August 2024
Leadership Message
Hello and welcome to the July edition of the OpenLine!
As we continue to catch up on awards, I’d first like to recognize our Driver of the Month, John, and Rookie of the Month, Willi. Thank you for representing Melton and continuing to go above and beyond. I’d also like to recognize the several drivers who recently competed in the Oklahoma Trucking Association truck driving competition. Melton was well-represented and won the following awards:
- Doug Duncan won 1st place in the 5-axle division and will represent Melton at nationals.
- Ashley Denise Neff-Chopane won 2nd place in the 5-axle division.
- Dakota Rorrer won the best score for pre-trip inspections.
Please join me in congratulating these drivers. In addition, Melton has been recognized by Oklahoma Magazine as the Best in Transportation for the state.
Pictures are worth a thousand words (unless I’m drawing them), so allow me to use some data from Freight Waves to discuss the current state of the market. Below, you will see a chart of total trucking authorities (white line) versus available loads (green line). Trucking authorities include all fleet sizes, and in our world, the number of smaller fleets exceeds the number of larger fleets. There is still a gluttony of capacity in the market and shippers maintain a majority of the power in regard to rates. Many of these fleets are accepting loads at lower margins or even at a loss to maintain cash flow. This is not sustainable, and the number of companies factoring receivables is on the rise, unlike Melton, which has always been financially conservative with our resources.
From a strategic perspective, Melton has prided itself on developing long-term, year-round shippers that want to be with us throughout all freight cycles. Smart shippers are using this opportunity to position themselves with quality carriers that won’t jump ship when the freight cycle turns in our favor.
With nearshoring in Mexico on the rise, we expect our volumes both Northbound and Southbound to continue increasing. Mexico has emerged as the United States’ largest trading partner and that isn’t slowing down. We offer a service that few carriers try to tackle, but our excellent international team in the U.S. and Mexico have made cross-border operations seamless for our customers. We have recently gained business from customer referrals to their peers in the industry because we are the best at it.
Continue the good fight and when the market starts to recover, we will be in a position to capitalize.
Spence Slaymaker
Vice President of Sales
Driver & Rookie of the Month
May Driver of the Month
Congratulations to May’s Driver of the Month, Luke! Luke is originally from Jamaica and has been with Melton for four and a half years, but has been driving since 2018. His favorite part about the…see more
May Rookie of the Month
Be sure to congratulate May’s Rookie of the Month, Royal! Royal is from Nashville and has been driving for Melton since November 2023. This is his first OTR job since graduating CDL …see more
Photos
Every month we receieve lots of amazing photos from our drivers from their time on the road. If you have a photo you’d like to share, send an email to [email protected].
Andre had some nice shade for his trip through Tennessee.
Issac got this cool pic on a trip that took him into Nashville this week. Thanks for sharing, Isaac!
The sunset over the mountains never looked so good! … Wait a sec…
Bryant shared this pic of his co-driver! It looks like they’ll have to grow into that headset…
Mario shared this beautiful view of the sunrise in Nevada.
Ric had postcard-worthy views this week, thanks for sharing, Ric!
Todd got an amazing view over his reset at Niagara Falls!
Wellness & Safety Articles
Don’t Forget Your iCare PHA!
It’s that time of year where I start to sound like a broken record – it’s iCare time again my friends! If you or your spouse…see more
Operation Safe Driver Week
Happy July, Melton drivers! This month, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is conducting their annual…see more
Monthly Poll
Leave us a Review!
We’re always looking for Melton team members to share their opinions with us. If you want to share your experience working for Melton, we encourage you to leave an honest review on your platform of choice. You can visit our Glassdoor page below!
Kudos
Here are some positive messages we receieved about both office staff and drivers for this month! If you’d like to give kudos to a coworker, please send it to [email protected].
Get Involved
We’re excited to share all of the activities that have been happening at Melton during the month!
Anniversaries
Be sure to congratulate these staff members who have hit tenure milestones with Melton!
New Hires & Movement
Congratulations to all of the new hires and promotions this month! Meet the newest members of the team here.
