Steve Gundale, Editor
Photo: Carol Ann Schlussler

Woman named nation's outstanding truck driver
Eagan,Minnesota - Carol Ann Schlussler, an independent owner operator who contracts with Dart Transit Company, is the Truckload Carriers Association’s 2002 “Independent Contractor of the Year”. The announcement came March 11 at the TCA’s annual convention in Orlando, Florida.

As the “Independent Contractor of the Year”, Ms Schlussler will receive a free International class 8 tractor built to her exact specifications. It will likely have a sticker price over $100,000.

The TCA represents 469 truckload motor carriers that operate 200,000 trucks. Each year the association conducts a search for the most outstanding U.S. truck drivers. Ms. Schlussler has driven a truck professionally for 16 years, all of them with Dart, where she has accumulated over two million miles without an accident or traffic ticket.

She is the second woman and the fifth Dart Transit contractor to win the award in the last 12 years. “No carrier comes even close to Dart in the number of award winning contractors,” says Gary Randall, Dart vice president of operations. “I think it proves that Dart attracts and keeps the industry’s best professional truck drivers. Loyalty is a two-way street at Dart, and owner operators are our business partners. We’re incredibly proud of Carol Ann. She began her career with Dart, and this is her crowning achievement.”

While Carol Ann is the daughter of a trucker, she chose the driving profession because of a truck driver she never met, and because of her courage in the face of personal adversity. At age 11, she contracted polio and was quarantined in a hospital, where she was isolated from her family and friends. During that lonely time, she was befriended by a truck driver who made daily deliveries to the hospital. He brought her cheer and encouragement by waving to her and making signs that she could see from her hospital window. She promised God that if He would spare her from the iron lung, she would become a truck driver so she could help others, as she was helped.

She recovered from her polio, and when she grew up, she married a farmer and became mother to five children of their own, plus two foster children. When her husband was disabled by illness, she was determined to keep the family together. Single handedly she took over the farm, raising 300 hogs, and hauled cattle locally for cash to supplement the family income. When the children were old enough for her to be gone, her sister (also a Dart contractor) helped her become a certified driver at Dart. She purchased her own truck, and contracted it to Dart. “Being an owner operator allowed me to go home whenever I needed to be there,” she said.

“Carol Ann overcame great adversity to reach this achievement,” says Dart President Donald G. Oren. “It required tremendous determination and strength of character, and I’m personally very proud of her. Over the years, Dart has attracted many outstanding professional truck drivers. This is something that sets Dart apart from other truckload carriers. Dart is a company where working people can still make the American dream come true for themselves.”

Dart Transit is a 48-state carrier that offers many driving options for professional truck drivers. Besides the 48-state option chosen by Ms. Schlussler, Dart offers dedicated contracts, regional opportunities in the north and south, and local driving opportunities in several cities.

Photo: Art Reid

Art Reid places second in TCA contest
Second Place in the 2002 Independent Contractor of the Year contest went to Dart Transit contractor Art Reid of Breckenridge, Texas. Reid is a 35-year veteran driver who has contracted with Dart Transit for 10 years. He has a perfect safety and on-time delivery record with the company. He is a highly respected and successful businessman, with a "get the job done right the first time" attitude that is greatly appreciated by shippers and receivers.

As the second place winner, Mr. Reid receives $3,200 in U.S. Savings Bonds and $3,000 in cash and merchandise.

Alseth and Rauschnot named to Minnesota Road Team

Photo: Mel Alseth (left) and Pat Rauschnot (right)

The Minnesota Trucking Association is launching a new public relations team, and Dart contractors Mel Alseth and Patricia Rauschnot are on it.

The Minnesota Road Team is a group of six professional drivers who will make public presentations on highway safety and sharing the road with trucks. They will also be available as a resource to local news media.

They were chosen by judges representing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, and the insurance industry.

Contractors of the Month

Photo: Nancy Smith

Nancy Smith (Eagan Operating Center)
Steve Gundale, Editor
“When life hands you challenges, what you do with them is up to you,” says contractor Nancy Smith. She knows, because she’s had more than her share of challenges.

