Big G Express - Spring 2022

Big G Express - Spring 2022

SPRING 2022

EXPANDED AND IMPROVED FACILITY CLOSE AT HAND

COUNTLESS HOURS SPENT ON PROJECT

I would like to first thank each of you for a great start to the year. I appreciate you prioritizing safety as we worked through the many winter events of early 2022. We are hopefully nearing the end of the cold weather days, and we gladly welcome this new season. Spring is the season of growth and new beginnings. I know this leads to some nice views out on the road – enjoy those. Spring is also a season of growth and new beginnings for Big G Express. As many of you have probably seen or heard, we are currently in the process of building our new facility in East Tennessee. We have spent countless hours on the plans to ensure this facility is top- notch and built with the drivers in mind. This will provide so many more opportunities for us in this area, and we are excited and thankful for the growth potential. As we move into the future, this location will be much larger than our current facility in Russellville. This facility will be a full truck and trailer service center consisting of seven bays. There will be four truck bays, three of which will be designated as safety lanes,

and three trailer bays. We will have a drive-through truck wash and increased parking with over 250 parking spots. The new facility will also include a large drivers’ lounge and breakroom. Driver restrooms will be private and include showers. There will also be a large laundry room adjoining the restrooms for your laundry needs. Along with our mechanics, the new facility will be staffed with operations, customer service, and safety personnel. We are very thankful to be in a position where we can expand and improve our facilities to ensure our drivers are comfortable and taken care of. Thank you for all that you do to make this possible. Let’s continue to have a great year!

–Greg Thompson CEO & President

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I hope spring has found you and your loved ones doing well! Most of the people I know are really looking forward to spring and its warm weather. One thing that tends to increase with warm weather that impacts our profession is road construction. Pay attention to work zones and slow down to the posted speed limit or below. Allow yourself time to stop and react safely, pay attention to the road crews, and do not allow yourself to become aggressive while driving. Cooler heads always prevail and that puts you and your loved ones in a better situation to be successful. Your performance on the roads affects the overall “pull-in rate” with DOT officers. Did you know that our CSA scores directly affect our pull-in, or inspection rate? The better our CSA scores, the fewer times we get “red-lighted” for a DOT inspection. Each of you can improve our CSA scores by receiving clean inspections. Perform good pre- and post- trip inspections on your tractor and any trailer you touch, drive in the proper lanes (these are the easiest to correct), and don’t speed. Generally, you all do a good job at these things, but we need everyone on board to keep our scores down. The things I just mentioned will also help in reducing accidents, which should be a focus for everyone. Our accident rate is improving, but there is still a lot of work to be done, and the process is continuous. Use good space and speed management, don’t drive distracted or fatigued, and get out to look; those are simple concepts each of you can do to continue driving down our accident rates. HELP IMPROVE CSA SCORES DRIVE DOWN ACCIDENT RATES

I also want to remind you all to wear proper footwear when operating your CMV at our terminals and customer locations. This will help prevent slips, trips, and falls due to wet or slick floors and uneven terrain. Always use three points of contact getting in and out of your CMV. And remember that our landing gears have two speeds. If the dollies are hard to crank or are under pressure, use the lower gear until

the pressure has been released. Protect your bodies by doing things the right way. Your safety and health are very important to us and your loved ones.

Until next time,

–Tim Clark VP of Safety

BIG NEWS ON BIG G FACILITY

East Tennessee has been a great place for Big G Express over the years with so many outstanding drivers living in the area, we hope the new facility will give us the opportunity to grow our driver count. The new design of Kenworth T680 is looking good pulling Big G trailers. We have a large number of these coming this year and look forward to getting these units in the fleet. We have also just signed an order for 100 more dry-van trailers to be delivered later this year, so be on the lookout for those to start showing up around August.

Hello professional drivers.

Hello spring! So glad the weather is starting to turn and we can celebrate making it through another hard winter. We have seen our share of snow and ice and are so glad to see the trees putting on leaves and flowers blooming. It will be no time before we are complaining about the heat! Great news, work is coming along on our new facility in Mosheim, Tennessee, as the building frame is up and the roof is complete. We are getting a lot of calls and comments about the new facility and please be watching for a grand opening sometime this summer. The new facility is going to be a great addition for Big G and will offer great amenities for our drivers. Plans include space for operations, safety, recruiting, and, of course, a lot of badly needed space for maintenance.

