SC&RA Specialized Transportation Symposium 2020

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, will host the 2020 SC&RA Specialized Transportation Symposium from 18 to 21 February.

The Symposium brings together industry professionals in the field of oversize and overweight transportation and permitting. Officials discuss permitting harmonisation and safety concerns. In addition to a busy programme of education sessions, the meeting includes an exhibit centre. Multiple networking opportunities are a key feature of the event.

The 2020 STS will be at the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel. Around 500 people typically attend. Tuesday 18 February, the first day, will primarily be the State and Regional association meetings and the Pilot Car Committee meeting.

Wednesday 19th begins with the AASHTO CTSO Freight Operations Working Group meeting. AASHTO is the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It sets standards, specifications, test protocols and guidelines for highway design and construction. After this first session are the Safety Committee and Leadership Forum meetings, followed by one for the Permit Committee.

Lunchtime sees the presentation of the Driver of the Year award. It will be made by Ed Bernard, president at Ontario, Canada-based Precision Specialized, and Ray Morgan, Perkins STC vice president of sales & government affairs.

Following on from that is hearing the latest regulatory and compliance update, including HOS reform, from FMCSA. A speaker has been invited from US DOT. Next will be a 45-minute session titled Keeping it real: State officials dish on the future of harmonisation.

Three highly respected former State DOT officials offer their perspective on the future of specialized transportation based on their first-hand experience. Listen to a no-holds-barred conversation about reality and possibility in the next decade. Speakers are Scott Marion, retired, Missouri Department of Transportation; Randy Braden, retired, Alabama Department of Transportation; and Dan Wells, retired, Colorado Department of Transportation.

Looking further down the road is the subject of Hauling Past the Present: Projections for Specialized Transport. With more than 1,300 agents, 10,000 leased owner-operators, 16,000 trailers and 59,000 other approved capacity providers, Landstar said it “empowers entrepreneurs to succeed in the highly competitive, technology-driven transportation industry.” Find out how one of the nation’s leading transportation logistics companies is preparing for some of the industry’s biggest changes ahead. Speakers, all from Landstar Transportation Logistics, are as follows: Rusty Cody, vice president of heavy, specialized and intermodal services; Kyle Abbott, account executive, heavy and specialized; and Mike Cobb, vice president of safety, security and loss prevention.

Continuing the theme of looking at the road ahead is the next presentation, What the Future Holds: Permitting in 2030 – Part 1. Learn what to expect in the next ten years in oversize and overweight (OS/OW) permitting so you can position your business for success with the tools and resources necessary to navigate potential pitfalls. Speakers for this session are as follows: Wes Mollno, WCS Permits president; Tim Pilcher at ProMiles; and Mike Morgan, CEO at Pit Row Transportation Solutions. Session moderator will be Geno Koehler, permit chief at the Illinois Department of Transportation in the USA.

The final session on the first day is titled How accuracy in measurement gives you an advantage. Speakers for this will be Peter Vanderzee at LifeSpan Technologies and John Caya at 5C Strategy. The growth of technology across OS/OW is being seen on the side of the road and in-cab, so carriers need to be one step ahead. New sensor technology is changing the game as it opens up more bridges to OS/OW. Likewise, technology advancements in dimension and axle spacing measurements will give companies an exponential advantage in hauling times and compliance with permits.

Rounding out the first day will be the early evening briefing for first timers at the event followed by a welcome reception for all attendees.

Day two

Following an early breakfast timetabled for 07.00, the second day of the 2020 STS kicks off at 08.00 with a first session presented by Steven Todd, transportation vice president at SC&RA. In Five ways SC&RA is positioning heavy haul for the next decade, Todd will map out five key steps critical to economic development and business success.

Next in the programme is the first of two presentations by John Maketa, titled Charting the Course through Demographic Change. Maketa will help you explore the common sense, but very counter-intuitive and fascinating world of demography - counting people. As a thought leader and pioneer in innovative leadership, Maketa has a passion for demographics, workforce trends and developing skills for next generation leaders.

Following the morning break will be four of no less than eight breakout sessions. Breakout 1, the second presentation by John Maketa, is titled, The science behind driver retention. Demographic changes in the workforce are impacting companies’ ability to retain drivers. Using a study commissioned for American Trucking Associations (ATA), Maketa will lead you through the science behind the trends, offering practical tips you can use in your own company to protect and strengthen your driver retention programme.