Sixteen years ago, she visited her doctor to check a skin problem. His verdict was devastating. She had an aggressive and lethal skin cancer, and the doctor gave her only three months to live. “A positive outlook is the most important thing,” he told her. Looking back, Nancy agrees. After surgery and a large dose of self-administered positive attitude, she beat the disease.

A graduate of business college, Nancy entered the federal civil service, and worked 26 years in several government offices. Eight years ago she needed a career change, so she acted on a secret ambition to drive trucks. She completed driving school and started as a fleet driver with Allpoints.

Five years later she purchased her own tractor from Highway Sales and financed it through Mercedes-Benz, and she has been very successful.

“I’ve learned to be positive and get on with life, no matter what happens,” she says.

“Nancy is very team oriented and supportive ,” says fleet manager Roger Meyer. “When I ask for help, she does everything she can within legal limits. She goes anywhere, even the Bronx. She’s a valued part of our customer service team.”

Photo: Don Hazel

Don Hazel (Dallas Operating Center)
Cathy Aydelott, Staff Writer
Don Hazel has been with Dart’s Dallas Operating Center for six years, half of his professional driving career. Before driving a truck, Don drove a really big machine -- he was a locomotive engineer for thirteen years.

“Dart is a great place to haul freight!” says Don. He has worked with Steve Brannon as his fleet manager for four years. “I don’t turn down freight, and Steve keeps me running,” he says.

Don and his wife, Leola, have been married for seventeen years and have four children, 2 girls and 2 boys. They also have three grandchildren. Don calls Florence, South Carolina home, and when he’s not on the road he enjoys music and time with his family.

Photo: Art Longoria

Art Longoria (Eagan Operating Center)
Steve Gundale, Editor
Art Longoria doesn’t seem old enough to have 25 years as a Dart contractor, but he is one of Dart’s longest-term contractors. He has pulled Dart freight his entire driving career.

Someone observed that Art may have trained more inexperienced dispatchers than any other contractor, doing it with great patience and sensitivity. He has been through trucking deregulation, Dart’s switch from reefers to dry vans, and he has seen trailers grow from 45 to 53 feet long.

“Dart has very good people, and that hasn’t changed through the years. Whenever I need something done, Dart has good people to talk with.”

Art puts people first, especially his family. A few years ago, he realized that he hardly knew his 16 year old daughter because he was spending too much time on the road. And so he completely changed his priorities to invest more time in his family. Typically, he is on the road two weeks, then home for one week. “Art works hard,” says Brett Tamminen, one of his past dispatchers, “but when he goes home, he is serious about his family time.”

Editor’s note: To spend more time with his family, Art transferred to the Dallas Operating Center in January for a dedicated run between Tyler and San Antonio, Texas. He is an example of how Dart’s many contract opportunities benefit contractors.

Photo: CJ Lee

CJ Lee (Dallas Operating Center)
Cathy Aydelott, Staff Writer
CJ Lee contracted with the Dallas Operating Center ten years ago, and is a loyal customer of Highway Sales. He is currently leasing his third tractor from Highway Sales.

“Teamwork and conscientious effort” are keys to success in the trucking business, says CJ. “I just do my work well, and I am honored to be Contractor of the Month.” CJ recognizes the value of fleet manager Jackie Jenkins and other members of the team. “We have the advantage of good staff, an essential part of a good company.”

CJ hails from Vicksburg, Mississippi, and loves to spend time with his children and grandchildren. He is a golfer, fisherman, and author of a 200 page book on denominational religion.

Trucker Buddies are heroes

Photo:Reinhard Thieben

Reinhard Thieben is one of those people who would give you the shirt off his back. He has 24 Trucker Buddies in Bellport, New York who gave it back to him, covered with their names and autographs.

Reinhard’s class lives half way out on Long Island, and he says many of his Buddy’s have never been off the island. To give them a bigger picture of the world, he sends them post cards nearly every day during his travels. They track his movements on a map, and he takes special pleasure in explaining the manufacturing processes at factories where he picks up or delivers loads.