May Driver of the Month: Luke
Congratulations to May’s Driver of the Month, Luke! Luke is originally from Jamaica and has been with Melton for four and a half years, but has been driving since 2018. His favorite part about the job is that each load is different, and the work is always interesting because of it. When he’s not driving, Luke likes to watch Netflix, read books, and research topics he’s interested in. His best advice for new OTR drivers is to be open-minded in new situations.
We asked Luke’s DM, Lou, for a comment: “Luke has always been in my top 5 drivers of Fleet 16 almost every month. We have been partners since my time here at Melton. Luke has a can-do attitude about getting things done. I love that guy. Congrats Luke!” Keep up the great work!
May Rookie of the Month: Royal
Be sure to congratulate May’s Rookie of the Month, Royal! Royal is from Nashville and has been driving for Melton since November 2023. This is his first OTR job since graduating CDL school. Before becoming a driver, Royal was a musician and was a recording artist at several record labels. He decided to start driving after talking with his neighbor and decided on Melton after reading our good reviews. His favorite area to drive in is almost anywhere in the South.
Royal’s DM, Dalton, had some kind words: “Royal is very deserving! In the eight months since Royal left the trainer truck, he has rocketed himself to the top of the leaderboards in almost every category. He has proven to be reliable, coachable, and a great example of ‘Melton Quality’ through and through.” Congratulations, Royal!
A Message from Our Wellness Manager
Greetings from Melton Wellness!
It’s that time of year where I start to sound like a broken record – it’s iCare time again my friends!
If you or your spouse are enrolled the Melton Healthcare Plan or plan to be in 2025 and if you want a discount on your healthcare premiums, it’s time to get your iCare Personal Health Assessment (PHA). The deadline for completion is September 30, 2024.
What does the iCarePHA consist of? *
- Venous blood draw (cholesterol, hemoglobin A1C, liver & kidney function, etc…)
- Height/weight and waistline measurement
- Blood pressure
*Rest assured, no employees at Melton Truck Lines will ever see your testing results. Only you and the CareATC providers will have access.
Why should you participate?
1. Once the covered employee and their covered spouse complete their iCarePHA screening they will see significant savings in their 2025 health care benefit premiums by paying the discounted iCare premium rate. Non-participating employees will pay a higher monthly premium and be enrolled in the Standard rate plan.
2. Most importantly, the screenings are an effective method in identifying any health risks early!
New Hires: If you are a New Hire in 2024, you will automatically be enrolled in the Standard rate and must complete the iCare/PHA screening within six months of your benefits effective date. If you have specific questions, please reach out to our Benefits Team at 844-577-7807-option 2 or via email at [email protected].
Screening Locations: (please visit careatc.com/meltontrucklines for locations)
CareATC’s National Near-Site clinics, including the Melton On-Site Clinic and the Laredo Terminal Clinic (in Laredo, please call Jorge Landa).
Remote spouses and employees not near a CareATC facility should participate by visiting a LabCorp location directly. Please reach out to Bret Bringham or a member of the Benefits Team for LabCorp scheduling instructions. **
**This option is available only to those who are not within 30 miles of a CareATC clinic or our Laredo Clinic.
There are several PHA screening options available:
Scheduling Your iCarePHA in Tulsa or at a CareATC clinic:
- Visit https://www.careatc.com/meltontrucklines
- Once logged in, scroll down and click on “Personal Health Assessment (PHA) Scheduling”.
- Click “At The Health Center” for onsite screening event in Tulsa or click “At the Clinic” to schedule at a CareATC Clinic.
- Choose the day and time that fits your schedule.
- Click “Schedule” to reserve your spot.
Scheduling your iCarePHA at the Laredo clinic:
Please call Jorge in the Laredo clinic to schedule your PHA.
Onsite Screening Event Pre-Registration (Scheduled Onsite Screening Events: May 17th / July 19th / August 9th / September 6th)
- Visit https://www.careatc.com/meltontrucklines
- Once logged in click on “Schedule a Personal Health Assessment (PHA)”.
- Click “At a Company Event”.
