INFORMING OUR ASSOCIATES ABOUT ALL THINGS AVERITT • OCTOBER 2022 COMMUNITY CHALLENGE matters
A WIN-WIN: NEW TRUCKLOAD MODEL PROVIDES CONSISTENT PAY, HOME TIME P3 25-YEAR MILESTONE: OKLAHOMA CITY, TULSA TEAMS SHOW THE POWER OF ONE P4 A GAME CHANGER: TABLETS A HIT WITH DRIVERS P8
OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW
Charleston warehouse frontline leader TAMMY GRIDLEY began her Averitt career as a Truckload driver. Read more about her career growth on P5
OUR DRIVING FORCE IS PEOPLE One of our favorite sayings is Our Driving Force Is People. And for more than 50 years, helping people succeed has been at the core of everything we do.
Our people and the professionalism we deliver are what set us apart in the transportation industry. That’s why we focus so much on People Like You referrals. I’m thankful for your efforts to refer high- quality people. Because
when we find like-minded associates to join the Averitt team, we grow stronger for the future. As you continue to refer People Like You, we’re focused on doing all we can to give associates the best possible quality P2
TEAM NOTES From Gary Sasser
The Sky Is The Limit For Our Future 51 YEARS AND COUNTING October is an important time for our team, because each year we celebrate another anniversary for the Big Red. This October makes 51 years together, and the sky continues to be the limit for what we can achieve! For more than five decades, our core values have remained the same. And as we move forward together toward a bright future, we continue to focus on getting better every day. We do that by advancing our culture, servicing our customers, adding People Like You and doing things the Averitt Way.
The continued strength of our team is made possible by you. Your commitment to excellence has helped us remain a transportation leader since 1971. We want to say thank you for joining us on this journey. And we look forward to building on our culture and staying committed to our values so we can secure our future! T m
SHOWING OUR VETERAN PRIDE New Trailer Wrap Shows Our Commitment To Veterans Veterans Day is just around the corner in November, and that’s why we’re excited to show the newest way we’re supporting military veterans. We’re introducing a new trailer wrap that shows our support for the military, and we look forward to seeing these special trailers deliver excellence throughout our network! The trailer wrap is one of many ways we’ve proven our support for veterans through the years. We’ve been named numerous times as a Military Friendly Employer, including in 2022. Additionally, more than 15% of our associates are military veterans. To learn more about our support for veterans, visit AverittSalutesYou.com AverittSalutesYou.com. Military Trailer
FROM GARY SASSER PG. 1 of life. That includes providing top-notch equipment, dynamic technology that helps you stay safe, and state-of-the-art amenities and facilities. We’re also using innovation and creativity to find new ways to deliver excellence to our customers. We’re in the process of developing a new Truckload model that offers drivers more option 4
consistent home time and consistent pay. Because we know that people – your family and your loved ones – are also important to you. Our commitment to people has made Averitt a place where associates stay for the long haul. Close to 1,400 associates are members of our Over 20 Team , and that’s a testament to our culture of teamwork.
We’ve experienced a record- setting year in 2022, and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish. The sky is the limit, and regardless of where the future takes us, our people will be the driving force for our success.
®
Our people and the professionalism we deliver are what set us apart in the transportation industry. And our people will always be the driving force for our success.
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CONSISTENT PAY AND HOME TIME
New Truckload Model A Win-Win
The changes include building on the home-daily Truckload position that has already been introduced in several domiciles. In this role, drivers Our Truckload team is currently in the process of making innovative and creative changes to our operating model that will help us increase density within our core network. At the same time, it will allow our driving force to see more consistent pay and home time.