His cousin, James Arens, is also a Dart contractor.

Safe drivers? You bet! Dart Contractors have bragging rights

Photo:Mike Carlson

Editor’s note -- This is Mike Carlson’s last safety column. While we bid farewell to Mike as a writer, he is not leaving us. In December, Mike transferred to Dart Intermodal, where he is gaining new experience as a dispatcher. We wish him well.

If you happen to hear a Dart contractor bragging about how safe a driver he is, let him! He’s telling the truth.

One way a motor carrier judges the safety performance of its drivers or contractors is by dividing DOT recordable crashes by the number of miles driven.

A DOT recordable crash has one or more of the following characteristics:
* A fatality
* A person is taken from the scene in an ambulance for medical treatment
* A vehicle is towed from the scene.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration uses crashes that are classified as “recordable” to measure motor carrier safety performance. Our safety performance sets Dart apart from other carriers in this area, and our performance during the year 2002 is a perfect example of achieving outstanding results through team effort.
Without the cooperative efforts of contractors, Operations, Vehicle Maintenance, and Safety, we would not have our low frequency rate.

The FMCSA regards a carrier as a problem if it has a DOT crash frequency rate of 1.5 per million miles or higher. Dart’s recordable losses are 1/3 of that rate. Congratulations on a job well done!

Golden opportunity for contractors 956 qualify for paid plates

Dart Transit’s paid base plate bonus program is worth a whopping $1.1 million to contractors in 2003.

A total of 956 contractors qualified for full or partial base plate credit on their 2003 base plate package. The average base-plate bonus was $1,296.

Contractors qualified for fully paid 2003 plates by producing 120,000 or more miles in 2002.

New contractors who started in 2002 could also qualify for partial credit by averaging 10,000 or more miles per active month during the 2002 calendar year.

The paid base-plate bonus program continues for 2004 base plates.

Unisys honors Blankenships

Contractors Elmer and Sharon Blankenship received a very unusual thank you and recognition from Unisys in September. The husband and wife team from Virginia delivered two critical government loads for Unisys. One delivered to the FBI, and the other to the Defense Department. Both required exacting call-in procedures and precise deliveries, and Unisys was very pleased with their performance.

Vice President Bob Eichers presented the Blankenships with a Certificate of Accomplishment at a Unisys executive meeting, where the two received a standing ovation. Mr. Eichers is responsible for Unisys supply chain operations.

Dart staff on MTA board

The Minnesota Trucking Association announced its 2003 Board of Directors in December. Members include Dart President Donald G. Oren, Mark Wilk (ex officio), and James C. Hardman Esq.

IdleAire available to Dart contractors

Photo: IdleAire units in use

If you’ve recently driven past the Syracuse service plaza on the New York Thruway, you’ve probably noticed a row of big yellow tubes hanging from a steel superstructure. It’s “IdleAire”, the newest approach to cutting air pollution.
New York State restricts truck idling, and other states are expected to follow. That creates a problem for truck drivers who need to stay warm in winter and cool in summer while they park.

IdleAire is the solution, and a whole lot more. As a Dart contractor, you can access the service with your EFS card.
The yellow tubes pipe warm or cool air and a variety of electronic services into the cab of parked trucks The service includes 110 volt shore power to run appliances and engine heaters, free computer use, phone access, internet access, and cable TV.

Cost is $1.25 per hour, less than the cost of fuel at high-idle. Dart contractors can activate the service by swiping their EFS card in the card reader inside the truck.

Additional information is available at idleaire.com.

Premiums 100% deductible in 2003 New tax break on health insurance

Photo: Angela Di Laura (left) and Lisa Fleek (right)

by Angela Di Laura and Lisa Fleek
Ameriplan Insurance Agents
There is good tax news for independent contractors in 2003. Beginning in January, medical insurance premiums become 100% deductible on 2003 Federal taxes -- an increase from 70% in 2002.

In effect, this means that your medical insurance now costs you less because you have a larger tax deduction.

