ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
THE BRIDGE IN THIS ISSUE: Halloween Fun at TB | Thank You, Puerto Rico Drivers! | Q3 Customer Service Excellence | Aimee Taule Celebrates 20 Years at Trailer Bridge
HALLOWEEN F U N AT T B 2023
SU JA
There was all smiles and no scares when TB team members brought the kiddos to the office for trick or treating fun! A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HALLOWEEN CONTEST WINNERS!
AWARDS
EMPLOYEE SERVICES JACKSONVILLE
Individual Costume: Amanda Richtkerkraft Group Costume: Logistics Accounting Desk Decorating: Dency Montalvo LOGISTICS ACCOUNTING JACKSONVILLE
CHICAGO BRANCH
METRO DIVISION PUERTO RICO
CA PU
UPPORT SERVICES ACKSONVILLE
ACCOUNT MANAGMENT TEAM JACKSONVILLE
AR DIVISION UERTO RICO
EQIPMENT CONTROL PUERTO RICO
THANK YOU
PUERTO RICO DRIVERS
Trailer Bridge was founded on serving the community of Puerto Rico with weekly barge services delivering the goods they need most, which we could not do without the island’s drivers. While the drivers in PR are not employed by Trailer Bridge like our stateside owner-operators, they play an equally important role in completing the supply chain. To celebrate their hard work to keep the supply chain running smoothly and their dedication to their customers, Trailer Bridge recently held a celebration at the company’s San Juan terminal. Drivers were greeted with goody bags, live music, and enticing smells from food on the grill. There were even a few surprise guests that flew in from Corporate for the occasion.
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PR TEAM MEMBERS WHO HELPED MAKE THIS OCCASION SO SPECIAL!
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ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
Q3
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE Please join us in celebrating these Trailer Bridge team members who were recognized in Q3’s customer service responses for embodying our TB12 core value of ‘Deliver Exceptional Service to Everyone.’ Keep up the incredible work! Here are some of the Q3 Customer Survey Response Highlights:
“Sending container loads with Trailer Bridge has been excellent. Even though they have hundreds of clients, they make you feel like you are the only one and work to resolve your problems. Justin Marques is the best! always on hand and willing to help with any problem that may occur. Lynette Delgado is always aware of her customers and treats us like gold.”
“Denigh Elizabeth is always the person I go to when needing services from TB. She provides great customer service from start to finish. She responds in a timely manner and always provides booking information as soon as it is available to her. Logistics can sometimes be a nightmare to deal with, but having someone like Denigh who is dedicated to getting the job done quickly makes the job a little easier.”
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It was my first time doing this type of shipping arrangements. They walked me through the process and they were always available to answer all the questions that I had. The process was flawless. This is the first shipment of many that I am planning to do in the near future. They are number one for price and service. Thanks to Jose Montalvo, Adela, Denigh, and Ann Phelps for the support and the great service!
“Jacob McKee is a pleasure to work with and is a great point of contact”
“Rebecca Fagan and Juan Diaz are always very helpful. They respond to emails quickly, keep me posted if there are issues and are very pleasant to work with. Thanks for all you do!”
“I have been working with Crystal Rios for the last 4 years. I don’t recall ever having any issues that she was not able to handle in a satisfactory manner. Crystal is a problem solver, has a friendly attitude
and is very professional when it comes to customer service. Crystal, thank you for helping Florida Trading with your consistent, fantastic customer service.”
“Totally satisfactory. I received personalized assistance which was of the highest quality from Carolina Abreu.”
“Crystal de Leon and Miguel Reyes are exceptional, great, always have a good experience with them.”
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
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AIMEE TAULE CELEBRATES
20 YEARS A T
T R A I L E R
B R I D G E
At the beginning of October, Equipment Control Coordinator Aimee Taule celebrated two decades working at Trailer Bridge. Aimee is part of our terminal team in San Juan and she is instrumental in making sure the goods from our weekly barge sailings get to our customers in Puerto Rico.
Q: Why have you chosen to stay with Trailer Bridge for 20 years?
As part of celebrating this milestone, we asked Aimee to reflect on her last 20 years with the company.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud while being at Trailer Bridge?
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job at Trailer Bridge? For me, it is the healthy work-life balance that I have. I love my family and being with them. But it is a reality that everyone must work to have a nice life, good education for the kids, and a home in a safe place. I enjoy having time on vacation with my family and knowing that we have the time to do it because Trailer Bridge allows me to enjoy a good balance in my personal and professional life. And outside of work, I enjoy having time to spend on other things such as caring for myself and my family and spending every weekend on our hobbies.
I am a very loyal person and I have seen myself grow in the company. So why make a move from a place where I feel secure and have positive work relationships with my coworkers?
