INTERNATIONAL ANDSPECIALIZED TRANSPORT
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APRIL 2015
59
SC&RANEWS
attendees on how to conduct
their lives and their careers
in such a way as to be
considered “remarkable.”
Ross explained, “When you
exceed expectations to the
degree that others are telling
your story, then you indeed
have become remarkable,
and you’ll never settle for less
in life or business again.”
A compelling educational
session followed Ross, titled
Witness Prep toWin, led by
Lawrence Bowman of Kane
Russell Coleman & Logan PC; Fredric
Marcinak of Transportation Industry
Group; and Robert Moore of NBIS. This
session provided a mock trial where these
prominent litigators explained the dos and
dont’s of witness preparation and the art
of testifying.
“A witness must know the facts of any
given case, from top to bottom,” explained
Marcinak. “Working with your own
attorney from the beginning of any claim,
lawsuit, or regulatory issue will allow him
to best navigate you through the process
and ensure goodwitness preparation.”
Marcinak added, “The Specialized
Transportation Symposium is vital for
heavy-haul motor carriers around the
world, as it is the one event targeted solely
to their administrative and operational
needs. SC&RA members benefit from
meeting industry contacts and partners
in the state agencies, as well as legal and
insurance providers who ensure they keep
up with the changing requirements for
doingbusiness in today’s environment.”
Following the packed exhibit centre,
with more than 40 exhibitors (an STS
best), Breakout Session One got started
on Thursday after lunch and saw Donald
Ludlow and Alex Marach, both of CPCS
Management Consulting Firm, present
Weighing-Inand Improve Permitting
.
Lossprevention
Allowing attendees to choose between
presentations that best suited their needs,
Breakout Session Two,
Minimize Your
Losses
, also took place after lunch on
Thursday. This session, presented by Kent
Miller, of Safety Claims and Litigation
Services, and Dave Wittwer, of Hayes
Companies, allowed audience members
to walk away with a clear understanding
of why loss prevention is as essential for
survival as regulatory compliance.
“Intuitively, and I believe statistically,
there is a direct correlation between
safety and, or, risk management and
profitability,” said Wittwer. “Those
companies for whom safety is a top
priority (driven by senior management)
havehealthyprofitmargins.
“The impact of an STS event is twofold:
information and networking,” he added.
“The topics are timely and the information
immediatelydeployable.”
Breakout Session Three,
The
Importance of Trailer Inspections
,
followed the previous two Breakouts,
and thoroughly explained how structural
failures of heavy-haul trailers can have
devastating consequences for personnel,
equipment, loads, roadways, and the
general public. Tare Kennedy, of Ervin
Equipment, and Pete Trimble, of Keen
Transport, presented.
George Hearn, of Georgia Ports
Authority, presented Breakout Session
Four on Thursday afternoon with his
presentation
Port Upgrades Will Change
YourOperations
.
The Thursday evening reception
brought the day to a close and allowed
attendees an additional
opportunity tonetwork.
Following Friday morning’s
continental breakfast, the
morning session,
Improving
OS/OW Corridor Movement
,
was presented by Ray Morgan,
of Perkins STC; Mark Berndt,
of Olsson Associates; and
Marygrace Parker, of I-95
Coalition. This session shined a light
on moving oversize cargo throughout
the USA, from the Northwest Passage
connecting Wisconsin to Washington, to
the Spirit of US 54 fromTexas toWichita,
to I-95, connecting the entire Eastern
US seaboard.
Rebecca Brewster, of American
Transport Research Institute, followed
up with,
The Latest In ATRI Research
, an
overview of the top industry issues and
howATRI’s research canmake the road a
little easier to travel.
Providing captivating video evidence
of the renowned projects that earn
prestigious recognition, the 2014 Jobs of
theYear presentations roundedout Friday.
Receiving the coveted awards were
TimWilson, of Berard Transportation;
Andy Hodges, of Northwest Crane
Service; and Mike Poppe, of Precision
Heavy Haul, had the audience on the
edge of their seats. Berard Transportation
took home the Moving Job of the Year.
Northwest Crane Service was awarded
Over 160,000 lbs net, and PrecisionHeavy
Haul received the honours for Under
160,000 lbs net.
SC&RA would like to thank all
participants for making the 2015
Symposium another giant success, and
encourages all members to secure their
reservations for the Annual Conference,
14 to 18 April, at the La Costa Resort
and Conference Center, in Carlsbad,
California,USA.
■
Sessions includedexplanations
on the importanceof trailer
inspectionshow structural failures
canhavedevastating consequences
RebeccaBrewster, of American
Transport Research Institute
