Random Thoughts with Dan Strong, CEO

3rd Quarter Driver Bonus Results

Driver Mentors Needed!!!

Mandatory Benefits Open Enrollment

The Retiring Carpenter

Larry Bolin—20 Years!!!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

NOVEMBER 2016

NEWSLETTER

Quote of the Month

“Courage is what it takes to stand

up and speak; courage is also

what it takes to sit down and

listen.”

- Winston Churchill

Welcome New Non-Driving

Employees:

Rashaad Abdul-Salaam—PM Technician (GA)

Doug Omedeo—Breakdown Coordinator (GA)

RJ Shinn—Nights Driver Manager (MI)

Jeffery Sneed—Truck Technician (KY)

Harold Davis—Truck Technician (GA)

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Random Thoughts with Dan Strong, CEO

It is possible when you read this article the

2016 World Series will have already been

decided. It has been 108 years since the

Cubs won a World Series and 68 since the

Indians did. Regardless, there are some

similarities to what these franchises have

had to do during the down times and what

we have to do each any every day.

What can we learn from a combined 176

seasons of not coming out on top? For one,

we all can learn even if you didn’t get the

ultimate prize, you can still have suc-

cess. Additionally, just showing up for 176

seasons is an accomplishment. You can

never get anything done if you don’t show

up and give an effort. I’ve heard it said be-

fore 90% of getting success is putting your-

self in position to be successful. You have

to show up.

The current players on the Cubs and Indians

have nothing to do with the past failures of

the team (other than their position in the

player draft). You can’t fix the past, and

you can’t change it. You can only control

your future. Having a positive outlook

brings much more opportunities than if you

have a sour one.

Our industry is challenged yet our future is

bright. We are entering the time of year

when what we do is very important to mil-

lions of people. You bring smiles to a lot

of faces by taking care of our customers

during the holiday season. We will haul

20,000,000 parcels for UPS during the hol-

iday peak season and it is important we do

what we say we will do, and when we say

we will do it. Our team of professional

drivers, technicians and office staff did a

great job last year during the peak season

and we need to do it again this year. Our

performance during the peak season helps

determine how much UPS business we will

be participating in during 2017. How cool

is it to know your hard work can bring

twenty million smiles (or 19,999,999 if

John Wildbahn doesn’t like his Aunt’s fruit

cake)?

Thanks to each of you for what you do for

Super Service LLC. Let’s all have a safe,

healthy and productive holiday season!

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3RD QUARTER BONUS RESULTS

Submitted By: Vaughn Yow, VP of Operations

3rd quarter bonus results have been finalized! Congratulations to those who took advantage of this great opportunity to supplement

their regular earnings.

Highlights:

804 drivers were eligible to participate beginning on July 1st.

397 or approximately 49% of those individuals earned a bonus payout.

Payout amounts

210 drivers earned a bonus greater than $526. The top bonus earner received a $1,088 payout!

$526 was the average bonus payout.

Met Criteria

34% met the Safety requirements while 54% achieved their MPG goal.

Fast Track Promotions

58 drivers have advanced through our Fast Track program to date. Each of these drivers received a .02 cpm pay in-crease.

Helpful Hints:

Monthly progress updates are available after the first two months of each quarter. These are designed to keep you informed

while also providing the opportunity to make improvements prior to the period ending. Your Driver Manager should have the

information 7 to 10 days after the month ends.

A hard copy of each driver’s quarterly bonus performance detail will be mailed out 1 week prior to each bonus payout period.

MPG goals will vary based on tractor type and model year. Anytime you are assigned a different truck please check with your

Driver Manager to ensure you understand the truck specific mpg goal.

Bonus payments are issued on the last pay period of the month following the end of the calendar quarter.

MENTORS NEEDED

Submitted By: Jay Thomas, Director of Safety

Wikipedia – “Mentoring is a process for the informal transmis-

sion of knowledge, and the psychosocial support perceived by

the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional devel-

opment; mentoring entails informal communication, usually

face-to-face and during a sustained period of time, between a

person who is perceived to have relevant knowledge, wisdom, or

experience (the mentor) and a person who is perceived to have

less (the protégé)."

Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a great men-

tor, John. He took me under his wing and taught me everything

he knew about safety and the Federal Regulations. There is on-

ly so much knowledge a person can obtain from formal educa-

tion and books; the rest comes from experience. The transfer of knowledge from real life experiences comes when one

mentors another. To this day, I am faced with decisions and issues I have not encountered and I will ask myself, “What

would John have done or said?”

When we think of all the wise people who have left this earth over the years, it is difficult to comprehend the

knowledge which would have gone to the grave if it had not been shared with someone.

Why is this so important?

Over 50% of the drivers here at Super Service have been here more than a year and have an average of 4.1 years of

experience. This equates to over 2,000 years of combined experience.

Drivers in need of mentoring include experienced drivers who either have never driven OTR or it has been a couple

years since they were behind the wheel. These drivers are not students…but rather experienced tractor/trailer drivers

in need of someone who can help them get back into the OTR rhythm and bring them up-to-date on changes within the

regulations. They are having a difficult time getting hired because most carriers require at least 6 months – 1 year ex-

perience in the past 3 years. As a result, these veteran drivers are left with a choice of either starting over or finding a

program where a mentor will help them get back into the swing of things again.

Super Service is seeking mentors who are interested in helping a these veteran drivers get back into the truck-

ing industry.

As a mentor, you can help fellow drivers get back into trucking by sharing your current knowledge of electronic log-

ging, QUALCOMM communications, CSA, and company policies/procedures. If you have a good safety record, are

in good standing with the company and have more than 1 year OTR experience; you may qualify to be a mentor.

Please contact Jay Thomas at ext. 3541 for more information.

Super Service is also in need of Student Trainers, especially females. Student trainers work with brand new drivers

fresh out of school and teach them the fundamentals of trucking. If you are interested in becoming a Student Trainer

contact your DM or call Theresa at ext. 1312.

If you want to make an impact and put quality drivers on the road, become a Mentor or Student Trainer Today.

Share your knowledge with others – BE A MENTOR

THE RETIRING CARPENTER

Submitted By: Fred Needham, VP of Sales/Marketing

I have read and heard many stories throughout my life. Someone shared this

particular tale with me early in my business career and it is one I have never

forgotten. This parable offers tremendous wisdom and provides a great blue-

print of how we should approach the work we do on a day in/day out basis.

An elderly carpenter was due to retire.

He told his employer of his plans to leave the business and start a life of leisure

with his wife and extended family.

He would miss the money, but the time was right and he was ready to hang up

his hammer.

His boss was disappointed, as the carpenter had been a loyal and diligent worker for many years, so he was

sad to see him go.

He asked for one last favor, requesting the carpenter to build one last house before retiring.

The tradesman agreed, but it was soon clear that his heart wasn’t in it.

He took shortcuts, used inferior materials and put in a half-hearted effort.

In the end, the final product was well short of his usual standards, a disappointing way to end his career.

When the job was finished, the employer came to inspect the work. After taking a look around, he handed the

keys to the carpenter and said, “This is your house, it’s my gift to you.”

The carpenter was shocked and embarrassed.

If only he had known, he would have made sure that everything was perfect.

If he had known the consequences, he would have demanded excellence from himself.

As employees of Super Service LLC, we are not so different. We go about our business…working as we see

fit (some with more passion than others). We have varying degrees of passion, excellence, standards, diligence

and effort.

We are all like the carpenter in the above story as we receive a paycheck for our efforts. Each of us is in the

process of building our own lives and careers. Please take the time to thoughtfully consider what legacy you

will leave behind and build wisely (and safely)!

JAKE PRESLEY

Submitted By: Dan Strong, CEO

Ronnie Presley, our Director of Recruiting and Retention, had some exciting times in October. He was able to

attend the Hollywood premier of the movie, “The Accountant” starring Ben Affleck and his own son

Jake. The glitz and glamour were fun for Ronnie, Jake and the rest of the family, but the cameras were nothing

new. Jake is a world class martial artist (check him out on You Tube) and these skills allowed him the oppor-

tunity to have a featured role in the film. As a family they have had a great time with the movie making pro-

cess and it was fun to see all of the hard work come together on film. The movie was number one in the box

office the first week and has remained strong since then. It is worth a watch if you get the time! Jake hopes to

do additional acting if the opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, he will continue to compete in the mar-

tial arts and attend school.

Jake at the premier

LARRY BOLIN - 20 YEARS!!!