Lastly, let me thank everyone for the hard work and dedication to making Big G Express the great place it is. We couldn’t do it without you!

–Tim Tipps VP of Maintenance

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DRIVERS MONTH of the

DECEMBER

JAMES CHANCE James rejoined the Big G team in December of 2021. His first driving job was with Overnite Transport back in 1992. One memorable moment for him was the first time he crossed over Cabbage Mountain in OR. On the weekends, he likes to ride his motorcycle or talk to JOHN MARSHALL John started with Big G in December of 2016. He started his trucking career with Pam Transport in the early ‘90s. Looking back over his trucking career, one of his favorite things is experiencing the beauty of the many sunrises and sunsets across the land. His favorite time to drive is during a cool clear night when the TED WILLIAMS Ted joined the Big G team in July of 2020. His first driving job was working in the oilfields of AR. He loves driving across the plains of WY and watching the sunsets over the mountains. When not in the truck, he likes to relax with his wife and three dogs. JESSE JOHNSON Jesse started with Big G in July of 2019. He got his start in trucking with Kroger working on the docks in 1983 and started driving with them in 1987. His favorite area of the country to drive in is out West where the traffic is lighter. When home on MAMADOU DIOP Mamadou joined Big G in October 2018. He started his trucking career in 2016 with CR England. The first time he went to CA in a truck was one of the most challenging things he has done since he started driving. On the weekends when not trucking, he ANTONIO GRABLE Antonio started with Big G in September of 2021. He started driving in 2015 with Werner. Before driving a truck, he operated heavy equipment. One memorable moment of his trucking career was when he finally hit the road as a solo driver and realized

enjoys playing soccer. He lives in Philadelphia, PA, with his dad and brothers. His words of advice for new drivers: Take your time, pay attention, and stay rested. He also said he loves Big G and enjoys working here.

he was following a dream. On the weekends, he likes to spend his time fishing. He lives in Union City, GA, with his wife, one of his daughters, and some grandkids. His advice to new hires is to be careful, be safe, and take care of business.

JANUARY

He also enjoys working around the house. He lives in Clearwater, FL, with his wife of six years. A few words of advice for a new driver: There are both good things and bad with every trucking job, but the ESOP at Big G is really hard to top.

the weekends, he enjoys spending time with the grandkids. He lives in Fayetteville, TN, with his wife and six cats. A few words of advice to new drivers are to keep it slow, as you are not driving a race car.

FEBRUARY

other ham radio operators around the world. He lives in Chatsworth, GA, with his wife of seven years and his pack of wild dogs. A few words of advice for a new driver: Read road signs carefully, listen to what others have to say, and never get in a hurry.

humidity is low and traffic is sparse. When not working, he likes to cook and travel to see things he cannot see from the truck, such as caves and other off-the-path spots. He lives in Clarksville, TN, with his family. His advice to new drivers is that when in doubt, slow down, and always maintain a safe following distance.

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DECEMBER/JANUARY/ FEBRUARY ELITE FLEET

PERFECT INSPECTIONS FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY/FEBRUARY

EARNEST RUSSELL

ERNEST SINGLEY

SHANE RIDDLE

MOMODOU SAINE

ELVIS A HODGES

ALFRED AVERY JR

CHRISTOPHER ANELLO

ERIC V BRANT

DAVID MANN

1,000,000 Accident-Free Miles

ROBERT KORSMEYER

FITCHGERALD WYNN

GEORGE ZELINSKI

Bobby Mallory

GERON PRIMM

DAVID E HERT

MARK GRIFFIN

RICHARD KEITH SCOTT

BRIAN ROY SMITH

PERRY POPE

500,000 Accident-Free Miles

PHILIPPA ROWE-BAILEY

RICKY L ADAMS

DAVID DONNELL

Casius Ammons

Gregory Dixon

LARRY POWELL

JOHN EASTERLING

STEVEN D JEFFREY

Marc Croteau

Joshua Jordan

SCOTT JOSEPH TAIF

JAMES PARKER

GREGORY BARNES

Robert Laster

Christopher Vanover

JOE VIRGIL DASHER III

CAMERON SERVEN

ALFRED AVERY JR

250,000 Accident-Free Miles Richard Murray

TIMOTHY PAUL BAER

ANTHONY DI FILLIPPO

BRIAN ROY SMITH

Billy Haywood Gary Clark Lamont Hill Nathan Wilson Stephen Whitener Ernest Singley

RICHARD KEITH SCOTT

LARRY POWELL

Raymond Vaughn Steven Strickland Darrell Satterfield Albert Brown Donna Hadden Curtis Black

THANK YOU to every driver who received a PERFECT INSPECTION.

