. A truck driver, who witnessed the incident, said he and another truck driver parked their trucks around the van to shield it from additional gunfire.
According to police documents, the victims told law enforcement that a driver in a Volkswagon Jetta pulled up beside them, displayed a firearm and motioned for them to pull over. When they refused to pull over, the driver of the Volkswagon allegedly "fired multiple rounds from a rifle style weapon, at them, striking their vehicle."
The document also said the truck driver told police he witnessed the driver of the Volkswagon turn around and travel westbound on I-70, away from the scene.
Troopers later located the suspect's vehicle in Boone County.
Kennedy was taken into custody and transported to the Montgomery County Jail.
Kennedy told law enforcement he was traveling to work in Columbia when he observed a van in the passing lane that he believed to be suspicious. After following the van out of Columbia, Kennedy stated that he took it upon himself to try and stop the vehicle.
The document said Kennedy told law enforcement, "I could not allow the vehicle to leave the state of Missouri." Kennedy said he pulled up next to the van and tried to get the occupants to pull over, when they didn't pull over he displayed his firearm. He ultimately fired multiple shots at the van on the driver and passenger sides.
Law enforcement searched the van shortly after the shooting. The document noted that police identified "six projectile strikes, two of which flattened the rear tires of the vehicle." Law enforcement also found multiple projectile fragments on and around the van.
Kennedy was formally charged Wednesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court with three counts of assault first-degree, one count of armed criminal action and six counts of unlawful use of a weapon. The court denied Kennedy's bond.
National Carriers, Inc. (NCI) is pleased to name Andre Stanton of Byram, Mississippi, as Driver of the Month for February 2020. The award recognizes the outstanding service, safety, and professionalism that Stanton has developed over thirty-three years of truck driving, the last two of which have been with NCI.
Stanton was very appreciative when notified of the award, but also eager to share praise.
“My dispatcher at National Carriers, Debra Haley, is quick to address any problems I may have while out on the road. I left NCI for a short time and, when I came back, I requested to return to her board. She knows how I like to run and goes out of her way to help her drivers,” he said.
National Carriers spokesman, Ed Kentner, commented, “Andre’s military background as a retired Sergeant in the US Army and Reserves has served him well. His leadership abilities and attention to the mission at hand makes him an incredibly safe, dependable driver for our company and customers.”
In addition to earning a $1,000 Driver of the Month bonus, Stanton is now a finalist for Driver of the Year and the accompanying $10,000 prize.
Company Information National Carriers is a diversified motor carrier servicing all 48 states in the continental United States with transportation offerings which include refrigerated, livestock, and logistics services. At National Carriers, our mission is "to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful motor carrier in our class."
Being part of the Elite Fleet® means enjoying a career worthy of your skills and commitment to excellence. We believe long-term success is waiting for you at National Carriers®, one of the nation's oldest, most respected and largest carriers. Learn about our exciting opportunities for owner operators as well as company drivers. If you are interested in a leasing a truck, National Carriers® Leasing Division is the ideal partner to help you get started.
National Carriers, Inc. (NCI) is pleased to name Billy Gilbert as Driver of the Month for January 2020. Gilbert has run with NCI’s Hide division for six years and has shown himself to be a mainstay in all aspects of his work. But at first, Gilbert wasn’t sure he’d be able to stick with the job.
“I thought a dedicated route would be boring,” said Gilbert. “But a friend of mine in the Hide division had recommended the job, and I figured I’d give it a try. As time went by, I got to know the people on my route and the folks I worked with. The scenery constantly changes, and frequently, I notice new landscapes for the first time. It’s not boring at all.”
Gilbert also credits his decision to stay to his dispatcher, Phil Eade. “He’s the best driver manager I’ve ever had. Phil is dedicated to his drivers and will bend over backwards to help us. What I appreciate most about him is the fact that he has always been truthful with me.”
Outside of NCI, Gilbert serves as a Staff Sergeant in the Kansas Army Reserve where he’s scheduled to retire this summer, but he has no plans to leave trucking anytime soon.
In addition to earning a $1,000 as Driver of the Month, Gilbert is now in the running for Driver of the Year and the accompanying $10,000 prize.
