Each month NPTC President and CEO Gary Petty writes a column in Fleet Owner magazine that focuses on the individuals, companies, best practices, and resources that make private trucking the force that it is in the American economy. Reaching more than 100,000 subscribers, three-quarters of whom are private fleet professionals, this column provides an excellent forum to communicate the value of the private fleet.
Gary Petty | gpetty@nptc.org | Private Fleet Editor for FleetOwner Magazine
Gary Petty has more than 30 years of experience as CEO of national trade associations in the trucking industry. He has been the president and CEO of the National Private Truck Council since 2001.
Small Accident, Big Impact
Before patting itself on the back too hard for having one of the best safety years in company history, the…
Cargo Theft Wake-Up Call
What happens when one of the top private fleets in America has three straight cargo thefts in the span of…
The Truck’s in the Mail
Mail trucks rarely make headline news. Even fewer are the subjects of a police chase shown live on TV. However,…
The Little Store That Could
Eighty-one-year old Walter Hachborn shows up for work every day, still passionately committed to his dream. He is founder and…
Time to Speak Up
The countdown for Sept. 30, 2003 has begun. On this day, the historic Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century…
A History of NPTC
The National Private Truck Council traces its lineage back to l939, when a rift developed between the private fleet and…
The case for UCR
The American Trucking Assns. (ATA) and the National Private Truck Council (NPTC) are supporting legislation to change a nearly 40-yr.-old…
Behind the Wheel
Leading private fleet managers make driver appreciation a way of life year-round â not just during Driver Appreciation Week. They…
Earning Its Keep
Boise Cascade has one of the most successful private trucking operations in the country, earning it the No.-64 ranking among…
A 30-Year Man
I asked Ed Nieuwenhuis, retiring vice president of logistics for Meijer Inc., Grand Rapids, MI, what advice he would give…
The Gold Standard
For over fifteen years, the National Private Truck Council has sponsored a Driver Hall of Fame program to recognize the…
Amber Waves of Grain
One of the most glorious vistas on a sunny summer day is the “amber waves of grain” that coat the…
Secure Enough?
Thousands of cargo containers from overseas vessels are off-loaded at U.S. docks every day. Most of the contents are then…
Sleeping On Empty
Driver fatigue is emerging as a new frontier in risk management. We must recognize that drivers’ on-duty hours-of-service reports paint…
Saluting a Unique Fleet
This month marks the 50th Anniversary of Marvin Schwan’s dream. In the early 1950s, Schwan and his parents operated a…
NPTC’s Fleet Career Center
The challenge of finding and keeping good, long-term employees will only grow more difficult in the years ahead, notwithstanding the…
Fleets Deliver Second Harvest
Donated shipping services of private trucking fleets and for-hire truckers play a big role in reducing hunger in America. The…
Alive and Well
Private fleets are alive and well! That’s the overall conclusion one can reach from a recent Heavy Duty Private Fleet…
Start Drilling
A major energy crisis looms large over our nation’s future. Rolling blackouts and steeply spiked gasoline prices earlier this year…
Keep Mexico In Mind
Imagine doing $500,000 of business every 60 seconds. Half a million dollars a minute. That’s the amount of trade between…