May 2015

I've got some great news for you! Star Freight has entered an agreement with Love's Travel Stops that will put additional dollars into our owner-operators' pockets. You'll save 15 cents off the retail price at the pump for every gallon of fuel you buy. That's about $30 in savings every time you fill a tank.
Here's how it will work. You'll use your Star Freight-issued credit card, of course, at a Love's fuel pump. When you swipe your card, that transaction logs in our system, with the 15-cent-a-gallon discount applied. You'll see the savings reflected in your weekly settlements.
One word of caution, though. The Love's receipt you pocket at the pump won't show the 15 cents deducted for each gallon. Don't worry, though, because your weekly settlement statement will.
We're thrilled to be able to provide this deal for our drivers. You are the backbone of our success, so it's great when we can find new ways to let you know how much we value your service -- and help you be successful.
That brings me to my second point -- your professionalism enables Star Freight to thrive. I recently met with one of our top customers who told me that our growing business from them is due to the professionalism of drivers such as Steven Merrill and Ken Hodgins. (Read more about Steven below - he's our profiled driver for this issue of The Star.) Thanks again for making Star Freight shine!Charlie Johnson President
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Steven Merrill really knows big trucks
Life on the road is a given for truck drivers, but it's literally been Steven Merrill's existence for every day but one since Dec. 29.
That's the day he set out from his home in Magnolia, Texas, to carry loads for Monster Jam, the touring, action-packed monster truck show that attracts 4 million people across the globe.
Star Freight's been transporting the show for three years, and the gig usually runs from January through March. Steven recently learned that his stint has been extended until the end of July this year (Star Freight president Charlie Johnson credits the additional business to Steven's professionalism, "but I think it's because of my cooking," Steven said.)The show has him crisscrossing the county, from Miami to Salinas, Calif., and hundreds of points between. With his free-time spent away from home, Steven's found some great ways to pass the time -- Phoenix Sun basketball games or zip-lining near Las Vegas, for instance. But one of his regular off-duty past-times is cooking for the Monster Jam staff.
Steven says truck driving can be tiring -- it's lots of time behind the wheel, after all -- but the money is good and you see the country. "I was out one Thanksgiving and happened to be in South Dakota and went to see Mt. Rushmore. It was freezing cold. We were about the only ones up in the mountains" he remembered, "but I probably won't get to see it again."
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Safety Matters
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Roadcheck 2015 set for June 2-4During Roadcheck 2015 (June 2-4) more than 10,000 trained and certified officers will be stationed at 1,500 roadside inspection sites across North America.
Federal, state, provincial, and local officers will be conducting North American Standard Inspections (Level I) involving a comprehensive 37-step procedure related to vehicle, driver and cargo safety and security.
These roadside inspections carry more weight than ever on CSA scoring, so we need all Star Freight drivers to be prepared for them. So, be sure to:
- Always wear your seat belt
- Keep your log current
- Have your CDL
- Have your Fed Med Cert
- Maintain a positive and professional attitude
- A copy of Star Freight's Insurance Certificate is in the vehicle
- Your permit book is current and up-to-date
- The tractor's fire extinguisher is charged and secure
- The tractor is equipped with the required emergency equipment
- All equipment has proof of annual inspection
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Safe Driver of the Quarter
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Khalid Eddington makes safety a priority
Khalid Eddington takes safety seriously. He always has, and, from the sound of it, he always will. That's very likely why "I've never been in an accident -- ever," he says.
Two mnemonic devices and a good habit have helped him keep his clean record. He used to share all three with new drivers when he worked as a trainer.
The first? "All Good Kids Love Milk," he said.
Translated into road safety language, that stands for:
- Aim high in steering
- Get the big picture
- Keep your eyes moving
- Leave yourself an out
- Maintain your distance
"Those are the things that keep me out of trouble," he said. "When you drive, aim high, look around ... look ahead, look way ahead, because seeing the big picture allows you to maneuver if anything occurs."
SMOG, Khalid explained, applies to lane changes -- Signal, check your Mirrors, Look over your shoulder and then Go.