Submitted By: Stephanie Davis, Orientation Assistant

Congratulations to Larry Bolin on 20 years of

dedicated service!!!

Larry started driving for Super Service on

11/05/1996. He has been a safe, professional

driver through out his 20 years at Super Ser-

vice. He is currently driving on the Vascor

dedicated account.

Pictured (left to right): Clifford James

(Vascor Driver Manager), Larry Bolin, and

John Kidd (Dedicated Operations Manager)

They went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate

Larry’s 20 years of service.

INTERNAL CUSTOMER LOYALTY

Submitted By: Richard Morrow, Orientation/Safety Instructor

After graduating truck driving school and having six weeks of over the

road training, I was ready for my first solo dispatch. The first hurdle was

finding two 28.5-foot-long / by 14-foot-high trailers and a dolly to con-

nect the “pups” as they were called. It took an incredible amount of time

and I ran into one snag after the other. My Driver Manager was none too

happy about the time I spent for such a seemingly simple task. But I can

assure you, I was working hard battling mud and rain for the needed

equipment. My next challenge was to unscramble the conflicting and con-

fusing directions, or maybe it was my own inexperience.

Eventually I found myself loaded and on my way to Kent, WA, about an

800-mile run from Fairfield, CA. I didn’t get much more than a hundred

miles, to the small trucking town of Corning, CA, before I discovered a clearance light out on my back pup. Getting it

fixed was another lesson in advanced thumb twiddling. Halloween night only being an hour away, I was finally moving.

As I reached the California/Oregon state line, snow flurries started hitting the asphalt. I was following an empty flatbed;

he was an older man going by the handle of “Skateboard”. He said, “The key is to go slow and stay off your brakes.”

His supportive advice was comforting but I still felt super green and unsure of myself. I kept thinking about my training

and warnings from all my teachers and trainers (a hundred different lessons going through my head).

As we crested Mt. Ashland, the descent looked ominous. I had to focus on proper gear selection, avoiding brake fade and

watching my air gauges. I didn’t fully appreciate the magnitude of knowledge and skill I would need in my new found

career. I had gone through all the training and tonight was the test. One of the greatest components of our industry is the

comradery between drivers. I was very fortunate, with the help of Skateboard and the other fine gentlemen; I would

make it down the hill in one piece.

I’m not sure if it is human nature or what, but sometimes asking for help seems like a sign of weakness. Nothing can be

further from the truth. We all need each other and being interconnected is a core value here at Super Service. The words

in a message “I need your help” is a call to action.

Driver Managers and all staff have the responsibility of helping drivers solve problems. Breakdown Specialists are on

duty 24/7 to assist you professionally. If your Driver Manager needs help, they have a leader whose job it is to help you

as well. We have macro 24 and 49 where you can reach out to get additional help and focus for your particular need. In

addition, the Driver Services Line option #4 is the Internal Resolution Center Call Line. It is answered post haste and

works to resolve your concerns professionally.

All these layers of help are here because Super Service gets it; trucking is a tough job. Being a professional truck driver

requires experience, skill, knowledge and a positive mental attitude. A prosperous career requires all these traits and a

great team behind you. I could never imagine 22 years ago I would be sharing this story with all of you today. It makes

me think about how unpredictable life is. Tonight you could be the person going down the hill for the very first time, and

in 20 years you might be the guy or gal helping the new driver make it down in one piece. Helping each other through it

all is the truck driver’s credo. At Super Service, we embrace this value and want to thank all employees for their dedica-

tion, loyalty and belonging to our great team.

Employee Profile—Danny Caldwell

Danny Caldwell originally started with Super Service in 2005 in the Operations

Department working in dispatch and planning. He continued working in the Plan-

ning Department until 2007 and then left the company to open a sales business.

Danny returned to Super Service in October 2009 to join the Recruiting Depart-

ment. He was recently promoted to Driver Recruiting Manager.

Danny has been married to his wife, Kim, for 25 years and they have one 13 year

old son, Thomas. Danny enjoys playing sports and video games with his son and

spends time hunting and fishing. They live in a log cabin on beautiful Lake Cum-

berland.