drivers in Lexington KY, and they’re thrilled to have that career opportunity available. “It is amazing,” says Christopher, who started in Truckload in Corbin- London before transferring to home-daily Truckload in April. "It’s more like Truckload than it is a traditional local position. It feels like Truckload, but it’s more consistent like a Dedicated route.” Daniel, meanwhile, came to Averitt in April with close to 30 years of transportation experience. He most recently hauled construction equipment. “I was just trying to get out of that – cold weather, rainy weather and the mud,” Daniel says with a laugh. “I got tired of playing in the mud. I love the home-daily role. I would tell others that it’s excellent. We have good people to work for. I have nothing bad to say about Averitt.” Christopher says the home-daily position is a great role for drivers who are looking for a new opportunity. “People may be worried about the pay being the same. I can tell you, the pay is almost exactly the same as Truckload,” he explains. "You learn all the places you’re going, and it’s very, very consistent.” Are you looking for another role with our team? Keep an eye out on InsideAveritt.com/Jobs or call the Job Hotline at 800-991-1971. Positions are updated on Mondays and Thursdays, so be sure to check the hotline each week. T m Lexington KY home-daily Truckload drivers CHRISTOPHER DUFF (above, left) and DANIEL TAYLOR (above, right) have had great experiences as part of our unique Truckload model.
are paid hourly and perform pickups and deliveries of no-touch freight within the radius of their domicile. We currently have more than 50 home-daily Truckload drivers, and our goal is to convert more to home- daily by the end of the year.
Another adjustment is developing what we’re calling a “Truckload hub driver” model. These positions will function much like LTL sleeper shuttle,
DANNY CROOKS
with drivers performing the dispatch of Truckload shipments between service centers. The role will feature drop-and-swap with predictable miles and schedules, all while only bumping Averitt docks. “Two things that are very important to our drivers are home time and consistent miles,” says DANNY CROOKS of our Truckload leadership. “Our new Truckload model makes that possible for our drivers. It's a win-win for them, for our team’s operational flexibility and for our customers. We’ve already received great feedback from our drivers on the home-daily position, and we believe it will help us attract more quality associates for the future.” FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE CHRISTOPHER DUFF and DANIEL TAYLOR are two of our home-daily
Safety Technology Designed To Help You Avoid An Accident CRITICAL EVENT ALERTS
One of the ways this technology helps you stay safe is through “critical event” alerts. Our team receives these types of alerts on overspeeds, hard braking, collision mitigation, roll stability and lane-departure events. motorists safe, help you avoid an accident, and aid our team in the event of an accident. Our tractors feature dynamic safety technology such as collision avoidance, roll stability and lane- departure warnings. All these things are designed to keep you and other
Controlling your speed is a key part of delivering outstanding service safely. That’s why it’s very important that we do everything we can to avoid overspeeds. We recently updated our Associate Handbook to reflect this commitment. Remember, documented excessive speed may lead to disciplinary action. For more information about our commitment to safety and our policies, log on to InsideAveritt.com/Handbook . T m
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25 YEARS IN THE SOONER STATE
Oklahoma City, Tulsa Celebrate Averitt Milestone
CONSISTENT GROWTH When we first opened in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, we had nine total associates in Oklahoma City and 11 in Tulsa. Now those facilities feature 50 and 42 associates, respectively. That success has been the result of consistent excellence and showing what Averitt is all about. “At first, you’d go out and make your deliveries and people would look at your shirt and ask, ‘Is it Averitt (with a short A sound)?’” Tulsa shuttle driver KELLY HOGAN recalls with a laugh. “And I’d say, nope, it’s a long A, Averitt. Our Oklahoma City and Tulsa teams recently celebrated 25 years in Oklahoma, and that quarter-century has been filled with growth as those teams have established the Averitt name as one that customers can count on.
strength we’ve shown in 25 years is our commitment to building from within. “Of our 30 associates who have CDLs, most of them have been dock-to- driver associates,” Justin explains. “So we have home grown our crew, and we’re very proud of that accomplishment. And that has set the tone for our growth the last several years. We brought in some folks who acclimated At top, shuttle driver KELLY HOGAN has been with our Tulsa team for all 25 years of its existence. Above from left, city drivers WES SKELLY and MARK ANGLIN , shuttle driver MICHAEL ROOSA , and city driver MARK CAMPBELL are all Day 1 associates of our Oklahoma City team.