"Those two concepts make me a safe driver," Khalid said, and they've worked for him for the 11-plus years he's been driving. A life changing event made him realize he needed a good-paying job, and the fact that his father was a truck driver showed him that truck driving was a good option.
He trained as a truck driver in the Job Corps program in Morgansville, Ky., which is where he learned about Milk and SMOG, he said.
And his other piece of advice for drivers? Be serious about pre-inspections and quarterly maintenance. Both, he said, could mean the difference between such things as having a blowout or avoiding one.
"This is a serious business," he said. "If you're not in it to do what you need to do, then you're wasting your time."
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Business Matters by Dan Sindelar, Vice President
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 I am very excited for our company's outlook going into the third quarter of 2015. Star Freight has been adding new accounts every month - what's more, our opportunities for continued growth the best so far! That said, I want to point out that the keys to any trucking company's success are safety and service. With freight conditions being very strong, it is imperative that our drivers keep safety at the forefront of everything you do. No shipment is more important than the safety of our drivers and the motoring public. If you receive a shipment that you do not feel you can deliver safely at the scheduled time, tell your dispatcher immediately. It is far easier for dispatch to switch things around at the beginning of your run versus the middle of it. Providing quality service is what has allowed Star Freight to be so successful in adding new business. Good communication between our drivers, dispatch and our customers is what will continue to give us the opportunity to be successful together. Also, please remember that I am always looking for quality sales leads from drivers. Don't hesitate to notify me at dsindelar@starfreight.com if you have a sales lead that you feel will benefit Star Freight. Thank you for your fine service! And stay safe!
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Here's to Your Years of Great Service!
We appreciate all of our drivers and the great jobs you do. Each newsletter, we want to recognize our "superstars" -- all those who have service anniversaries during the current quarter, so this time we give a shout out to all drivers who started employment with us in April, May or June.
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6 Years
Manuel Mendiaz Robert Ramirez Jose Rendon
5 Years
Patrick Fleming Kenneth Hodges Leonard Johnson
4 Years
Eric Dye Khalid EddingtonWilliam Martin
3 Years
Pedro Rendon Willie Smith Delroy Thomas
2 Years
Kenneth Garinger Jeffrey Osteen Claude Hall
1 Year
Fred Blair Kevin Chaney Earl Draper Chris Harrison Joe Hill Paul Koebke Johnathon Lewis Colin Scullion Carl Self
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Join the Star Freight team
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We're always looking for good drivers who want to be part of a great company.
Star Freight, LLC, delivers professional service but our employees enjoy a family-style work environment.
Interested? Fill out our new driver application here.
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Referrals Shine!
How do we find our best new drivers? More often than not, from referrals by our current drivers. If you find us a new driver, we will thank you with our referral program -- and $1,000! Want to know more? Just contact Sherrie at scain@starfreight.com for more information. Thanks to these drivers who made referrals for us recently!
Prince Burton
Eric Dye
Rick Hammond
Christopher Hartland
Bobby & Billie Ireland
Michelle Jenkins
Joe Long
DeShawn Williams
Maurice Wiley
Welcome aboard to these new drivers on the Star Freight team!
Dale Brooks
James Coleman
Ricky Core
LaDonna Dhluni
Lamar Ford
John Freeman
Jeff Gibson
Alan Hageman
Alex Harris
Chris Hartland
Charles Hatchett Greg Jackson
Stuart Knox
Anna Leonard
William Leonard
Ricky Mikel
Alfonzo Peoples
Rubin Pete
Ed Risley
Walter Spack
Jason Stimpson
Dion Trimble
Daryl Obie
David St. Peter
Donald Sturges
Vince Warfield
Greg Wallace
Dashawn Williams
And welcome back to these returning drivers! Rondy Grimes Jeremaine Rice Rick Wilson
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We Really Want You to Stay in Touch!
We really do want to hear from you!
Please email us if you have news you'd like to share or a suggestion for a driver profile.
And feel free to send your concerns and questions.
We care about what you think! Just email Laura at lreed@starfreight.com.
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