Danny and Thomas Caldwell

MY PILOT FUELING APP

Submitted By: Bill Lewis, Fuel Manager

Now the myPilot app has time-saving features which gets drivers in and out and on their way an estimated

25% faster. Not only can drivers use Fuel Lane Status to see which pump is likely to open up next, but they

can also complete prompts right on their phone as soon as they enter a Pilot or Flying J location – instead of

wasting time at the pump.

This app is designed to do one thing...make a driver’s life easier. Using the new mobile fueling feature, you

can also save your payment cards, and store your payment card prompts for future use. Say goodbye to waiting

on your transaction in the sweltering hot sun or icy cold blizzard. For more information, go to:

https://www.pilotflyingj.com/mypilot

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November Driver Years of Service Recognition—Thank You!!!

Name Years of Service

Young, Marvin 16

Scaffe, Michael 17

Menkov, Alexander 19

Bolin, Larry 20

Henson, Michael 23

Andrews, Joel 26

Name Years of Service

Alvarado, Michael 1

Cantrel, Johnnie 1

Colvin, Jeffrey 1

English, John 1

Herrera, Ricardo 1

Jarvela, Sakari 1

Lay, David 1

Masinelli, Michael 1

Nester, Wayne 1

Tyler, Quentin 1

Gee, Theodore 2

Lee, Roger 2

Lowers, Virgil 2

Martinez, Abel 2

Mills, Linwood 2

Sanchez, Annette 2

Spence, Robert 2

Spencer, Brent 2

Stone, Jeffrey 2

Doublet, Lawrence 3

La, John 3

Davis, James 4

McLeod, Aaron 4

Smith, Ernest 4

Ward, Lori 4

Bolthouse, Daniel 5

Evans, Robert 5

Pangborn, James 5

Wiggen, Wallace 5

Ballinger, Anthony 6

McDonald, Charles 7

Simon, Angelo 7

Willliams, Armin 7

November Non-Driving Employee Years of Service Recognition

Thank You!!!

Name Years of Service Position

Donald Adams 1 Regional Sales Manager—IL

Harold Harris 1 Safety Lane Technician—GA

Stephanie Murray 1 Breakdown Coordinator—KY

Sherry Naron 1 Background Investigator—TN

Ashley Baker 2 Driver Manager—MI

Khan Hollis 2 Network Engineer—MI

Pam Patterson 2 Driver Manager—GA

Fred Needham 4 VP of Sales/Marketing—TN

Stephen Smith 4 Regional Sales Manager—OH

Isaac Korodan 9 Regional Operations Manager—MI

Steve Cromwell 10 Shop Shift Foreman—MI

Cindy Hinkle 11 General Accountant—MI

Brian Kiander 16 Controller—MI

October Clean Road Side Inspection List

We Pay $50 For Every Clean, Properly Logged Inspection!

Michael Alvarado James Moore Daniel King

Louis Wood Jeffrey Worden Kerry Bailey

Eugene Rogers James Scott Gerard Sholan Jr

Reno Cooper Jose Ovalle Edward Campbell

Clarence Copeland Michael Parriman Johnnie Jordan

Daniel Terman Rodney Jones Donald Kimray Jr

Christopher West Michael Rodriguez Kelly Freeman

James Ledbetter Pamela Thompson Michael Anderson

Brandon Crum Fredrick Meintzer David Bates

Robert Flournoy Val August

Earn Up To $2,000 for

Driver Referrals

We know our Super Drivers come in contact with other safe, experienced professional drivers every day. We hope you will consider sending them our way! Now, telling them about the opportunities at Super Service is even easier.

We created a new handout, espe-cially for referring prospective driv-ers. So, when you find someone who could be a great fit for the Su-per Service Team, send them our way! Drop by the Recruiting De-partment and pick up a few of the new driver referral door hangers to-day or contact recruiting at 800.326.8889 for all the details! Re-fer safe, experienced drivers and start earning $$$$ today!

- Super Service LLC Recruiting

We have Safety Meetings every Friday at

Super Service terminals. Join us for some

good grub and important safety information.

Safety will be available to answer questions.

Upcoming Events

Super Service, LLC

6000 Clay Ave SW

Grand Rapids, MI 49548

616-530-8558 x1341 ph

616-588-6391 fax

smaat@superservicellc.com

Super Service Social Media Program

https://www.facebook.com/superservicellc

https://twitter.com/superservicellc

Super Service Blog:

http://blog.driveforsuperservice.com/