Nobody out here knew Averitt because we were new here. People would ask, ‘What do you do?’ And I’d tell them, ‘We do what other transportation companies do. We’re just better at it.’” Kelly was a Day 1 associate at Tulsa, just like city
to and embraced our culture, and they didn’t have any preconceived ideas from another carrier about what the industry should be like. We have some true lifelong associates. For some of them, that’s the only job they’ve ever had.” And like all the successes we experience, it’s a total team effort. “We’ve had growth and sustainability over the last 25
driver MARK ANGLIN was at Oklahoma City. Mark has enjoyed being part of the building process through the years. “The equipment and the uniforms were what
WAYNE BAKER
JUSTIN BURKETT
years to become a name in this market, and we’ve built a strong reputation,” Oklahoma City Service Center Director WAYNE BAKER says. “That’s allowed us to become a player here in Oklahoma City and also sell Oklahoma with confidence throughout the system.” Thank you to our Oklahoma City and Tulsa teams for the difference you’ve made throughout our network over the years, and thank you for showing The Power of One in Oklahoma! T m
originally made me want to come to Averitt,” Mark recalls. “At my previous employer, we had no air conditioner and junk equipment. I was looking for a new start. Seeing us grow has been the most exciting part for me. When we first came over, it was nine of us, and I’ve seen it grow from that to where we are now, which has been fun.” HOMEGROWN TALENT Tulsa Service Center Director JUSTIN BURKETT says another reason for the
Maurice McAtee Frontline Leader MILWAUKEE Steve McDonald VP of Integrated Services CORPORATE Garrian Parks VP of Distribution & Fulfillment CORPORATE Robert Smith Preventive Maintenance Leader ATLANTA WEST Greg Wilson Information Technology Manager CORPORATE Frontline Leader ATLANTA WEST Ed Smith
Sarah White
Transportation Specialist ORLANDO
Stephen Smith Lazuras White
Macon
NEW LEADERS
Shreveport
Gary Wood
Frontline Leader NASHVILLE
William Brady
On-site Manager VI JON
One way our retirees can stay connected to Averitt is by becoming a member of the Ambassador Team, a special group of retired associates who stay connected to our unique culture of giving back. Ambassador teammates are annual contributors to Averitt Cares for Kids and are welcome to participate in the Team Up Community Challenge, People Like You Referral Rewards, and more! Email Dusty Barrow in Marketing and Communications at dbarrow@averitt.com to learn how to join. STAY CONNECTED THROUGH THE AMBASSADOR TEAM
Rhonda Evans Operations Leader FULTON CO. DISTRIBUTION & FULFILLMENT Tammy Gridley Frontline Leader CHARLESTON WAREHOUSE Connie Jolley Truckload Fleet Leader CORPORATE James Kennedy Frontline Leader FT. SMITH
RETIREES Thank you for your service to our team! Larry Earls Cincinnati Joseph Jonte Nashville Donald Priest Greensboro Jeff Roltsch Little Rock
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But she’s quickly found out our commitment to promoting from within. After serving as a Truckload and shuttle driver in North Carolina, Tammy was recently promoted to frontline leader for our Charleston warehouse. “My background matched up with what Averitt needed,” says Tammy, a 12-year Navy veteran who specialized in aviation logistics during her time in the military. “I have 22 years of warehousing under my belt. It’s pretty amazing, and it’s awesome to have these options and opportunities.” Tammy says that since she came to Averitt, she’s made connections with members of our Truckload leadership and others to learn how she can grow as much as possible in her career. And she has a clear idea of what her next goal is. “I really just came to Averitt to be a driver,” Tammy says. “But I talked with people like David Broyles and Jeff Auberson [with our Driver Services team], and even Mr. Sasser. He called me and congratulated me on my shuttle position. I told him thank you, and that I’m going to be a frontline leader and then a service center director. He said that was awesome, and two months later here I am as a frontline leader.” LOTS OF OPTIONS Mayfield frontline leader RANDY MELENDEZ is another associate who has seen the career options that are available. Randy came to Averitt in 1987, completed our leadership training program and became a frontline leader in Memphis. He moved to Jackson TN in 1988 and served as a frontline leader there until getting into the driver’s seat as a city driver in 1995. After driving for several years, Randy returned to a frontline leader role until 2007, when he took advantage of an opening in sales. He served as a transportation specialist for nearly a decade before transferring to Mayfield to move back into a frontline leader role. Randy was thankful for our family atmosphere that helped make the transfer FROM TRUCKLOAD TO LEADERSHIP Charleston Warehouse Frontline Leader Takes Next Step In Career When TAMMY GRIDLEY came to Averitt in 2019, she wasn’t aware of the career opportunities that are available with our team.