- Select “Melton” and then pick your preferred event date.
- Select the time that best fits your schedule.
- Click “Schedule” to reserve your spot.
Scheduling Your iCarePHA at LabCorp: **
**This option is available only to those who are not within 30 miles of a CareATC clinic or our Laredo Clinic.
Please reach out to our benefits department or wellness manager for instructions or see attached.
Fast 8 Hours Before Your iCarePHA:
- Fast from food and tobacco products
- Drink plenty of water (black coffee allowed)
- Take prescription that don’t require food (including blood pressure medications)
If you have any questions regarding scheduling, please contact CareATC directly at 800-993-8244.
In Good Health,
Bret Bringham
Wellness Manager
A Message from Our safety department
Happy July, Melton Drivers! This month, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is conducting its annual Operation Safe Driver Week from July 7th through July 13th. Throughout this period, DOT officers will be heavily monitoring and penalizing unsafe driving behavior on roadways in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Fortunately, we can prepare for this week by recognizing past unsafe driving trends and by continuing to be vigilant drivers on the road.
During 2023’s Operation Safe Driver Week, CVSA reported that out of the 10,250 warnings and citations given to drivers, 7,226 of those were given to commercial motor vehicle drivers. The top five causes for issuing citations/warnings for CMV drivers were:
- Speeding
- Failure to obey traffic control devices
- Failure to wear seatbelt
- Texting/using handheld devices
- Improper lane changes
These top violations, excluding failure to wear a seatbelt and using handheld devices, can be prevented with the use of 3 Smith System keys: Key 1 (Aim High in Steering), Key 2 (Get the Big Picture), and Key 3 (Keep Your Eyes Moving). First, Aim High in Steering requires drivers to view ahead into traffic instead of focusing on only a few feet in front of them. Next, Get the Big Picture expands on Key 1 by widening the driver’s view from exclusively the picture ahead of them to the entire parameter around their vehicle. Lastly, Key 3, Keep Your Eyes Moving, pushes drivers to continuously scan their surroundings as new cars, signs, and lanes enter their view.
When all three keys are practiced, drivers can spot and adapt to the ever-changing rules of the road, like fluctuations in speed limits, lane restrictions, and more, thereby reducing the chances of receiving a citation for speeding, failure to obey, and improper lane change.
By recognizing past trends and utilizing the Smith System keys, drivers can take proactive steps to avoid common violations. As we approach this enforcement period, let’s continue to be vigilant and responsible drivers; not only to avoid penalties, but to contribute to safety on the road. As always, if you have any questions about Operation Safe Driver Week, safe driving, or the Smith System, please reach out to Safety at (800) 656-2167.
August Anniversaries
45 Mike Blackmon
40 Ronnie French
35 Bob Peterson
35 Randy Rhines
29 Cindy Peterson
27 Anatoli Kolosha
27 Kevin Delaney
26 Roberto Hernandez
22 Luke Barnes
18 Kevin Swift
17 Thomas Hood
17 Russell Robertson
16 Michael Hipp
14 James Condit
14 Samuel Hill
12 James Evans
12 Steve Kirkland
12 Monique Kaffure
11 Bobby Rainwater
11 Joel Sears
11 Mark Vandenberg
11 Marvin Geddings
11 Cherry Gill
10 Minh Tran
10 Samuel Fitzgerald
9 Andrew Deters
9 Christopher McPherson
9 David Allen