About National carriers
National Carriers is a diversified motor carrier servicing all 48 states in the continental United States with transportation offerings which include refrigerated, livestock, and logistics services. At National Carriers, our mission is "to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful motor carrier in our class."
Being part of the Elite Fleet® means enjoying a career worthy of your skills and commitment to excellence. We believe long-term success is waiting for you at National Carriers®, one of the nation's oldest, most respected and largest carriers. Learn about our exciting opportunities for owner operators as well as company drivers. If you are interested in a leasing a truck, National Carriers® Leasing Division is the ideal partner to help you get started.
One is steady as a rock. The other’s a risk-taker, but both are Drivers of the Month for National Carriers, Inc. (NCI).
The company named Ernie Garcia and Reggie Ely as the award winners for November and December respectively. Each receives a $1,000 bonus and a chance to win a $10,000 Driver of the Year prize at NCI’s annual banquet in Arlington, TX.
Mr. Dependable, Ernie, hails from Lytle, Texas, and has kept on trucking for 40 years, the last nine of which have been with NCI. He focuses on delivering freight throughout the Southwest.
“I’ve worked with Ernie four years, and he always keeps a pleasant attitude toward life and work,” said his driver manager, Barbara Armstrong. “He’s committed to knowing his lanes and providing on-time service to every customer.”
While Ernie keeps steady on, his fellow winner, Reggie, says, “Give me a challenge!” Joining the Elite Fleet in 2018, he quickly established himself as a can-do driver.
“Reggie does whatever I need him to do. He drives safe, but never shies away from a demanding delivery,” said Mike Holloway, his driver manager. “He even loves running deliveries to New York City!”
“I try to do things that challenge me and make me feel like I’ve accomplished something,” said Reggie. “I wanted to be a trucker who would deliver anywhere. I was scared the first couple of times I went into New York, but it got easier and easier. I just had to face my fears.”
Of course, any driver taking on a challenge needs a great team backing him. “I think a driver is only as good as his driver manager,” said Reggie. “At my last job, I went through many dispatchers. My driver manager, Mike, knows his job and has been my only dispatcher at NCI, and I’m grateful for him.”
“What makes me a successful driver? Good equipment, good freight, and a team effort. I had no idea I could be treated this great by a trucking company,” concluded Reggie.
National Carriers is a diversified motor carrier servicing all 48 states in the continental United States with transportation offerings which include refrigerated, livestock, and logistics services. At National Carriers, our mission is "to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful motor carrier in our class." Being part of the Elite Fleet® means enjoying a career worthy of your skills and commitment to excellence. We believe long-term success is waiting for you at National Carriers®, one of the nation's oldest, most respected and largest carriers. Learn about our exciting opportunities for owner operators as well as company drivers. If you are interested in a leasing a truck, National Carriers® Leasing Division is the ideal partner to help you get started.
Irving, TX - National Carriers, Inc, which provides transportation for livestock and refrigerated products recently announced Jeff Gutzler of Portales, NM as Driver of the Year. He joined NCI in 2007 as a company driver on the Southwest Regional Fleet. He currently operates a truck within the Hide division where he drove 147,048 miles without an accident or incident during 2017. The award presentation came at the conclusion of the annual NCI Driver of the Year banquet held at the Bob Duncan Center in Arlington, TX. Among his many gifts was a check for $10,000.
National Carriers spokesman, Ed Kentner, stated, “Jeff Gutzler is a perfect choice to represent the “Elite” Fleet. An overachiever in every area we monitor; safety, operations, and customer service. Jeff is a leader in each category. The best way I could describe him is as a family man who leads by example.”
“I just do my job. I treat others as I would like to be treated. I believe if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all. When I’m driving I watch out for others and obey the rules. When my name was announced as the winner, I was totally surprised.” remarked Gutzler.
President of National Carriers, Jim Franck exclaimed, “What an outstanding representative for the “Elite” Fleet. A true Gentleman. He has been driver of the month 4 times and deserved Driver of the Year each time. Jeff just takes care of business and helps anyone in need. We are all proud of Jeff and proud to call him a friend.”