At top, Charleston warehouse frontline leader TAMMY GRIDLEY began her Averitt career as a Truckload driver. Above right, Mayfield frontline leader RANDY MELENDEZ has taken advantage of several career opportunities including city driver, sales and his current role.
to Mayfield possible. His wife, Jana, also works in Mayfield as a transportation specialist. They had just welcomed a son to the family, so they both wanted to work close to home. “That was huge,” Randy says. “If our son had gotten sick or something like that, I was two hours away (in Jackson). So being based in the same facility, one of us is always in reach.” In addition to our family atmosphere, Randy is thankful for the opportunity he’s had to move into new roles during his Averitt career. “You get to stay with the same company,” Randy explains, “and at the same time, Averitt can adapt to your needs and desires. Averitt has been good to me.” WANT TO GROW IN YOUR CAREER? Are you ready to take the next step in your Averitt career? Call our Job Hotline at 800-991-1971, talk to your leadership, or visit InsideAveritt.com/Jobs to find out about local driving, leadership and other opportunities that are available. Remember, our Job Hotline is updated on Monday and Thursdays, so be sure to check it often to stay up to date on all our available career opportunities. T m
October Signals Uptick In Community Challenge Activities 'TIS THE SEASON TO TEAM UP
Historically, the final three months of the year are the busiest on the calendar for associates collecting Team Up hours. The arrival of the holiday season brings a giving spirit to all those wanting to help the less fortunate in their communities. Last year, our associates recorded 6,385 Team Up hours with a total of 95 teams helping to serve 148 organizations. This resulted in a matching contribution of $63,850 to Averitt Cares for Kids , and this final quarter could shatter that mark! While summer has come to an end, the Team Up Community Challenge season is just heating up.
Our associates have already accumulated more than 3,000 Team Up hours this year. These final three months are a great opportunity to push our 2022 total past last year’s sum! SHARE HOW YOU TEAM UP Your accomplishments through Team Up inspire us all to give back, and every act of community service results in a matching contribution to Averitt Cares COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
for Kids. All year long, please continue to send your Team Up Community Challenge project updates and photos to TeamUp@averitt.com so we can share your success stories with the team! T m Our Tampa service center recently hosted a blood drive for OneBlood. By helping others, city driver KHRIS BLACK and his fellow associates earned Team Up Community Challenge hours for participating in the event!
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As a member of our team since 2019, Reco has a great track record for referring People Like You to Averitt. He is responsible for a total of five new associates hired in three years, and 10 applicants listed him as their reason for seeking a job with us in 2022. “I always tell people about how great it is to work at Averitt,” Reco says. “Our family atmosphere is always one of my major talking points. It’s the best job I’ve ever had, and I like leading people to better things.” Reco was once referred to our team as well, after previously working with the railroad and then with a competing carrier. He was told about Averitt by a friend and soon came aboard. He recently celebrated his third work anniversary in September. Reco says earning referral rewards is a great motivator and incentive for telling others about Averitt, but he also says it’s easy to sell something he believes in. “I love my job, and like helping others find Averitt because I know they’ll love it, too,” Reco says. “It feels good to help others find a job they enjoy.” Our People Like You referral program is all about finding like-minded Charlotte city driver RECO ROBINSON RECO ROBINSON has been hot on the recruiting trail this year. ‘IT’S THE BEST JOB I’VE EVER HAD’ Charlotte City Driver Enjoys Telling People Like You About Our Team
associates so we can continue to meet our goals and perform at a high level. For more information about how to refer friends or family, including a list of open positions and how you can earn referral rewards and Red Thinkin’ Rewards points, visit InsideAveritt.com/PeopleLikeYou. T m Charlotte city driver RECO ROBINSON has been responsible for five new associates hired in three years, as well as 10 referral listings on applications in 2022.
