On June 15th, 2013 ATS hosted its first Softball Challenge (Office/Shop VS Drivers).
For those not interested in softball there was a 12 team bean bag tournament.
ATS provided food which was grilled and served by ATS employees.
Rolling Along
Reflections
Dining, Drivers & Dialogue
Read Me & Win
The event was a huge success with a total of three softball teams (two driver teams
and one office/shop team), 12 bean bag teams, and a variety of ATS staff showing
their support. It turned out to be a beautiful day, with highs in the low 80’s and
sunshine.
Thanks for Your Service
Million Milestones
Photo Contest
Picture Contest Winners
ATS Track & Field Day
What’s Going on at the Shops
ATS LTL Quick Quote Service
Creating A Driver Driven AIP
MN Truck Driving Championship
Youth Investment Award
ATS Unveils New Website
Equipment Update
A Sure Catch 2013
Pictured: L – R
Front Row – Michael Liedorff, Josh Gutierrez, Ernie Gutierrez
Back Row – Carl Horn, Everett Jones, Mike Compton, Adrian Griffin,
Eliot Oitker, Michael Goode
The Herald is published for the
associates of ATS. To submit articles
for future issues or to make
comments, please call 320-255-7485
or E-mail: [email protected]
Copyright © 2013, Anderson Trucking
Service, Inc. All rights reserved.
In four short months ATS’s Pad Wrap division will start their 10th
year of existence. Our strategy statement in Vans is to be the
premier van niche carrier in North America.
Pad Wrap exemplifies this statement. What
started off as a vision with a few trucks and
trailers 10 years ago has led to the largest
specialized Pad Wrap fleet in the nation
today encompassing over 155 trucks with plans
to expand to nearly 200 by the end of next year. This is due to
the level of integrity and responsibility we take in servicing our
customers and developing our team.
It has not always been easy, but through a great deal of
innovation and a strong sense of excellence we have
experienced not only growth in load count but revenue per truck
setting new records in both June and July of this year. We have
successfully raised the bar and have done it by focusing on our
most valuable asset…our people. We believe we have the
safest and most reliable drivers, the most determined sales
group, best in class customer service, strategic planners and
fleet managers; all surrounded by a management team that
cares about the success of the group. It takes all team
members working together to succeed much less excel.
Pad Wrap is a unique market within the van world demanding a
high level of involvement with the customer, shipper, and
receiver. Most loads require us to coordinate equipment needs
and often very tight crew pickups and deliveries so planning and
equipment management are essential pieces for success. We
can haul everything from household goods to entire store
remodels. Most of our deliveries do not take place at a standard
dock so ensuring we have a safe way to unload is critical for
everyone in the division. Pad Wrap markets are very dependent
on the overall economy often relying on store remodels and new
store openings to drive freight. As the market has recovered over
the last several years and slight upticks in retail sales, we have
seen increased volumes as large big box stores expand their
offerings in both product lines and new locations. As we continue
to aggressively grow, identifying and expanding new markets is
critical for us so we can control and mitigate the volatility of the
economy. To help identify these markets, we have doubled the
size of our sales force actively engaged in finding new customers
and markets that need our service offerings. We have expanded
our reach to include the medical industry, construction equipment,
museums, trade shows, and our newest offering large scale roll
outs managed and coordinated completely in house. We know
the importance of a diverse and broad customer base within our
niche markets and are proactively working to expand them.
We have come a long way in 10 years. We have faced many
challenges including the largest recession many of us have ever
seen, only to emerge a stronger and more vibrant team.
Together, we will continue to grow and exemplify the values that
make us who we are and what ATS represents. As we enter our
10th year in the Pad Wrap market, we are proud of our
accomplishments, but also realize if you are standing still, you are
being left behind. We know there are opportunities out there and
we will not be satisfied, like any great team, until we have
exhausted those resources. We look forward to the future and
are extremely confident we will not just repeat our results over the
past 10 years; we will exceed them by continuing to focus on our
people whom exemplify ATS’ corporate values. Our team wants
to offer a special thanks to everyone who has supported this
vision and we look forward to a prosperous Pad Wrap future.
Jeff Potthoff – Vice President & General Manager, Vans
Innovation – Integrity – Determination – Responsibility – Excellence
It was during one cold week in December, 1992, when I traveled to Russia for the first time. The
memory of snow blowing under a gate bearing a metal symbol of the hammer and sickle remains
etched in my mind. Subsequently, I have taken 14 short-term mission trips to Russia and four mission
trips to Africa. Each trip lasted between two and three weeks. I have also been privileged to tour Israel,
Egypt, England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Venezuela and even
far-away Foley, Minnesota !
Most recently, I took an 18-day mission trip to Ghana, Africa. Ghana is one of the more stable countries of Africa, where democracy
has been given an opportunity to survive and at times thrive. One cannot help but notice the difference between countries where the
above list of universal values are encouraged and those where such values have never taken root or have gradually eroded away
by corruption.
ATS Values Are Universal!
Wherever the values embraced by Anderson Trucking Service
are cherished, there will be better individuals, families,
communities, cultures and countries. In contrast, wherever
these values are compromised, the very fabric of society will
unravel or be torn to pieces.
So do your very best to internalize these and like values, not
just as an employee of ATS, but as a person, a family member
and citizen. Make these values your own, not only now but for
the rest of your life!
God bless!
Jim Anderson - ATS Relationships Consultant
Pictured: L – R
Dr. Ransom Affram, Director of ILU,
Jim Anderson, and Dr. Stanley Yamoah, Director of CCCI Ghana
Anderson Trucking Service, Inc. sponsored the
Family Field Day on Saturday, August 17th. This
great event is part of the Bernick's Family Fitness
Series presented by the YMCA.
held
at the Apollo High in St. Cloud, MN.