8 Christopher Gettis
8 Jerauld Schroeder
8 John Harrod
8 Raymond Parker
8 Thomas Somers
8 Cheryl Kiker
8 Karie Dubois
7 Arildo Vieira
7 Letroy Watts
7 Omar Colchado
7 Amber Lyons
7 Chris Vargas
7 Gerardo Sandoval
7 Maria Valtierra
6 Eduardo Campos
6 Omar Antu Zuniga
6 George Rooney
6 Gregory Carroll
6 James McKay
6 Juan Karns
6 Scottie Watson
6 Shane Lambert
6 Thomas Lundberg
6 William Caldwell
6 Ethan Cole
5 Aaron Boateng
5 Devin Baker
5 Emil Rivas
5 Manuel Giron Herrera
5 Victor Villa Rodriguez
4 David Douglas
4 David Guiliani
4 John Coppola
4 Ronald Hayes
4 Vincent Monico
3 Charles Pribble
3 David Posey
3 Donyells Barton
3 Raymond Marcantel
3 Ryan Hadley
3 Spence Slaymaker
2 Dillon Clinton
2 Aubrey Worsham
2 Benjamin Monroe
2 Chad Doty
2 Corey Baker
2 Daniel Wells
2 Edgar Kipkorir
2 Gabriel Borace
2 Gene Boykins
2 James Taylor
2 Jorge Gutierrez Martinez
2 Ian Billings
1 Yamile Lozano Roldan
1 Alan Davis
1 Albert Santos
1 Bernadette Goebel
1 Brian Ferguson
1 Brian Folds
1 Bryan Morse
1 Colby Fernett
1 Darine Robinson
1 Dwayne Havier
1 Geoffrey Adams
1 Geonta Brooks
1 Jacob Poff
1 James Clinton
1 Jefferson Lobbs
1 Johnny Thierjung
1 Jordan Stroud
1 Jose Pardo
1 Joshua Wood
1 Juan Torres
1 Kjirstina Moore
1 Michael Knight
1 Ronnie Williams
1 Ronnie Hill
1 Stanley Dickson
1 Timothy Bryan
1 Walter Kempisty
1 Zavier Torres
1 Alfredo San Miguel
1 Cody Elrod
1 Natalie Sullivan
Monthly Celebration
Each month, we gather in our Tulsa headquarters atrium to have our monthly celebration. Each month we celebrate anniversaries, new hires, promotions, and birthdays. Thank you to everyone who attended!
Congratulations, Dan and Mike!
At our monthly celebration, we celebrated Mike Dargel and Dan Taylor for 19 and 20 years of service as they move into retirement. We’re all sad to see you go, but everyone at Melton wishes you a happy retirement and hopes you enjoy this new time in your lives!
Tulsa SPCA Visit
This June, we invited our friends at the Tulsa SPCA back for another adoption event! Check out some of the photos we caught this month. If you missed the SPCA truck this month, keep an eye out for the next announcement, typically on the last Wednesday of the month.
Check Out Our Latest Podcast!
Be sure to tune into the latest episode of Melton’s True Blue podcast! In this episode, we sat down with Alex to discuss his role and experience working at Melton.
Follow Us on Social Media!
March Top Fleets
49.15%
Entire Fleet Compliance
- Bri Gulinson- Fleet 32 With Compliance Of 61.63%
- Tony Smith- Fleet 18 With Compliance Of 58.33%
- Dalton Varnell- Fleet 30 With Compliance Of 57.40%
6.97 MPG
Overall Fleet Average MPG
- Rebecca Tatum- Fleet 31 with an average of 7.13
- Edgar Segura- Fleet 37 with an average of 7.06
- Carolyn Orr- Fleet 06 with an average of 7.05
July Hires
Tom Vang
IT Helpdesk Administrator
Barry Sims
Driver Manager
Alyssa Poole
Lead Recruiter
Francisco Fuentes
Territory Account Manager, Laredo
Rosalia Caraveo
Detention Associate
Joe Jacobson
IT Automation Analyst
Blake Bolden
Service Technician, Birmingham
Joanna Clark
Driver Manager
Jessica Villa Magallanes
Account Manager, Melton Logistics Laredo
Jesus Ferrer
Account Manager, Melton Logistics Laredo
Penny Caruthers
Claims Adjuster
Misty Hedman
Claims Adjuster
Victor Vazquez
Service Technician – Laredo
Cristian Guerrero
Logs and Compliance Laredo
Amanda Twist
Driver Manager
July Movement
Monique Kaffure
Senior Inside Sales Rep
Jesus Mendoza
Local Driver Laredo
Olivia Lung
Website and SEO Specialist
Carl Bond
Safety and Customer Success Advisor