45
COMMENT
Who’s who at the
Specialized Carriers
&Rigging Association
CHAIRMAN
RonMontgomery
Intermountain Rigging & Heavy Haul
Salt Lake City, UT
PRESIDENT
AlanBarnhart
Barnhart Crane and Rigging
Memphis, TN
VICE PRESIDENT
Bruce Forster
Rigging Gear Sales
Dixon, IL
TREASURER
DelynnBurkhalter
Burkhalter
Columbus, MS
ASSISTANT TREASURER
JohnMcTyre
McTyre Trucking
Orlando, FL
ALLIED INDUSTRIESGROUP CHAIRMAN
Eddy Kitchen
, Kitchens Crane &
Equipment
Chesterfield, VA
CRANE&RIGGINGGROUP CHAIRMAN
Larry Curran
, JJ Curran Crane Company
Detroit, MI
LADIESGROUP CHAIRWOMAN
KarenWood
,Wheco
Richland,WA
TRANSPORTATIONGROUP CHAIRMAN
Jay Folladori
, Landstar
Jacksonville, FL
SC&R FOUNDATIONOFFICERS
President:
RobertMoore,
NBIS
Atlanta, GA
Vice President:
Stephanie Bragg,
Bragg Companies
Long Beach, CA
Treasurer:
Jim Sever
PSC Crane & Rigging,
Piqua, OH
T
heCrane&RiggingWorkshop
inSeptembermarked the endof
the SC&RA conference lineup
for 2014, and stood as an example of the
progresswe continue to see each time
we allowourmembers the chance to get
together.We often receive thanks from
ourmany attendees for the effortswe
make toput together the events, butwe
wanted to take this opportunity to flip
that script, and thank you, our valued
members.
We appreciate your feedback, your
input and your contributions; it serves
as the foundationbehindSC&RA’s
success.Wewouldn’t beherewithout
you. The strengthof thisAssociation,
and inmanyways, the strengthof the
industry, depends on your continuous
innovation, perseverance and interest in
the success of one another. Your success
is our success.
Encouraging signs
TheCrane&RiggingWorkshopboasted
552 attendees this year –94ofwhich
were first-timers.Of these folks, 41were
from companies (buyers andusers) that
havenot previouslybeenonSC&RA’s
radar. This is an indicationof true
growth, andnot just good economic
times. It’s evidence that theAssociation
is healthy, and thatmembers and
potentialmembers are recognizing the
value of having a relationshipwith the
SC&RA.
And that value comes from
collaboration.Our strength ismeasured,
andoftendetermined, by involvement.
We encourage ourmembers tobecome
involved in the various groups and
committees – to establish a voice and
contribute throughparticipation.
Everyoneplays apart in this
Association’s success, and in turn, each
member, and the industry as awhole,
benefits similarly.We encourage any
memberswhohave been “standing
on the outside” to get involved. The
evidence is all around; the success of
SC&RA is a collaborative effort.
Included in this partnership is an
appreciation for ideas, opinions and
industrynews.We keep eachother
updated and aware of not just our
successes, but of the challengeswe
face.One of those challenges has been
on the transportation side –with
driver shortages causingproblems for
companies across thenation.
TheFMCSA’s provisions to its 2011
Hours of Service (HOS) rule, which
went into effect on July 1, 2013, has been
a source of frustration for transport
companies around the country, with
manyblaming theprovisions directly
for thedriver shortage. TheATA
recently revealed that there are currently
over 25,000unfilleddrivingpositions
across theU.S. –while the government
estimates aneed for over 300,000new
truckers over thenext six years.
According to theBureauof Labor
Statistics, the average age for a truck
driver in this country is nearly 60– the
average salary is $40,000. Trucking
companies have been scrambling to
findways tokeep their drivers, and/
or recruit newones, andwith stronger
economic growthbecoming a reality
in this country,many companies find
themselves handling increased freight
tonnage –while frantically looking for
drivers tohaul it.
Companies likeBoydBros.
Transportation, InterstateDistributor
andCon-wayFreight are boosting
driver pay. Con-way said inSeptember
that itwill boost truckdriver payby
$60million in2015, restructuringpay
rates formore than14,000 line-haul and
pickup-and-deliverydrivers nationwide.
As companies nationwide seemingly
pull out all the stops tokeep and recruit
drivers, the commondenominator still
points todriver pay.
SchneiderNational, thenation’s
second-largest truckload carrier is
bumpinguppay to its drivers by 8 to13
percent –while also trying to get drivers
homemore often.
Whatwas once anoption is looking
more andmore like a trend. As
economic growth increases, driver pay
will need to increase, aswell –or the
shortages, and thus the scrambling,
will continue.
■
NOVEMBER2014
ACT
The success of SC&RA
is a reflection of its
membership.
EXECUTIVEVICE PRESIDENT
Joel Dandrea
5870 Trinity Centre
Parkway,
Suite 200
Centreville, VA
20120
Ph: 703-698-0291
Fax: 703-698-0297
Strength fromwithin