Thanks to all who came and participated!
The results of the tournament turned
up some very sore muscles, a lot of
laughter, new friendships and a
champion.
The day started off with a couple of wins
for the ATS office/shop team. Driver
Team Blue was named the champion
as they defeated Driver Team Black
in a very close battle.
We would like to thank our volunteers
and everyone who participated and
contributed to the success of the event.
Pictured: L – R
Front Row - Michael Getch, Tim Simmons, Jim Pepper, Kevin Curtsinger
Back Row - Vince Ransom, Joe Shaw, Loyd Rhines, John Rowinski,
Joe Newman, Chris Wilson
Pictured: L – R
Joe Goering, Brent Schaffler, Nate Fish
Pictured: L – R
Front Row - Brooks Anderson, Jody Plautz, Keri Harstad-Burrow, Shawn Vance, Amy Mueller
Back Row - Brandon Plautz, Jason Theis, Matt Demenge, Matt Haas, Bryan Frana
We have a new manager at
the Houston Shop. Please
welcome Michael Dozier next
time you get through
Houston. Mike comes to us
from the oil fields and has
experience as a contractor
in Iraq. Mike’s focus is to
expand the staff in Houston
so we can offer longer hours
on the weekdays and expand
to some weekend hours. His
Pictured: Michael Dozier
other big task is to ready the
group to move to our new shop being built out at the drop yard.
Don’t forget to stop in and buy your expendable service items
at an ATS shop. Def fluid, oil, antifreeze, lights, are 25% to
40% lower than you will find at the truck stop or other
locations. The antifreeze and oil are the same as what we use
in our shops and at TA/Petro. They are the preferred oil and
antifreeze to use in our equipment. Using other products can
lead to contamination of the cooling system or oil and
Increased maintenance cost. Take advantage of the cost
savings and quality parts at the
ATS shops.
Some of you may have noticed that we dropped the oil drain
interval on our Cummins engines from 30,000 miles to 20,000
miles in some applications. This is due to high idle which lowers
fuel economy. Idle can consume .7 to .8 gallons per hour and
significantly lower your MPG. When your MPG is lower than 6.0
MPG, Cummins recommended drain interval is 20,000 miles. If
we could get above 6.0 MPG, we could push the drain interval
backout to 30,000 miles. The yearly cost impact to the fleet is
over $100,000. Please shut off your unit whenever possible and
use your bunk heater or other options to reduce your idle. Fuel
does not burn as completely at idle. This not only reduces oil life,
but it more rapidly dirties the after treatment system. This can
cause more regens, faster DPF clogging, and can ultimately
increase your chance of a check engine light, de-rate, or
shutdown.
Jim Vogel, West mechanic had his 25 year anniversary of
service on August 22. Kim Kane, Gary mechanic has his 25
years anniversary of service on September 9. Congratulations
Jim and Kim! Gary hit 3.5 years safe, without a loss time injury
on August 22. Keep up the great work!
Gary is doing some concrete work in
the safety lane soon. This may cause
some re-routing of traffic for several weeks. Please be patient.
New on the maintenance team. Zach Myllykangas has joined
the St. Cloud Prep Shop. He comes to us from WyoTech
Technical School. Paul Meinhart joined the staff in Houston.
He comes to us with previous experience at Rush Peterbilt
and Schneider National. Please welcome this new talent to our
maintenance team.
Doug Kading – Director of Maintenance
Pictured: L – R
Front Row – Doug Kading, Craig Massengill,
Kim Kane, Tony Campolattara,
Bob Bednarek
Back Row – Gary Johnson, Ryan Lysek,
Brent Anderson, Bob Ronk,
Ivan Ramos, Derick Helton,
Mike Gasaway, Dean Del Principe,
Matt Woods, Jimmy Alexander,
Doug Pearson
As discussed during the Dining, Drivers and Dialogue articles
within the last couple Herald's, ATS has made a few changes
with the Tuesday and Thursday Annual In-Person (AIP)
meetings. We realized after discussing winter driving in 2010,
CSA in 2011 and Value Driven Driving in 2012. It started to lose
its luster so last year we posed the question; What can ATS do
moving forward to better the driver’s experience? We took the
feedback and posed a similar question to our operational teams.
What was brought up was a longer, fleet specific forum that
incorporates cargo securement, driver wellness, fleet specific
accident prevention and the ever popular executive meeting.
When the Operational Safety Specialists were asked to reinvent
the Annual In-Person we wanted to make sure the drivers left
with a thorough understanding of the correlation between their
CSA scores and the freight that ATS books, open the lines of
communication between drivers and the safety department, as
well as, further a safety driven culture at ATS.
We always want to make sure we're treating our drivers like
people not truck numbers and unfortunately with all the new
technology we lost a lot of that face to face communication
making it harder to build working relationships; this has changed
dramatically within the last year. While discussing the new
Annual In-Person, Veteran Fleet Manager Jay Johnson said,
"The biggest advantage of the new In-Person Training is the
face to face communication between driver and fleet manager.
Both sides realize that we're dealing with real people with
personalities, hobbies and lives outside of transportation." He's
correct; how can you build a strong safety culture without
teamwork and camaraderie?
The AIP has opened the lines of communication to talk about
the drivers’ concerns as well as preventative actions they can
take to be safe and profitable on the road. There is an obvious
and direct correlation between safety and profitability for both
drivers and ATS and we are able to show them this in the AIP.