SHOWING THE POWER OF ONE MORE
Associates Referring People Like You, Earning
Referral Rewards
Corporate associate REBECCA DUKE
Baton Rouge shuttle driver LAMONT ELLIS
Dallas city driver PRINCESS BATES
Tupelo city driver EDDIE ELLIS
People Like You are very important for our future success, because you know others who would be a great fit for our culture. These associates earned referral rewards after their referrals were hired to the Averitt team!
Atlanta West shop leader JAMES MADDEN and preventive maintenance associate ROBERT SMITH
Dothan sleeper shuttle driver MARVIN KITE
Chattanooga city driver TRACY ROYAL
Birmingham city driver ED WESTON
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PROMOTING FROM WITHIN
New Vice Presidents Have Grown In Their Careers
STEVE MCDONALD has been promoted to Vice President of Integrated Services, while ED SMITH has been promoted to Vice President of Distribution & Fulfillment. Steve is an outstanding example of our commitment to career opportunities. He joined the Big Red in 1996 as a Truckload dispatcher before moving into leadership roles with our Truckload group. In 2016, he took a leadership position with our multimodal team and most recently served as Director of Operations for Integrated Services. In his new position, Steve will lead all aspects of our non-asset and transportation management technology service offerings, which includes Earlier this year, we realigned our service units to add Integrated Services and Distribution & Fulfillment as new distinct units. As part of that realignment, and as part of our continuing commitment to promote from within, we’re excited to announce two changes for longtime associates who have seen growth in their Averitt careers.
STEVE MCDONALD (above, left) was recently named Vice President of Integrated Services, and ED SMITH (above, right) was recently named Vice President of Distribution & Fulfillment.
Cross-Border, Intermodal, International, PortSide, Customs Brokerage and Specialized Services, as well as our Averitt Enterprise transportation management system. Ed, meanwhile, came to our team in 2004 as Charleston Service Center Director after 20 years of experience in logistics with the Air Force and in the private sector. He was then promoted to our Director of PortSide operations and later added Distribution & Fulfillment duties. In his new role, Ed will continue developing innovative and creative solutions that showcase our team’s capabilities in warehousing, port logistics, freight consolidation, inventory processing and more. We’re excited about the growth of Integrated Services and Distribution & Fulfillment, and we’re confident that Steve’s and Ed’s leadership will help us move forward toward an even brighter future together! T m
Averitt Again Earns Recognition In Four Categories QUEST FOR QUALITY AWARDS APLENTY
This marks the 24th consecutive year we’ve earned Quest for Quality awards, which are based on customer feedback and are announced each year by Logistics Management, one of the most respected and widely read publications in the industry. And for the fourth consecutive year, we were honored in four categories! This year, we earned first place in the Expedited category, and we placed second in the South/South Central Regional LTL, Truckload and Third Party Logistics Value Add categories. Since 1999, we’ve won at least one Quest for Quality award every year, and no other carrier in the South has earned more Quest for Quality awards than Averitt! The process for determining this year’s awards was extensive, as Logistics Management received more than 3,800 customer responses. The winners were determined on five key criteria: performance, value, information technology, customer service, and Because of your commitment to excellence, our team has once again been honored in the Quest for Quality awards!
