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November 2015
 In October, Star Freight, LLC, began its eighth year as a company. I am so proud of where we have come in these past seven years. The easiest way to sum up all we've achieved is to say that we have experienced 20 percent growth - or more - each year. But there are so many important relationships, smart decisions, dedicated professionals and instances of true customer service that tell the real story behind those stats. I am indebted to each and every member of the Star Freight team. The professionalism and dedication to customer service practiced on the road, at the delivery dock and in the office are what set our company apart. Thanks to you, we are poised to keep growing as we complete our first decade of business. Even though we we will be bigger than before, we are committed to keeping our small-company values. This means that our employees and our customers will receive the best in communication and treatment that we can offer. Thank you again for being a member of the Star Freight family. Here's to another great year! Charlie Johnson
President
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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!
Joe Hill
Michael Hill
Dexter Wilson
Eddie Wimes
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Holiday Schedule
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Paperwork deadlines change for holidays
 With Thanksgiving next week and Christmas and New Year's Day practically right behind it, we wanted to remind everyone of the special deadlines for paperwork:
- Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 -- cutoff will be Wednesday, Nov. 25
- Christmas, Dec. 25 -- cutoff will be Wednesday, Dec. 23 (Trippak will be closed Dec. 24 and 25)
- New Year's Day -- cutoff will be Wednesday, Dec. 30 (Trippak will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1)
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Safe Driver of the Quarter
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Willie Smith stays focused while driving
 The first time Willie Smith drove a long route on his own, he remembers he felt pretty nervous. But after he had made his delivery and was turned back toward home, he realized he was no longer nervous, just excited.
"It's a fun job," Willie says, and it's one that's kept him on the road for 26 years.
"At first, I thought I'd drive for 10 or 15 years, but the 10 turned to 15 and 15 turned to 20 -- it's alright!"
That's what he says when he's asked by people interested in pursuing his career, but he's careful to add that driving is a focused activity.
"It takes a lot of patience," he explains. "You're your own boss when you're out on road, but you have to be patient and not get uptight."
He believes his safe driving record is due to "being cautious, paying attention to what you're doing, to details." That approach, combined with a well-maintained truck, "goes a long way to staying safe on the road," he says.
When he's not behind the wheel, Willie enjoys life at home in DeSoto, Texas, with his family -- especially his four young grandchildren. He loves how "their eyes get real big when they see my truck -- 'Ooh, that's a big truck,' they say." Willie also has two daughters and a "beautiful wife" to whom he's been married for 20 years.
"Family time is a good time for relaxing," he says, and then he starts his truck to drive another route.
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Safety Matters
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Fight Fatigue...and Win!
Drowsiness and driving don't mix, especially during the road-busy holiday season. Here are five tricks to help you zap the ZZZZs:
1. Get a good start. Begin your trip well-rested and have your route planned. 2. Live right on the road. Rest during breaks; exercise, eat right and power nap; limit your intake of  caffeine, tobacco and sugar; and beware of eye strain. 3. Know the danger signs. Feeling sleepy, apathetic, lethargic or irritable are symptoms of fatigue; so are physical signs such as frequent yawning, eye irritation and difficulty finding a comfortable position. Also watch for forgetfulness, muddled thinking, erratic driving, delayed reactions and the like. 4. Respond to symptoms immediately. Pull over safely, let Star Freight know, and take a power nap. Safety always comes first! Deep breaths and exercise also help to wake up brain and body. 5. Prevent fatigue at home. Catch up on needed rest during your time off while keeping sleep patterns as regular as possible. It may also help to discuss the importance of sleep with your family. Too little sleep equals too many dangersSleep deprivation is suffered by all kinds of people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it affects 63 percent of Americans.  But, when it strikes drivers, the costs and dangers associated with it are chilling. Here are six common outcomes of not having enough sleep: 1. Performance deterioration 2. Driving impairments 3. Increased risk of distraction 4. Increased number of driving errors 5. Greater risk-taking behavior 6. Inability to make necessary adjustments When any of those occur while you're behind the wheel, obviously, the result could be severe, even deadly. Please make sure you are well-rested before starting any route.
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Business Matters by Dan Sindelar, Vice President
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Another year has rushed by, and Star Freight continues to shine bright as we look forward to 2016. We are thankful for the great people who make up Star Freight -- most of all, our fleet of drivers in each of our divisions.
Although the economy has been lackluster for most of 2015, we have worked hard to develop business relationships with customers to meet our fleet's diverse needs. Throughout 2015, we have added staff to most of our operating groups. This allows us a better opportunity to aggressively search for freight while also improving communication lines with our fleets.
Finally, as we approach the holiday season, many things occur that need all of our utmost attention:
- Colder weather brings dangerous driving conditions and, with the added traffic during the holidays, it is critical that SAFETY IS ALWAYS YOUR #1 OBJECTIVE!! There is NEVER anything more important than YOU and the motoring public.
- Also during the holiday season, always remember that thieves never sleep and are always looking for someone being careless. NEVER drop a trailer at an unsecured location!!
I wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving and a Very Merry Christmas. Please be safe in all your travels.
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Loyalty Counts!
We want to thank all of our drivers for their commitment to our customers, to our company and to being safe on the road. And we congratulate our "superstars" -- all those who have service anniversaries this quarter. We appreciate all of you!
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6 Years
Margaret (Peggy) Dube
Steven Merrill
4 Years
Maurice Brown
Barrian Moorer
3 Years
Luis Gonsalves
Pentry McAfee
Connie Lampman
Jermey Lampman
1 Year
Jonas Albertie
Renato Andrade
Randall Basden
Scott Brogan
Anthony Bryan
Prince Burton
Johnny Butler
Sanuel Duncan
Micah Durham
Charles Hatchett
Kevin Hensley
Billie Ireland
Robert Ireland
Ronald Solomon
Richard Wilson
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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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Glad to Have You!
Welcome aboard to these new drivers on the Star Freight team!
Ronald Byron
Adrian Calhoun
Marcus Culbert
Jorge Delgado
Lacanta Duhart
James Haldeman
Russell Harper
Heriberto Hernandez
Frankie Johnson
Herman Johnson
Donald Jones
Tony Joyner
Angela Lassiter
Emmanuel Luhanga
Jerry McBride
Kenneth Millhouse
James Moore
Douglas Nelson
Victor Oranday
Naeem Paryani
Mark Payne
Grady Price
Latasha Roberts
Tony Scoggins
Michael Smith
Michael Todd
Mauricio Trejo
Douglas Tullos
Kenneth Vickery
Dexter Wilson
Tyrone Wilson
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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.  
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS FROM EVERYONE AT STAR FREIGHT!
WE WISH YOU A SEASON FILLED WITH WITH JOY AND A HEALTHY,
PROSPEROUS 2016!
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