We want the drivers to know that we are here to support them
and that we are available as tools for them to use, the AIP gives
us the forum to get that conversation started. We use the AIP to
show the drivers that we have a safety driven culture at ATS
and how maintaining that culture reflects directly on how much
money they are taking home weekly. We would be hard pressed
to find any drivers that are out there doing this job for
the sightseeing alone, they are doing this to
support themselves and their families and
we want to give them all the tools and
resources we can to make that
happen, AIP gives us a chance
to do that.
A safety culture is often described as attitudes
or values a person places on safety within their
own workplace. So many of us (yes, safety included)
have stomped our feet when we're told we have
to partake in mandatory training, so being told it's now a longer
event with (dare we say) safety and operations together! Many
people came into the room all doom and gloom each leaving with
information about the successes we've had in lowering our CSA
numbers which directly reflects the freight we haul, our overall
accident numbers and how each one of our drivers should be
darn proud of themselves. For example, both fleets have seen a
HUGE decrease in accidents by drivers who have completed the
2013 AIP.
So what was the magic change? It all depends on the person;
some of the drivers have said it was great to feel like they
mattered again, others have said they like knowing they have
someone in their corner when they have problems on the road.
At the end of the day we all have our stories, the loads we haul
and the loads we bear but what's really come out of this Annual
In-Person is the realization that ATS is a family and our job is to
protect each other's families day in and day out.
Amanda Boedigheimer / Jon Helm – Operations Safety Specialists
Each summer the Minnesota Trucking Association puts on the
Minnesota Truck Driving Championships which were held this
year on June 8-9. During the two-day event drivers are judged
through a written test, pre-trip inspection and driving course.
Each year ATS enters a group of drivers to compete in the
Flatbed and Sleeper
berth divisions.
Competing this year
were Chris Pierson
and Scott Moriarity
in the Flatbed division
and Ray Bentham and
Tap Clenin in the
Pictured: L – R
Sleeper berth division. All
Chris Pierson - HH, Ray Bentham - Vans,
Rollie Anderson, Scott Moriarity - Flats, Taplia Clenin - Vans
drivers in all of the divisions
drive during Saturday’s competition
with the top 4 of each division moving on to drive the competition course on Sunday. Ray Bentham
and Chris Pierson both moved on to drive on Sunday. Chris Pierson placed first in the Flatbed
division and now will move on to compete in the National Truck Driving competition to be held in Salt
Pictured:
Lake City, UT on August 21-24. We wish Chris all the best when he competes at the national level
Chris Pierson
later this summer.
Presented to those who have gone beyond the call; giving of their time, talents and treasure to make an impact on our next generation.
ATS has been a longtime supporter of Youth for Christ. ATS has impacted our teens by focusing on supporting a Christ centered message in
Central MN. Q & A below with Central Minnesota Youth for Christ and Rollie Anderson.
Q: What influenced you to get involved in YFC?
A: Our future depends on the youth of today. What’s concerning is their values or the lack thereof. Teens are following an agnostic belief
and just don't care. Youth for Christ stands for Christian values and morals and we fully support that.
Q: With so many needs and competing opportunities, how do you decide
what you support?
A: You really need to prioritize your giving. It’s a personal decision you
must make to have any impact. Ours are: #1 Youth #2 Christian values
#3 Faith in education
Q: Why do you think YFC is important to our community?
A: This is our community and our teens in St. Cloud. The new center
(our old headquarters) is serving the right market. We are excited to be
leaving a legacy my father (Harold) started so many years ago.
Q: What would you say to others thinking about supporting YFC?
A: You should. Do your homework and find out more. They have depth
of ministry which penetrates into our community, Christ message, and
life-skills development. It is an impact investment choice.
Thanks again Rollie, Brent, Scott, Jim and ATS for making a difference
in our community!
- Central Minnesota Youth For Christ
Pictured: L – R
Brent Anderson, Rollie Anderson, and Scott Anderson, Youth for Christ
ATS UNVEILS NEW WEBSITE
The much anticipated new ATS website was released on
August 21, 2013. The website can be found at www.atsinc.com.
The launching of this website is the culmination of two years of work
that included re-branding and development of collateral materials for
ATS. The new ATS website pulls the multiple ATS websites
together into one single ATS experience. The website design
matches the new ATS identity that was introduced in November of
2012.
In early 2011, a group of key ATS leaders from across the business,
headed by Scott Anderson, started discussing pulling the multiple
ATS websites together into one single ATS experience. Narrative, a
marketing firm in Minneapolis was contracted to guide the team
through the process. Very quickly this task evolved into a broader
and more significant conversation about how ATS presents itself
strategically, visually and verbally. The decision was made that it
was time to ensure that the ATS logo, images, and words that are
spoken or written about ATS reflect the strength and multifaceted
nature of the business.
The process for developing the new ATS identity was carefully
planned and executed. The first phase
was Alignment and Discovery.
Members of each business unit,
customers and key support
departments were interviewed
as part of the discovery process
to define who ATS is and what
ATS key messages are.
The next phase was Positioning and Messaging in which the
findings from the interviews were reviewed. Verbiage and messages
that resonates with the ATS markets was developed. Next, a visual
identity was developed which included a logo, design textures, color
palettes, fonts and photography. As this process happened, the key
element that “we are still ATS” remained at the center of the project.
It was critical that who ATS is didn’t change, but rather change our
look to match who ATS is.
The new identity for ATS was developed and introduced internally
on November 16, 2012, and externally on December 7, 2012.
Since that time, the team has worked on the development
of collateral materials including business cards, stationery and
business forms, while continuing to focus on the design and
content for the website.
With the launching of the website, the focus will
now change from development of the site to the on-going task
of keeping the information on the site fresh and informative.