equipment and operations. Thank you for your efforts that make
accomplishments like these possible! Your dedication makes a difference, and it helps us continue to remain a leader in the industry. For more information about our Quest for Quality awards, visit InsideAveritt.com/QuestForQuality2022 . T m
• LESS THAN TRUCKLOAD • TRUCKLOAD DRY FREIGHT • EXPEDITED SERVICES • 3PL VALUE-ADDED SERVICES
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TABLETS LIGHTEN LOAD FOR LTL DRIVERS
Portable tech a game changer
“The tablets are 100% better than the old system,” Charlotte city driver JUSTIN CLYDEN says. “They are handheld, cut down on paperwork and reduce the chances of making mistakes.” With the new tablet system, drivers can now stake a photo of a BOL and scan a PRO number rather than manually punching in a shipment’s details. The feature has drastically cut down on the time spent on each BOL, and it has also eliminated most of the paperwork that comes along with the job. “We deal with very little paperwork now,” Justin says. “Everything is signed for and updated on the tablet.” Birmingham city driver EDDIE STEPHENSON likes the ability to update load information almost instantly. “On pickups, a customer may call and add items to freight,” Eddie says. “The tablet automatically accounts for the additional piece count, updates weight and dimensions of the freight, and allows me to make sure I have arranged my trailer in order for everything to fit.” Along with these features, the DRIVE App also provides ETAs for both dispatch and drivers, the Hours of Service app streamlines the processes of certifying logs, and the People Like You app allows drivers to refer prospective associates – all from the tablet. The installation of tablets has been a game changer for our LTL group. More than 2,300 trucks are now equipped with the technology featuring the Averitt DRIVE app, and drivers have taken notice of the major upgrades the service provides.
The installation of tablets has been a game changer for our LTL group, and we're planning to introduce the technology to our Truckload team in the near future.
LTL operations leader AMOS ROGAN says he is pleased with the introduction of the tablets and expects many more to be installed soon. “Rollout is progressing really well,” Amos says. “At this point, we only have 18 locations left to install the system. I believe those drivers will be extremely happy with how easy they are to use and the time they save throughout the day.” While tablets are exclusively an LTL feature for the time being, Director of Driver Services DAVID BROYLES says Truckload drivers can expect to receive the tool in the near future. “Drivers across all our network will soon be on the same platform,” David says. “It will help our Truckload drivers do their jobs easier, faster and more accurately, and it will allow drivers to do different jobs without having to learn another system. This is just another example of The Power Of One.” T m
OVER 20 TEAM We’re proud to add members to our Over 20 Team! The following associates joined our team in October 2002: Robert Featherston Dallas Richard Howe Knoxville Sidney Rogers Dothan Larry Stolowski Gadsden James Sullen Opelika For a list of October milestone service awards, including the newest members of our Over 20 Team, visit InsideAveritt.com .
SAFETY AWARDS JULY & AUGUST
15 YEARS Bartolo Adame Babison Andrews
25 YEARS Sammy Dowland Henry Hiott Ronald Hobbs Steven Holland Joel Saddler Jr. James Scott 20 YEARS Anthony Carlton Michael Gosselin Vincent Hutt Kevin Kaczmarek Matthew Lawrence Dwayne Melton Bransford Simmons Douglas Weaving Ronald Wooten
Decatur
Jackson TN Greenville Atlanta West Eastern NC Jonesboro Norfolk Mercedes Atlanta West Nashville Cookeville Atlanta West Tampa Nashville Shreveport Montgomery
Baton Rouge Lyman Bowling Compass Manufacturing Jeffrey Burns Memphis David Butler Macon Randy Carter Chicago Claire Dash Nashville Freddie Daum Lexington James Jeffrey Sr. Dallas Curtis Jones Kasai North America Robert Pohlman Cincinnati Jimmie Prince Atlanta East Sidney Rogers Dothan
For a complete list of Safety Award winners, including five- and 10-year recipients, visit InsideAveritt.com. 40 YEARS Andy Patterson Knoxville 35 YEARS Jesse Allison Memphis 30 YEARS Benny Carter Savannah Dennis Cash Hickory Kevin Gleaves Charlotte Daniel McCauley Greenville Jim Perry Gadsden
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UPGRADES FOR SERVICE TRUCK FLEET
Bigger, Newer Breakdown Trucks On The Way To Shop Facilities
features will make on-road repairs easier to execute, allowing us to get our drivers back in service so much quicker.” We're in the process of upgrading our service trucks that assist with breakdowns. The new vehicles will include a lift gate with tire rack, air reel, toolbox, cab guard and diesel, all-weather air compressor.