Breakout 2 is titled what the future holds: permitting in 2030 part 2. It follows the part one session from the previous day. Know what to expect in the next ten years in OS/OW permitting so you can position your business for success with the tools and resources necessary to navigate potential pitfalls. Speakers are Darrel Foust, Comdata, and Louis Juneau, Nova Permits & Pilot Cars. The session is moderated by Joanna Jungles, permit manager at ATS Specialized, Inc.

Breakout 3 is Harmonisation from a manufacturer’s perspective. Over the last five years, Caterpillar has teamed up with SC&RA for three wins in permit harmonisation. Using this collaborative approach as a framework learn how leveraging strengths together can benefit the industry through initiatives such as the Uniform Permit Transport scheme UPT2021. Speakers are Kathy Barber from Caterpillar who will be joined by someone from State Government Affairs, Southern Region, law, security & public policy, global government & corporate affairs division.

Breakout 4 is called Using technology for safer operations. Integrating technology into your safety culture creates and extraordinary return on investment. The question is how to make it happen. Experts in in-cab and collision avoidance technology show how to incorporate new technology for safer operations. Explanation will be given by Brian Fielcow at Jetco and Dave Merrill at Pahoa Express.

On show

Between 11.30 and 15.00 attendees will have a chance to see manufacturers and service providers during the Exhibit Center event. Around 60 exhibitors show their wares and latest developments.

After the Exhibit Center will be Breakout 5, Leveraging technology as a proactive loss prevention tool description coming from insurance. A trio of speakers will explain how leading organisations are leveraging technology to create a culture of safety. From accident event recorders (AERs) and electronic logging devices (ELDs) to telematics, companies now have more tools than ever to improve workplace safety and reduce dangerous incidents down to zero. Choosing the right technology can be overwhelming. Key strategies include developing safety KPIs to identify what technology solution is best for your company. The three speakers are: Paul Stock, vice president, loss control & claim services at National Interstate Insurance Company; Cameron Boots, director of risk engineering at Allied Insurance Brokers; and Bert Mayo, vice president at TrueNorth Risk Solutions.

Breakout 6, An Inside job: co-ordinating with the office on OS/OW movements, is about understanding the challenges faced by your office team. Learn how to work better with project co-ordinators, permit co-ordinators, permit supervisors, dispatchers and managers for successful OS/OW transports. Be prepared to share your insights. Speaker is Randy Starnes, business development manager at Kenco Bucket Trucks.

Following the afternoon break is Breakout 7, part two of Safety risk management insurance panel. Its title is Managing your company’s technology and data as it relates to your insurance policy. Discover reasons to review your business data and technology tracking services. The session includes a review of the public data on your CAB report and how other companies use it to analyse your services, risk management and safety controls. How underwriters and claims executives use your supplied information to determine how your technology is being used to manage and transfer risk to determine your insurance needs and costs. Hear about the role your insurance agent has in helping you manage the risk, control your data and protect your investment and your company. Speakers are: Jeff Haynes, USI; Jim Jinhong, NBIS; and James Stovall, USI.

The eighth and final breakout session is Demonstrations of pilot cars best practices. Hear the latest advocacy efforts of the North American Pilot Vehicle Safety Alliance as well as participate in a hands-on demonstration of the most effective equipment for pilot cars and pilot car drivers. Speakers are Dale Karns, co-chair of NAPVSA, and Don Morgan at Pit Row Pilots.

Day three

The last day starts with a breakfast session. It is a roundup of the Hauling Job of the Year finalists and winners. Enjoy presentations exemplifying safety practices, ingenuity and specialized engineering. Get inspired for your own entry next year to this prestigious contest. Invited presenters are the participants in the 2019 Hauling jobs of the year. The winners were Omega Morgan, Fagioli and Barnhart Crane & Rigging. The finalists were Emmert International, Barnhart, Berard Transportation, Tradelossa, Perkins and Deep South Crane and Rigging.

After this session the final event will be an outdoor demonstration on load securement. Learn tips for acing law enforcement inspections; get advice for maintaining excellent CSA scores; and understand best practices for preventing accidents. Speakers will be as follows: Pete Trimble, safety and risk manager at Keen Transport; Don Hinds, director of operations at Yarbrough Transfer Company; and Danny Cain, safety and risk manager, Edwards Moving & Rigging.

For more information and to book see: www.scranet.org