One topic that comes up at every driver lunch is the condition
of trailers when they are picked up from a yard for use on the
next load. Drivers indicate that it is very common to find that
a trailer was dropped in poor condition and not reported as in
need of repair.
Some changes are being made in some of the Qual Comm
canned messages that should do a better job asking drivers
about the condition of the trailer when dropping a trailer.
Within the near future, the following screens will have a
Yes/No area that will ask about the condition of a dropped
trailer:
Screen 4 – Leaving Shipper/Stop
Screen 5 – Depart From Final
Screen 9 – Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR)
Screen 13 – Drop and Hook
If a problem is indicated on any of the above screens, Screen
16 (Trailer Maintenance Report) will automatically be
sent out to the truck asking for more specific information
regarding the trailer. In order to improve trailers that are
being picked up, it is very important that the driver who
dropped the trailer responds to the Screen 16. The
information on the response will be delivered to Road Service
so any issues can be addressed. Screen 16 can also be
initiated by a driver at any time to report trailer problems that
have been observed.
In order for the system to work it is important for everyone to
be aware of the condition of trailers that are being pulled and
to promptly report any issues that arise.
In addition to Screen 16, Screen 24 (Emergency Breakdown)
can be used in case of an emergency when repairs are
needed while under load or when broke down by the side of
the road.
Driver lunches with the ATS management team members are
held every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30 at the St. Cloud
office on Opportunity Drive. When signing in at the Safety
desk on those days, please let them know if you would like to
attend. We are working on putting all of the driver lunch
questions and responses on the driver website. Stay tuned
for more information.
EQUIPMENT UPDATE
ATS Specialized is beginning to receive and place in service a new type of step deck. The new two axle, 53’ in length,
Reitnouer step deck utilizes 17.5” wheels to reduce the height of the rear deck by about five inches below its predecessor on
low pro 22.5”. The 43’ 3” lower deck
still has a full floor, through out for
loading over the axle areas. The trailers
also mimic all recent step deck orders
of a full complement of load securement
anchoring devices: 16 sliding winches,
19 sliding d rings, fixed d ring and
winch in the rear axle slide area.
The operation of the sliding rear axle is
the same process as low pro 22.5”
trailers with an exterior frame, visible
suspension lock system. This group of
trailer unit numbers is identified with unit number string beginning with 36xxx.
ATS Specialized fleet of two axle flatbed trailers is encompassed by four manufactures over the nine model years present.
There are some common specifications found on the entire fleet, such as air ride suspension, 53’ in length, fixed front axle,
sliding rear axle and 36” deep king pin. There
are a few minor variances present on the fleet,
like floor composition of a transdeck floor with
few strips of aluminum present to the all
aluminum floor with apitong wood nailing strips.
The two core models present on the fleet have
some slight variations in camber and act
somewhat different under loaded capacity.
The steel-aluminum combo type has about 2.5”
of camber built in it, starts at 12” deck depth
above the king pin plate, and takes about
16,000 to 18,000 pounds concentrated over
the camber area to remove it. The all
aluminum trailers present on the fleet have
start at a shallower depth of 11.25” deck depth
over the king pin area, most have 2.5” of camber, some have 3.5” and it take about 24,000 to 28,000 over the longer camber
transition area to squish most of it out. By design to meet the same distributed and concentrated load demands, the aluminum
trailers have areas that are slightly higher in ground to deck height.
In the 3rd quarter 2013, ATS Specialized will begin to take delivery of proto type all aluminum 53’ length flatbeds from Reitnouer
that will focus on addressing two items. First, the kingpin will be shallower, moved from 36” to 30”. This should help reduce the
cargo weight impact to the tractor’s steer weight, as the new EPA compliant Class 8 tractors tare weight have increased.
Second, the flatbed frame depth over the kingpin will be reduced to 10”. This reduction in height will flow thru the entire trailer,
thus reducing overall ground to deck height measurement in the camber area. We look forward to introducing these concepts
on the fleet soon!
Steve Psyck – Director of Equipment Sales & Procurement
During the week of June 16, ATS President and CEO Rollie Anderson
and a team of management had the opportunity to host two groups of
drivers for a fishing trip at Sportsman’s Lodge in Baudette, MN on Lake
of the Woods. The drivers were drawn out of a pool of all drivers that
had referred another driver to come work with ATS during
“A Sure Catch 2013 Contest”.
Approximately 30% of the drivers hired by ATS come from our rehire
and referral programs. We are fortunate to have drivers speaking
highly of their experience at ATS and we are thankful for everyone’s
support.
The trip included round trip private jet service,
lodging and meals at Sportsman’s Lodge,
fishing and rain gear, and two days of guided
fishing. In addition, provisions were made for
weekly pay/revenue so drivers would not
have to worry about truck payments or bills at
home. We wanted the drivers to fully enjoy
this experience without the outside stresses
and pressures of life.
Pictured: L – R
Group 2
“T” Swain, Rollie Anderson, Tabie Crowe, Bob Puterbaugh, Mike Compton,
Tassie Carusos, Dave Hegwood, Chris Bender, Jason Phillips,
Scott Anderson, Percy Lewis and Mike Lakmann
It was a real privilege having the opportunity
to spend quality time with some of our drivers.
The fishing, the weather and the company we
kept were all good. We were able to get to
know and appreciate these drivers on a much
closer level. We learned about each other’s
families, sharing pictures of wives, husbands
and kids. We talked about our family
histories, how and where we grew up, and
different life experiences. We all talked
about future goals, and of course we talked a
little trucking. It was a great experience for
everyone involved.
Mike Lakmann – Director of Operations
The Driver Referral Fishing Trip contest is effective August 1, 2013 to July 31, 2014. 20 drivers will
win based on the total amount of referrals, minimum to qualify is two referrals.
op Fleet
Manager with the highest number of referrals from both Flatbed and Vans get to join the trip.