Out of our 35 shops, 25 use service trucks to assist with breakdowns. Those trucks shared an average age of 17 years and were half-ton vehicles with six-foot beds. Our newer, bigger trucks feature eight-foot beds and upgraded equipment, enabling us to get to our drivers more quickly and minimize down time. Equipment manager SHANE NELSON says the new trucks will include a lift gate with tire rack, air reel, toolbox, cab guard and diesel, all-weather air compressor. “These vehicles are huge upgrades,” Shane says. “The new equipment New 2023 and 2024 three-quarter-ton pickup trucks are being rolled out to update our fleet of service vehicles.
In addition to new repair tools, each truck will come equipped with safety strobes on top of the cab, multiple work lights, triangles and yellow vests to ensure the safety of our associates while on a call. “Our breakdown fleet is very important to our success,” Shane says. “It saves us quite a bit of money by not using outside vendors to respond to mechanical issues, and our repair associates often keep us from having to tow a tractor. They are extremely helpful.” There are 12 new trucks expected to be delivered before the end of the year. Another 12 trucks will arrive in early 2023 with more to come. T m
Birmingham Associate Scores New Basketball Goal With RTR Points RED THINKIN’ REWARDS AN EASY LAYUP
Birmingham city driver KOOSMAN MATTHEWS’ grandchildren and nephew recently began playing basketball, but he said it was a challenge to find a place for the three to practice. He soon came up with a plan to fix the problem, and his Red Thinkin’ Rewards points played a major role.
T m
"One day, I just got the idea to build a basketball court in the back yard,” Koosman says. “I had a slab of concrete poured, and all I was missing at that point was a goal.” That’s when Red Thinkin’ Rewards checked into the game. “I didn’t plan it, but I just happened to go looking through the item catalog and found the perfect goal for the project,” Koosman says. “It was great timing.” The high-quality goal would have cost Koosman more than $1,000 if purchased from a sporting goods store, but it was free to him through earning points for the things he does every day – driving safely and achieving performance goals! “Using my Red Thinkin’ Rewards saved me a ton of money,” Koosman says. “It is a blessing that Averitt has this program in place. It was a great day when the goal was delivered.” All associates are eligible to earn Red Thinkin’ Rewards points. To learn more about our rewards program and to view items available through points redemption, log on to InsideAveritt.com/Rewards . T m
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Memphis Associate Drops 131 Pounds In 15 Months Memphis city driver ERNEST COLEMAN ERNEST COLEMAN embarked on a weight loss journey in 2021. The 6-foot associate weighed in at 309 the night before Father’s Day last year – the heaviest he had ever been in his life. But just over a year later, Ernest is down 131 pounds and counting with the help of a healthier diet and consistent exercise. “I just got tired of the weight being on me,” Ernest says, so he and his wife began researching ways to live healthier lives. Along with finding advice on how to lose weight through basic internet searches, Ernest found health tips and smart food choices by using his BlueCross BlueShield benefits. “BlueCross BlueShield has a ton of tips about how to live healthier,” Ernest says. “They have a lot of meal plans and nutrition facts, and Blue365 gives you access to gyms for a discounted rate. My wife and I can go to just about any gym we want with our membership. “A lot of associates may not know it, but we have a lot of benefits through Averitt that can save your life. They have mine.” When Ernest began his journey last June, he was wearing a 2XL shirt and his pants were 46 inches in the waist. He got rid of all his clothes but kept one pair of jeans as a reminder of his starting point. He began with an overnight detox and switched to a low-carb, low-sodium diet. To fight fatigue in the early goings, he leaned on his zero-sugar sports drinks and three healthy snacks between meals. Ernest says it was tough at first, but his body began to adjust to the lower calorie intake and soon began dropping pounds. “You’ll feel like you have no energy at first and want to give up, but seeing MOVING FREIGHT AND LOSING WEIGHT
Memphis city driver ERNEST COLEMAN credits a healthier diet and consistent exercise as reasons he's been able to lose more than 130 pounds.
