Trucking Group Rallies Round Ex-Yellow Drivers at NTDC

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dan Istre, the seven-time Idaho state champion from Caldwell, Idaho, confidently climbed into the cab to compete within the twins division on the Nationwide Truck Driving Championships and Nationwide Step Van Driving Championships.

However whereas a lot of the 400-plus drivers had been working towards proper up till the competitors, Istre hadn’t been in a truck for 3 weeks. He was one in every of 22,000 LTL drivers with Yellow Corp. who had been abruptly laid off July 30 when the corporate closed its doorways after almost 100 years and filed for chapter. (AUG. 19 UPDATE:Previous Dominion tops Estes bid for Yellow terminals)

Istre drove a triple-trailer truck for Yellow and its predecessor for 29½ years, and the day off in August is the longest interval he’s ever gone with out being in a truck in his almost 40-year profession behind the wheel.

“It’s been laborious. It’s been tough,” stated Istre, 59, his voice cracking with emotion and his eyes watering with tears as he described the final month at Yellow and the uncertainty that he and 17 different Yellow drivers who certified for NTDC confronted. “You may have your ups and your downs.”

In the end, 15 of the 18 Yellow drivers who certified for the 86th annual occasion competed at NTDC.

Two drivers who didn’t take part declined as a result of they’d already discovered new jobs within the trucking business. The third driver wanted to get a medical process finished and selected to do it now earlier than he begins a brand new place.

Those that did make it and competed had been right here because of the work of a number of individuals. However two particularly spearheaded an effort to boost greater than $30,000 for the drivers’ journey and lodge bills. And all through the week many have gone out of their strategy to make these drivers really feel welcome.

Instantly after the Yellow shutdown, 29-year veteran Yellow driver and coach Herschel Evans of Atlanta began a fundraiser internet web page to convey consideration to the now-unemployed Yellow drivers, hoping to boost funds for his or her lodge rooms. Earlier than the shutdown, the corporate had already bought the drivers’ airline tickets, however there have been different bills to be coated and drivers like Istre stated they had been reluctant to spend $2,000 to $3,000 on journey after turning into just lately unemployed.

Evans stated Yellow’s former CEO James Welch contacted him, and Welch and his spouse initially donated $10,000 to the trouble earlier than deciding a few days later to dramatically up their contribution to cowl almost 100% of the drivers’ bills.

“I informed him we had give you a funds of about $27,000 for the drivers to come back right here, and about 20 minutes later, I acquired one other message from him that he and his spouse prayed about it, they usually determined to cowl all the $27,000,” Evans stated. “A day or two later, after a few telephone calls, he wired $27,000 to my private checking account and he informed me to go to Columbus and handle his drivers. He nonetheless considers these guys as his drivers and he nonetheless cares so much concerning the NTDC and the drivers that compete right here, he thinks the world of the drivers and he confirmed it with the intense stepping as much as make it occur.”

Welch was CEO at Yellow from 2011 to 2018, however Evans says even the present leaders at Yellow, who on the time had been navigating the shutdown of the service and the chapter petition in federal courtroom, additionally chipped in with reward playing cards and different gadgets for the drivers to indicate their appreciation for his or her dedication to get to the occasion.

“We put all the pieces collectively and acquired the drivers their goodie baggage and made positive they acquired all their bills coated, and on the evening earlier than the competitors, all of us acquired collectively for dinner as a group and had a pleasant night collectively,” Evans stated. “The trucking household, led by Mr. Welch, has actually stepped up for these drivers in order that all the follow, work, and learning was not in useless as a result of they acquired to come back to the nationals.”

Istre and the others had been listed within the NTDC program as unbiased drivers, however he says though the corporate closed abruptly he’s pleased with his time with the service, and the drivers he competed in opposition to made him really feel exceptionally welcome.

“That is my seventh time at NTDC, and I’m at all times pleased with the corporate and what I do; the competitors, the friendships, it’s an amazing factor,” he stated. “There have been plenty of handshakes and pats on the again. It’s wonderful. It was simply good to get right here and see your mates. We’re very grateful to Mr. Welch for his contribution. He actually made this all attainable.”

What a journey it has been at #NTDC23 🏁 Day 3 introduced us competitions within the straight truck, sleeper, twins, and 5-axle teams. Keep tuned for the final spherical of competitions tomorrow and the announcement of this 12 months’s champions.

Thanks to our recap video sponsor @Netradyne. pic.twitter.com/cOE1qa7JbI

— American Trucking (@TRUCKINGdotORG) August 19, 2023

Istre has already gotten some excellent news about staying within the trucking business after NTDC. The day earlier than he left for Ohio, he obtained a job provide, and whereas it’s not driving the large, triple vans he’s navigated alongside the Rocky Mountain routes, he feels lucky and plans to simply accept the place delivering meals merchandise on a day by day shuttle between warehouses in Boise, Idaho, and Salt Lake Metropolis.

“It’s driving, and this will probably be a little bit of a transition. I’ve been driving doubles and triples for 30 years, however I can do that,” he stated, including he feels grateful to have the ability to compete at this stage and that he’s discovered a very good place. “Speaking to the 15 of us that acquired right here, I don’t know that it’s sunk in but for us. However we need to keep in contact with one another, and all be certain we’re OK.”

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