Hosted again by ATS ownership and Senior Management. Good luck!
James (Jimmy) Battle
Maryland
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Vans
Fleet Manager, Danny Omann – Comments: James was
referred to ATS in May of 2012 by his twin brother John.
James used to be a correctional officer. He never complains
and always does a good job. He likes to joke around and keep
it light-hearted!
Larry Foster
Pennsylvania
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Vans
Pictured:
Jimmy Battle
Fleet Manager, Jay Johnson – Comments: Larry has
been married for 30 years, has two children, two step
children, and six grandchildren. Larry has been
driving for 22 years and just celebrated his fifth year
with ATS. His hobbies are collecting eagles,
watching NASCAR, fishing and hunting. Larry is
very proud of his 20 years of military service, five
years in the Army and 15 years in the U.S. Marine
Corps. Larry was a Chief Warren Officer when he
was honorably discharged. Larry tries to recruit
other drivers, telling them that he has driven for
three companies in his career and ATS is the best.
He tells other drivers that ATS not only cares about
their drivers, but they take care of the drivers families
as well.
Carl Horn, Jr.
Georgia
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Vans
Fleet Manager, Mark St. Germain – Comments: Carl
is married and has six kids between the ages of 4-16.
He loves to fish and play sports. He is a great driver
and has been with us for a little under a year. He is a
fun driver to work with and has a very good
hard-work ethic.
Pictured: L – R
Carl Horn, Rollie Anderson, Nathan Kronstedt and Larry Foster
Pictured: L – R
Carl Horn, Rollie, Nathan Kronstedt, Larry Foster
Everett (Dawain) Jones
Arizona
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Kari Dahlinger – Comments: Dawain is
married, has two daughters, and three grandchildren
who are his pride and joy. He is a pastor and has a
call-in service that many of our drivers go to called,
“The Church of the Traveling Steering Wheel.” Dawain
has been with ATS since 2011 and represents ATS well.
He has a very positive attitude and always has good insight.
Pictured: L – R
Tassie Carusos, Tabie Crowe, Chris Bender,
Dave Hegwood, Mike Compton and Rollie Anderson
Nathan Kronstedt
Wisconsin
Driver Type: Company – Vans
Fleet Manager, Jamie Powell – Comments: Nathan has been married
for five years, has three children, and four step children. He likes
riding motorcycles. He has been with ATS for two years and has
been driving for 19 years.
James (Jamie) McConnell
Virginia
Driver Type: Company – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Samantha Dwyer – Comments: Jamie was born in
Texas and was raised in Puerto Rico and in Colorado. He is married
Pictured: L – R
and has four children. His hobbies include fishing wherever and
Everett Jones & James McConnell
whenever (he even has his fishing poles in his truck at all times!). He
loves to play with his kids whenever he can, woodworking and
tinkering in the shop with wood or metal. He has been driving for ATS for a little under a year.
He loves that he is always meeting new people and going different places, it is his way to see
the country and get paid for it! He is not shy about telling other drivers about how great ATS
is to work for. He also explains the great opportunities that he has to move up in class, and
even own his own truck with the different leasing and owner/operator programs ATS offers.
Robin Parker
South Carolina
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Vans
Fleet Manager, Keenan Schuldt – Comments: Robin is
from a military family so she moved around a fair amount
in her younger days. She is a mother of two children,
a 10 year old son and an 11 year old daughter.
Robin has been driving seven years. In her spare time,
she enjoys shooting pool. She is not much of a
fisherwoman, but enjoyed the opportunity to out-fish
the boys!
Darrell Toth
Ohio
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Nicole Meyer – Comments: Darrell enjoys
fishing, watching football and helping others as much as he
can. He travels over to Thailand once a year for 1-3 months
to see his wife and can’t wait until the day he can get her here.
He has now been driving truck for eight years, four of them with ATS.
He always puts others ahead of himself and holds to his word.
He refers ATS to other drivers because he thinks ATS is a great company
to work for and a great company to succeed with.
Pictured: L – R
Tabie Crowe, Scott Anderson,
Bob Puterbaugh and Roger Jackson
John Walton
Virginia
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Vans
Fleet Manager, Danny Omann – Comments: John has worked
for ATS since November of 2007. He started with ATS working
in the NE regional fleet and transitioned over to the IKEA
dedicated fleet a few years ago. John does an outstanding
job for ATS. He represents the company well and we are
lucky to have him. He has a strong faith and is dedicated to
taking care of his family.
Albert (Bert) Werner, Jr.
New Jersey
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Vans
Pictured: L – R
Fleet Manager, Jay Johnson – Comments: Bert has been
Group 1
driving for 10 years and has been with ATS for almost
Jeff Potthoff, Darrell Toth, James McConnell, John Walton, Robin Parker,
two years. He is married and has seven children. Along
Bert Werner and Rollie Anderson
with chasing seven young children, Bert enjoys fishing, camping, and
antique cars, especially nostalgic drag racing. When recruiting drivers,
Bert tells potential candidates that unlike most companies, ATS has a
realistic lease program where a person can actually make enough
income to provide for their family if they are willing to work.
Anastasia (Tassie) Carusos
Georgia
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Kari Dahlinger – Tassie is really into horses and has a few at
home in Georgia as well as a dog. She is a very young lady but she isn’t afraid
to work hard. She is bought her truck right before she went on the trip and is
really excited about that! She has a very positive attitude and has brought a
bunch of her friends here to the company just by telling them how happy
she is with us!