results gives you that boost of confidence you need to keep going,” Ernest says. With the help of basic calisthenic workouts, a stricter meal plan and running daily, Ernest now weighs 178 pounds, wears a size 32 pants, and wears size small or medium shirts. “Portions are important,” Ernest says. “I have always eaten relatively healthy, but I always ate large portions. Now, I eat no more than 1,200 calories per day, my snacks throughout the day are raw vegetables and shakes, and I drink a gallon of water over the course of the day.” In addition to his clothes fitting better, Ernest has also lowered his blood pressure and no longer needs medication to help control it. His wife has also benefited from their new lifestyle, coming off her diabetes medication completely. Ernest says his next goal is to come off his CPAP machine, and those jeans he didn’t throw away are his main form of motivation. “I look at those size 46 jeans every morning while I’m getting dressed,” Ernest says. “I don’t want to go back to that.” To learn how you can take full advantage of your BlueCross BlueShield benefits and live healthier, visit BCBST.com. And to find out how to obtain a gym membership like Ernest’s, check out Blue365Deals.com. T m
UPCOMING GRAB-AND-GO EVENT SCHEDULE
November 1
Knoxville
7:30a-11a
December 6
Norfolk
7:30a-11a
November 2 Chattanooga
7:30a-11a
December 7
Atlanta West
7:30a-11a
November 3
Nashville
2p-8p
December 8
Birmingham
2p-8p
COMMUNITY CHALLENGE matters
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SERVICE AWARDS
Below are the five-year milestones of associates WHO HAVE SERVED 20 YEARS OR MORE with our team. To view all available photos of our latest service awards, visit InsideAveritt.com.
Knoxville associate DONNIE HALL (35 years)
Nashville associate KEITH CARNEY (35 years)
Atlanta West associate SCOTT LOFTIN (right, 25 years) with Service Center Director Zach Ervin (left)
Cookeville associate JAMES BREWINGTON (center, 35 years) with Service Center Director Sammy Talent (left) and shop leader David Young (right)
Kabinart and Kirkland's site manager ANGIE ROACH (left, 25 years) with John Creamer, Dedicated director of operations.
Eastern NC associate ROBERT TAYLOR (25 years)
Orlando associate RICKEY TROWELL (left, 25 years) with Service Center Director Robert Bruns (right)
Roanoke associate TIMOTHY HENSCHEL (25 years)
When we go above and beyond to provide excellent service, it shows that our Heroes Wear Red! These associates went the extra mile to represent Averitt with pride – and our customers said it showed! COMING THROUGH ON OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVICE
DEMARIO MARSHALL – Opelika “I wanted to give a shoutout to Demario Marshall. He showed excellent driving skills in a situation where property could have been damaged by a lesser driver.” Elizabeth – Columbus, GA
WILLIAM (BILLY) NORTON – Tulsa “Billy delivered my bathtub and made what I thought was going to be a tough delivery go without a hitch. It was a great experience. Thank you, Billy!” Lisa – Sperry, OK
LLOYD GREMILLION – Baton Rouge “Lloyd is a great driver. Each time he delivers to us, he is kind, professional and helpful.” Krista, Nolan Kimble Interiors – Baton Rouge, LA
KRISTAN BENDER – Corporate “I am thankful for Kristan and all the work she does for my account. I am very happy with how she handles our shipping lanes. She goes above and beyond often.” Gregory, SIPAC LLC – Fort Lauderdale, FL
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position yourself for safety Pay attention when pulling into traffic.
Watch our video at InsideAveritt.com/lanechange
COMMUNITY CHALLENGE matters
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