Company Information
National Carriers is a diversified motor carrier servicing all 48 states in the continental United States with transportation offerings which include refrigerated, livestock, and logistics services. At National Carriers, our mission is "to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful motor carrier in our class."
Being part of the Elite Fleet® means enjoying a career worthy of your skills and commitment to excellence. We believe long-term success is waiting for you at National Carriers®, one of the nation's oldest, most respected and largest carriers. Learn about our exciting opportunities for owner operators as well as company drivers. If you are interested in a leasing a truck, National Carriers® Leasing Division is the ideal partner to help you get started.
National Carriers, Inc. is pleased to recognize Colorado resident, Steve Neal, for driving three million miles without having a reportable accident. Neal began his driving career at the “Elite” Fleet over twenty one years ago. He has driven as a fleet driver, an owner operator and now as a company driver. NCI Director of Safety, Jill Maschmeier, made the presentation on behalf of National Carriers.
In a separate event, Russ Reinhard was named October 2017 Driver of the Month. Russ has driven safely for NCI the past 10 years while setting a high standard for on-time pickup and deliveries. A resident of southern California, Russ focuses on delivering packaged beef from southwestern Kansas throughout the nation.
When named Driver of the Month, Russ stated, “Everything I need to be successful is here. I like the people I work with, the income is good, and National Carriers truly wants drivers to succeed.”
On behalf of National Carriers, spokesman Ed Kentner shared, “Steve and Russ are great examples of professional Class A drivers. Both put the motoring public first while completing the task of delivering promptly with all products intact. Always well dressed and customer oriented, these two drivers represent everything that is to be expected from the “Elite” Fleet.”
Reinhard is now a finalist for NCI Driver of the Year to be announced in April of 2018. Each monthly winner receives a $500 bonus. National Carriers Driver of the Year is awarded a $5000 prize at the NCI Driver of the Year Banquet held in Arlington, Texas in the spring of 2018.
Company Information
National Carriers is a diversified motor carrier servicing all 48 states in the continental United States with transportation offerings which include refrigerated, livestock, and logistics services. At National Carriers, our mission is "to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful motor carrier in our class."
Irving, TX - Tyler Claussen has been named October Driver of the Month for National Carriers, Inc. The 30-year-old Claussen lives in Garden City, KS and works as a fleet driver within the NCI livestock division. A father of two, he is also an accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor, recently placing third in a national competition.
When notified of his selection, Claussen laughingly said, “I never get a call from the livestock manager, so when he called I was afraid I had done something wrong. When he told me I was selected as Driver of the Month I wasn’t sure what the award was. I didn’t even know National Carriers had this recognition. I just go to work every day and do my job. I do appreciate being nominated and winning the award.”
Director of the NCI livestock division, Jason Greer stated, “Tyler Claussen excels at his job. He is safety conscientious whether driving his truck or handling cattle. He is an excellent example of a young, professional driver who leads by example and listens to advice from our more experienced cattle haulers. National Carriers is fortunate to have him on our team.”
Each Driver of the Month is a finalist for NCI Driver of the Year 2016. Monthly award winners receive a $500 bonus. National Carriers Driver of the Year is awarded a $5000 prize at the NCI Driver of the Year Banquet held in Arlington, Texas in the spring of 2017.
Company Information
National Carriers is a diversified motor carrier servicing all 48 states in the continental United States with transportation offerings which include refrigerated, livestock, and logistics services. At National Carriers, our mission is "to be the safest, most customer-focused, and successful motor carrier in our class."
Being part of the Elite Fleet® means enjoying a career worthy of your skills and commitment to excellence. We believe long-term success is waiting for you at National Carriers®, one of the nation's oldest, most respected and largest carriers. Learn about our exciting opportunities for owner operators as well as company drivers. If you are interested in a leasing a truck, National Carriers® Leasing Division is the ideal partner to help you get started.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Carriers, Inc.
3925 Carbon Rd, Irving, TX 75038
Contact: Edward Kentner | Director of Media | Phone: (800) 835-2097 Ext. 6628 |