Pictured: L – R
Tassie Carusos and Chris Bender
Robert (Bob) Puterbaugh
Iowa
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Mike Renckens – Bob was born to a military family. He
was raised in Southern California where he enjoyed surfing. He served
in the United States Army where he served three tours in Vietnam in a
transportation unit. Bob and his wife Robin have lived in Sioux City, IA
for the last 20 years. Bob enjoys boating on the Missouri River,
restoring old cars, building models, and stays very active in the veteran
community. He has three children – Brandy, Aaron, and Sandy.
Brandy and Sandy are pilot cars contracted through ATS and Aaron is
a company driver for ATS Specialized. Bob is one of the most
knowledgeable and capable drivers I have had the opportunity to work
with in Heavy Haul. He is a terrific representation of the company and
there is not much he can’t get done.
Pictured:
Bob Puterbaugh and Scott Anderson
Michael (Mike) Compton
Georgia
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Quinn Gibson – Mike and his wife Kim have six children –
Rusty, Terry, David, Mikey, Lisa, and Bill. Bill also works for ATS in our
Specialized Division. Mike has been with ATS since 2005 where he has
excelled as one of the best drivers and people I have ever had the
opportunity to work with. In Mike’s time off he likes to fish, visit the casino’s
and also work on his truck and personal vehicles.
Tabielynn (Tabie) Crowe
Ohio
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Pictured:
Mike Compton
Fleet Manager, Ryan Morse – Tabie has been driving since 1998 and has
hauled anything you can hook behind a truck. She has been with ATS
since February, 2013. Tabie enjoys traveling the U.S. and Canada and
calls herself a paid tourist. She has concentrated on her profession and
has the love from her mom and puppy named Moxie to keep her running
hard every day. In her free time when she is out of the truck she enjoys
reading, visiting friends, and site seeing all the beautiful areas she gets to
travel on a daily basis. Tabie would also like to say thanks to ATS for
picking her for this wonderful trip. She was excited to meet other
drivers and getting to do a little site seeing and fishing in the great north.
David (Dave) Hegwood
Minnesota
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Kevin Huhne – Dave is married with four children. His
hobbies include dirt track and Nascar racing and fishing. He has been
driving for 34 years. Dave learned to drive while working for the carnival
for 20 years. When talking to possible new drivers he mentions that he
does well here, staff is friendly and willing to work with his running style
(where and what he does and doesn’t like to run)!
Pictured: L – R
Front Row – Dave Hegwood, Jason Phillips
Back Row – Mike Compton, Percy Lewis, and Rollie Anderson
Roger Jackson
Oklahoma
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Scott Kramer – Roger started with ATS in March of 2013. He
previously had about five years of oversize hauling experience. He heard of
us because he was leased onto Great Wide and got brokered loads from us.
He was born and raised in Griffin, GA. He has two girls and two boys, and is
engaged to Tajiah, his girlfriend of almost ten years and the mother of three
of the kids. He likes to work with and ride his horses at his ranch in
Oklahoma and fish whenever possible. Roger is a very hard worker.
Pictured:
Roger Jackson
Percy Lewis
Michigan
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Quinn Gibson – Percy has been with ATS for just over three
years and has been a pleasure to work with from day one. He has a fiancé
Charise and two children, Percy III and Marcia. He enjoys movies and
relaxing at home when he’s not on the road.
Jason Phillips
Mississippi
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Tyler Behrens – Jason has been driving for
16 years and has been with ATS just over a year. He
enjoys driving and occasionally playing video games. He
communicates quickly any information pertinent to the
load and is a great face for the company at shippers
and receivers; very professional. With Jason’s referral
it was an issue of another driver asking him about
information on one of his loads. He went over his pay
information on the load and explained how much he
was making on average and how he dealt with the
company and fleet management. He is a very friendly,
easygoing guy.
Pictured: L – R
Percy Lewis and Rollie Anderson
Pictured: L – R
Jason Phillips
and Rollie Anderson
Chris Bender
West Virginia
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Kevin Huhne – Comments: Chris is married to Diana
and has one step-daughter. His hobbies include hunting and fishing of
any kind and as much as possible. He has been driving since 2000
and has been with ATS since 2011. He says that he likes to drive for
ATS; the staff is honest and friendly, a driver will see good results if
they put in the effort.
Thomas (T) Swain
Virginia
Driver Type: Owner/Operator – Flatbed
Fleet Manager, Lori Thran – Thomas loves to hunt and enjoys fishing
although he is not that experienced at it. He has two girls, Diamond
age 13 and Ken’erica age 19. Ken’erica attends college at Elizabeth State
for Education in Elizabeth City, NC. T has been driving on and off for the
last 16 years. He is a great driver and is incredibly easy to work with.
Pictured:
T Swain
Many can remember a time when the Permit department would go through ream after ream of paper in a week. If you walked into our
group back in 2009 you would see every desk covered in papers with hash marks, staples, paper clips, white out, highlighters, and post
its everywhere. There would be 4-5 rows of papers on each desk; a pile in front of the
Permit Coordinator to be ordered and a pile stacked at the end of the employees desks with
loads that at some point needed to be finalized before they would be placed into a box underneath
each desk for a month. Today it’s quite a different picture; our cubicles are clean.
An initiative to go paperless was underway shortly after our company transitioned from the old
computer system called Anita to our new system called LME. This initiative formed a team
made up of individuals in various roles who shared a desire to make the permit processes better
and bring us to the next level. The group began meeting in 2009 with the last meeting held
on April 2nd, 2013. As a group we outlined the permit flow and piece by piece broke it down so
that we could build it new. The process needed a new foundation of information and a way to
streamline the flow of the permit process.