THANK YOU to our Elite Fleet drivers — you represent over 9 million safe miles. We appreciate your dedication to SAFETY and to protecting our employee-owned company!

–Greg Thompson, CEO & President –Kristi McFarland, Executive Vice President

125,000 Accident-Free Miles Channy Pickett Adam Stauffer Laura Gray

James Luffman Joey Lucente Shawn Davis Eddie Brown Garland Mullins Yusuel Perez

Jason Howard Harold Smart Kristie Williams Elvis Hodges Brian Lindsey Cornelius Toler

A CLEAN CAB CAN MEAN A FREE PASS! Inspectors assume that if the cab and dashboard are clean and well cared for, then most of the time, the rest of the truck will be well cared for, too. CLEANLINESS COUNTS.

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THANK YOU FOR A GREAT START TO 2022 CHRIS’S CORNER

Well, we made it through another winter ... it was a tough one. I am ready for the warmer months ahead and even better not having to constantly check the weather for snow events. I want to start by thanking you all for how well you handled the major snow events we had at the beginning of this year. It seemed like there was one each week, and in some areas that rarely see snow. You all handled it amazingly and did exactly what we asked you to do, which is get parked if the weather gets bad. We spend quite a bit of time looking days and weeks ahead anticipating potential bad weather, then we get that info out to you immediately so you can start preparing. Once again, thank you all for taking the information we send out to you and acting on it. This spring is set to be one of the busiest we have had in years. I have been in transportation since 1997 and I can’t remember a time when freight was as plentiful as it is now. Who knows how long it will last, so please take advantage of it while it’s here. Our “Top 30” drivers consistently have two things in common. They make themselves available for dispatch more and are open to go wherever the freight takes them. Doing these two simple things can make a 2,200-mile week turn into a 3,200-mile week. We have made a big push over the past 6 months to help coach any driver that falls below the 2,000-mile mark. We have had numerous success stories in helping drivers go from 1,800 to 2,600 miles just with some simple

adjustments. We are ready to help anyone who wants it, and if you would like us to look at your situation, we would be glad to. Please reach out to your supervisor for more details. There is no reason anyone should be getting less than 2,300–2,800-plus miles a week right now. The Operations Team wants you to make as much as you can while you are out there. I hope you are all taking advantage of the opportunity to be assigned to a brand-new Kenworth. Recruiting has pulled out all the stops on this one, and this is one of the best recruiting prizes I have seen in a while, plus cash. If anyone needs my help talking to a potential recruit, please feel free to call me or give them my number. I will answer any questions they have, and will do everything I can to help you get in that new truck.

Thank you all for a great start to 2022 and, please, let’s keep this momentum going! Be safe out there and let us know if you need anything.

–Chris Kelly VP of Operations

UPCOMING EVENTS!

April - June 2022 HealthCheck360 Wellness Screenings

August 2022 - Benefits Open Enrollment

Sept 11 - 17, 2022 Driver Appreciation Week

October 2022 - Employee Ownership Month

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

190 Hawkins Dr. Shelbyville, TN 37160 931-684-9140 www.biggexpress.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2 Your Safety and Health Are Very Important New Facility to Offer More for Drivers Expanded and Improved Facility Close at Hand

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Drivers of the month

Perfect Inspections Elite Fleet

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Winter Was Rough, But Spring Looks Brighter Upcoming events

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Making Positive Changes in Recruiting!

MEET CHRISTINE! OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING

First, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself. I am Christine Colley, the new director of recruiting, located at our corporate headquarters in Shelbyville. It is with a considerable amount of excitement that I have joined this team. I bring over 20 years of industry experience with me to this role, in a variety of capacities. In addition

Since joining the Big G family, I have made some changes and the Recruiting Department has fully embraced them, allowing us to see quick improvements. We are all eager to see what we can achieve next. One of the most recent department activities has been Big G’s booth at the Mid-America Trucking Show. Recruiters Tina Davidge and Stephania Holman accompanied me to Louisville, Kentucky, from March 24–26 to recruit on-site. This was a HUGE success! We had drivers scheduled as soon as the next week and brought back over 500 drivers’ information to add to our >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

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