The high cost of health insurance
We know there are no bargains out there on health insurance. The ever increasing cost of health insurance is a national dilemma. Advances in drugs and medical care are staggering, but so is the cost of providing them. Health insurance is a huge issue for all of you because the premiums are high. On the other hand, you can’t afford to be without coverage.

Health insurance alternatives
If you are in the market for health insurance, shop around for what is best for you. Ameriplan has a good plan, but it is not cheap. OOIDA offers an alternative, and there are many insurance companies that offer individually underwritten medical coverage. Check them out to see which plans offer the best combination of premiums, deductibles, limits, and co-insurance options for you.

Another option is state safety net plans. Many states have state sponsored plans for residents who have trouble finding coverage. If your state offers such a plan, check to see if you qualify. Some state plans are quite affordable.

Remember that business related plans, such as Ameriplan’s Occupational Accident coverage, do not cover off-the-job accidents or illnesses. Occupational Accident coverage cannot be used for heart attacks, strokes, cancer, or other diseases. This coverage is for work-related injuries while you are under dispatch, and is limited to those situations.

If you do not have some form of medical coverage, you have a protection gap for illnesses and personal injuries that could leave you footing the bill. Remember -- hospital rooms often run over $1,000 per day.

Affordable health insurance is a problem for everyone, and we hope that Ameriplan is able to be of service to you and your family.

Help when you need it

Everyday life is stressful, and this can affect you and your family’s well being.

The Trucker’s Assistance Program (TAP) is a service of the Occupational Accident Program. It is a free and confidential help line staffed by professional counselors.

Call if you or someone in your family is experiencing problems such as:
· Financial difficulties
· Stress
· Emotional problems
· Relationship problems
· Substance abuse
· Family concerns
· Depression
· Legal issues
· Problem gambling
· Eating disorders

This is an easy service to use. Just call 1-800-321-8621. Your call is confidential -- Dart is not notified.
More information is available on the web at www.bensingerdupont.com

Fuel efficient trucks with new Mercedes Benz engines for sale Prices lower than last year

Photo: 2004 Columbia Freightliner

Highway Sales has ordered 200 brand new 2004 Columbia Freightliners, with the first arriving in March. They come with a choice of engines -- a Detroit Series 60 or a new non-EPA Mercedes Benz engine, which features excellent fuel economy, outstanding pulling power, and lower monthly payments than last year’s model. Call Phil Marston at Eagan extension 821 for details.

Congratulations to contractors purchasing trucks from Highway Sales between June and December of 2002.

Since the first lease/purchase program in 1984, Dart contractors have purchased a total of 2,362 tractors from Highway Sales: 1,194 by exercising the lease buyout options, and 1,168 with conventional financing through outside financial vendors.

October 10 deadline for 2004 calendar contest -- plan to enter Photo contest open to Dart contractors

Photo: Gary Huber’s granddaughter, Mandie Mae, captured the cover of Dart’s 2003 calendar. Be sure to enter the contest for next year’s calendar. Photos must somehow use Dart Transit as a theme. Your creativity is the limit!

Dart’s 2003 contractor calendar caught the eye of Doug Condra, Publisher of Heavy Duty Trucking magazine. Many trucking companies distribute calendars, but “this one’s special,” he wrote in a one page editorial in the January issue. “The calendar is loaded with attributes to make Dart’s people feel like they belong, and to be proud of their chosen careers and the company they work for.” Thanks, Mr. Condra.

Would you like to see your photo in next year’s calendar? Enter as many photos as you like by Friday, October 10. Winners receive $100 and will be published in the 2004 calendar.

Contest Rules
· For truck photos, park in a safe location. Use safety triangles if necessary.
· 35 mm prints, slides, or digital photos at least 300 dpi
· Include your negatives. Please don’t cut the strips.
· Winning photos become property of Dart Transit, and may be used for other promotional purposes.
· Dart keeps winning photos and returns the rest.
· Send entries to:
Steve Gundale, Editor
AdVANtage Newsletter
PO Box 64110
St. Paul, MN 55164-0110

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