The permit worksheet was enhanced, the permit process was outlined and the hash marked papers turned into automated status
changes in our new system. IS created the permit management screen which does exactly as the name implies. It allows us to fully
manage every permit for every load at a glance. We’re now able to jump in and help each other with ease and less confusion and turned
what used to be organized chaos, into organized moves. By May of 2010 flatbeds started to handle permits paperless. With additional
tweaks and enhancements including: unladen trailers, pre-approvals, and superloads it wasn’t long and the Heavy Haul permits followed
suit. We can now place our cursor on a website and the system will fill in the page with license plates, VIN, make, year, dimensions and
such for the permits. We can effectively track and monitor every permitted load
without a piece of paper.
The quote process for over dimensional moves was the next targeted
item to get an overhaul. As a group we identified the thought process
and information used to price and permit the oversize movements.
Multiple tables were created starting with adjusting the equipment
information so it could allow the system to compute the overall
dimensions. We then created tables for permit pricing, escort
requirements, travel times, permit turn times, holiday travel restrictions,
spring thaw restrictions, state patrol, engineering, local permits, route
surveys, and other items that are tied to hauling over-dimensional freight. The
system can now also maintain routes on loads hauled as we continue to grow
and build a history. At a snap shot it will display on a map the routes that have delivered within dimension ranges and specified
locations. This load history provides vital information on the routes, miles, and cost that we can use on current quotes and loads.
Many have benefited from the tables that provide the “OD Info” that is specific to the load dimensions. If you haven’t seen this, I
encourage you to ask around, check it out, or email me. The other major benefit is now anyone can easily pull up a load, look at the
dimensions expected, see if a permit has been ordered, view the permit or send the permit to the driver. And best of all information that
took years to acquire and memorize is now readily available at the click of your mouse.
I could go on in depth of how things used to work compared to how they function today, but consider yourself spared. Many of the
elements and features turned out better than I envisioned. The end result we all worked so hard to accomplish over the years is an
awesome paperless program. A special thanks to those involved: Scott Anderson, Brent Anderson, Eric Heydman, Leah Kuechle, Mark
Keul, Mike Cleaver, and Mary Besser. We have an outstanding group of programmers, they took ideas and dreams and made them a
reality. Thank you to those outside the group that helped us analyze and review the process, and those that helped collect and verify
data. This system is a small example of the Innovation and Excellence that ATS continues to deliver and excel at.
Joanna Jungels – OD Permits Manager
After a quarter century in the pulpit, pastor Everett Jones found himself in need of a new
career direction due to some family difficulties. A man of faith who describes himself as a
people person, Jones set out over the road to find a way to increase his income and better
provide for his family. After getting his CDL and working at a few trucking companies,
Jones eventually signed on with Anderson Trucking Service (ATS). Today, as an
owner operator with ATS, he says he’s landed on his feet financially and has been
blessed with new opportunities.
“I was searching for a way to increase my potential when I first called ATS. It’s been an
incredible place of opportunity for me. At a lot of companies you have to already have
over dimensional experience, but Anderson gives you the chance to come in and learn and
prove yourself,” says Jones. “They let you work up through their classes of freight.
I’m Class 2 now, where I handle oversize overweight freight. I’m able to provide for my
family more now than I ever have before!”
Jones credits Anderson’s staff with making it easier to do his job. “They do everything
they can to help you be a success as a driver. It’s good to be part of a company
that’s family,” he says.
When he’s not driving, he says he’s also been able to minister to other truck drivers
through a phone-conference-style church service that he holds from his parked tractor
on Sunday mornings. His “Church of the Traveling Steering Wheel” allows drivers to
worship simultaneously with their loved ones who are back at home.
Pictured: Everett Jones
Jones recently returned from an all-expense-paid 3-day fishing trip put on by company president Rollie Anderson. Twenty ATS drivers
were selected at random from all who had made driver referrals. “It was an incredible time! We were flown by company jet to Minnesota’s
Lake of the Woods for walleye fishing. I can’t believe I won.” Jones explains. “They sponsor the trip to reward you for spreading the word
about ATS. But that’s not why I encourage drivers to come here. What ATS has provided for me most of all is opportunity! I want to see
other people have success in life, just like I have.”
National Driver Appreciation Week will be celebrated this year during the week of September 15 through
the 21. ATS appreciates our drivers and contractors for all they do each and every day of the year. We
look forward to this special week which honors our outstanding group of drivers and contractors, as well
as all the drivers and contractors that make the transportation industry great.
This year we will have a variety of events and give-aways to honor our drivers and contractors. ATS will also host a cook-out at the ATS
West Yard on Monday, September 16th and again on Friday, September 20th – drivers and contractors are welcome to come and enjoy a
meal that is cooked and served by your office and shop support teams. There will be treats available for the entire week in the Driver
Lounges at the St Cloud Corporate Office; ATS West; Gary, Indiana; Houston, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Fontana, CA; Laredo, TX; Winnfield,
LA and Manitowoc, WI.
A special message of appreciation from the ATS staff and management teams will be sent to drivers
and contractors. Watch for this message on your QUALCOMM, E-mail or on the ATS Driver Website.
A special appreciation gift will be provided to each contractor and driver. Watch your QUALCOMM
and home mail for instructions on how to order your 2013 ATS Driver Appreciation Gift. We are proud
of our drivers and contractors. They are THE best group in the industry and are the finest
representatives to our customers. We are looking forward to seeing you during this very special week!
Thank you for all you do
On Thursday, August 1st, the ATS Softball Team
completed regular season play at Bob Cross
Park securing first place in the Co-Ed Blue Division
with a 12-2 record. In the first playoff game
the ATS Softball Team was upset by one run putting
them in the loser bracket. They had to win 6 in a row
to win the title. It was a tough fought battle to the
championship where ATS prevailed for the 2nd year
in a row. The ATS Softball Team ended the season
with an overall record of 18-3. The 2013 season was
a repeat of the 2012 season with a couple new
players on the team. Next year will bring on new
challenges as the ATS Softball team will be
moved into a different division with new teams.
Pictured: L – R
Front Row – Gail Simones, Sierra Nelson, Sam Scott, Amy Mueller, Keri Burrow, Jody Plautz.
Back Row – Brooks Anderson, David Rowe, Gary McCann, Kyle Jensen, Matt Haas, Grant Johnson.
The 2013 Squad:
Brandon Plautz
Rich Phillips
Shawn Vance
Amy Mueller
Gail Simones
David Rowe
Gary McCann
Grant Johnson
Sierra Nelson
Jennifer Swan
What is “LTL” transportation? The acronym “LTL” stands for Less Than Truckload.
These small shipments can be consolidated into more cost effective ways to send
your product. The max weight for an LTL shipment is 10,000 lbs. LTLs are shipped
in van trailers and once picked up are transported to the carriers’ local terminal where
the freight is then transloaded and re-routed to the final destination.
Kyle Jensen
Brooks Anderson
Tom Berg
Jody Plautz
Melissa Rowe
Matt Haas
Bryan Frana
Keri Burrow
Sam Scott
NEW
AUGUST 1st !!
LTL transportation is a cost effective way to ship your freight and the ATS Quick Quote LTL service can help! All the information you
need to provide is the shipper and consignee zip codes, freight class, and the weight of the shipment. Once set up, you can log directly
into the system, enter that information and we will provide you with a variety of rates from several national and regional LTL carriers,
including each carrier’s transit time.
ATS Quick Quote service does all the searching for you and still keeps YOU in control of your shipments! It allows you to select the
most cost effective carrier that meets the appropriate transit time desired for your particular needs, book and dispatch the shipment,
and create the BOL and shipping labels. You will also have access to tracking your shipments and obtaining PODs when needed.
Please contact your ATS LTL team with any questions at [email protected] or 888-728-2703
The "Read Me and Win" Contest is open to ATS
Employees and Contractors. Correct entries will
receive one of the new ATS Logo
caps (pictured) when they arrive.
Thanks and keep on reading
“The Herald”
And the winners are...
Amanda Boedigheimer – Safety
Brian Knox – ATS Logistics
Dave Nordvik – ATS Logistics
Dawn Simmons – Recruiting
Heather Doble – Vans Pad Wrap
Jaime Fischer – ATS Vans
Jenny Thommes – ATS Specialized Permits
Kevin Kocmich – ATS Specialized #72440
Kim Denny – Settlements
Kristi Silvers – ATS Specialized
Mark Andres – ATS Logistics
Mike Zarns – ATS Logistics
Nikki Neumiller – Settlements
Phil Maus – Safety
Ryan Holker – ATS Specialized
Ryan Morse – ATS Specialized
Rollie Anderson, President/ CEO
Question:
Do you have a personal mantra? If so, how
do you incorporate that into your company
culture?
Answer from Rollie:
“A leader is not an individual
of extraordinary ability but rather
an ordinary individual with
extraordinary determination.”
I’ve had this quotation on my
desk for a least 30 years.
It’s been there so long that I
often times don’t notice it,
but when I do, it still rings
true and still motivates
me to do more and to expect
more from myself. That’s why
I put it there. “Determination,”
the topic of my favorite quote
is also one of the value words
that have been chosen to
define ATS in our
Corporate Values.
Which division is approaching their 10 year anniversary?
What information do you need to provide to get an ATS Quick Quote LTL?
We’re looking for new photos to be used on our website and in
other corporate advertising and collateral materials. This
includes pictures of any ATS divisions.
Prizes:
1st – $150.00
2nd – $100.00
3rd – $75.00
4th – $75.00
5th – $75.00
Photos need to include the ATS truck and/or load. Creativity is
encouraged. All photos submitted will be considered. Photos
may include standard truck shots, action photos, pictures
involving trucks on the road, at a weigh station, or truck stop
etc.
Congratulations to the following employees who have recently
retired from ATS:
Ricky Gros, retired on May 31, 2013, after working at ATS for
over eleven years. The last position he held was a flatbed
driver.
Margaret Lien, retired on July 12, 2013, after working at ATS for
over nine years. The last position she held was a Contract Service
Clerk.
William Borger, retired on July 24, 2013, after working at ATS for
over seventeen years. The last position he held was a flatbed driver.
Rules
This contest is open to all employees and drivers
(Owner Operators, Company and Leased).
Send your color prints with your name and truck number
clearly printed on the back, to:
Anderson Trucking Service, Inc.
Attn: Photo Contest
PO Box 1377
St. Cloud, MN 56302-1377
High resolution digital photos are preferred and can be
submitted provided they are high resolution (mega-pixels).
These files should be sent via email to: [email protected] .
ATS reserves the right to use the photos electronically or in any
printed publication. A representative of the Internet Committee
will judge the photos and their decision shall be final. All photos
will be considered as they are received.
Every now and then something happens that truly warrants our
attention. At ATS, it is our “Million Mile Drivers”. It is hard enough
for most of us to drive our car yearly without getting a ticket or into
an accident and these drivers do it while hauling up to 200,000 lbs
or more behind a semi truck.
Here is the driver who
received her Million Mile
Award in the last quarter.
CONGRATULATIONS
JEAN!
All submitted photos become the property of ATS and will not
be returned. ATS reserves the right to discontinue or modify
the contest at any time.
Jean Hankinson
ATS Specialized