I am so proud that the company has given me the opportunity to be part of the leadership program, to give me the experience and instruments to learn, and to see the potential in me. Q: What advice do you have for someone who is just joining Trailer Bridge? Be yourself always, be sincere, assume your error, always look for ways to do better and be kind.
Please join us in congratulating Aimee on this incredible accomplishment!
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
^ ^ {CAT DAY} H A P P Y N AT I O N A L
Talk about a PURRFECT HOLIDAY! Check out these photos that team members around TB nation sent in of their favorite feline friends.
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ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
LETS TALK LOGISTICS Mitch Luciano and Eric Masotti Interviewed in Recent Media Coverage
Trailer Bridge’s President of Logistics, Eric Masotti, recently joined Trey Griggs as a special guest on Episode 179 of the Word on the Street podcast. The primary topic of the episode was technology in the industry and the noteworthy closing of the digital broker, Convoy, that was announced mid-October. Despite Convoy’s initial success and innovative technology that streamlined the process of booking freight without a human intermediary, the company eventually had to close its doors after running out of money. In response, Eric emphasized the importance of keeping people as part of the logistics process, even as technological capabilities advance: “I think the secret to the business is to combine that technology with relationships.” In late October, Eric provided similar commentary on Convoy in an article about a possible freight recession by Supply and Demand Chain Executive:
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“Unfortunately, it underestimated the importance of people. I firmly believe the secret to being successful in this business is to combine a dedication to building relationships with technology that bring efficiencies to your partners.” Recently, Mitch Luciano was the featured guest on Episode 6 of Andrew Silver and Paul Estrada’s podcast, The Freight Pod. In this episode, Mitch covers everything from his start in the logistics industry, the importance of company transparency, and his genuine people-first approach when it comes to running a successful company. When asked how his mentality of transparency and wearing his heart on his sleeve has benefitted him as a leader, Mitch said: “It has benefitted me immensely. Showing that to people, I think it’s created my career…You can’t give me any successful business that doesn’t have love inside of it.”
INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION SHIPPING GUIDE Intermodal is the movement of freight in containers or trailers over two or more modes of transportation such as air, rail, truck, and ship. If you’re curious about intermodal or want to learn more about this solution that Trailer Bridge offers, this blog is for you! In our newest in-depth guide, we share all the basics you need to know about intermodal including how it operates, tips to choose the best provider, business benefits, and more. Read the full blog here.
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
NEW CUSTOMER
LEADERBOARD It’s the end of the third quarter and the anticipation is mounting as there is only one quarter of 2023 left to reel in new customers. It’s a good thing our team doesn’t back down from a challenge. Take a look at Q3s spotlight to see who is making moves with their first new customers and who is at the top of our New Customer Leaderboard.
CONGRATULATIONS! These 12 rockstars landed their FIRST-EVER customer here at TB! As President of Logistics Eric Masotti says, “You only have one 1st!”
BRYAN DAVIS DALLAS
LOGAN LEWIS NASHVILLE
REBECCA FAGAN
CONNOR LEACH KANSAS CITY
PATRICK CIOFFI NASHVILLE
AARON GREEN JACKSONVILLE
CHICAGO
CURTIS MARTIN RALEIGH
PHILIP CROS
JEREMY KOHN ATLANTA
STEPHANIE ROSALES
RALEIGH
HOUSTON
T H E F R I E N D LY
COMPETITION CONTINUES who will end 2023 at the top of the New Customer Leaderboard? Here are the current rankings at the end of Q3.
Edward Bevilacqua
12
Andre Santos
9
Clay Poole
5
Juan Diaz
10
Luis Ramirez
8
Gerardo Martinez
5
Kyle Jones
10
Roberto Trevino
8
Daniel Daragjati
4
Kyle Olsen
10
Andrew Stivers
7
Jake Langlios
4
Sebastian Auerbach
6
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CARRIER CONTEST Trailer Bridge’s logistics division began a carrier contest this month to encourage the growth of our new carrier relations efforts. These are the current categories being tracked in the contest:
Repeat Carriers Pre Booked % Capacity Touches Margin % Booked Loads Each week, a first and second place winner are chosen based on performance. Coming in 2024, the competition will extend to be between
branches as well, with a belt traveling between the winning locations. Carrier Relationship Manager Mike Davis provided these numbers showing the success of the competition initiative so far: Currently assigned carriers have a 1.2% higher margin percentage than unassigned carriers Assigned carriers are prebooked 18.5% more than unassigned carriers Average pre-booked hours has gone up from 16.6 to 20.6 hours Great job to all who are working hard to improve Trailer Bridge’s relationships with its carriers!
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
SHOWING APPRECIATION WITH
TB BUCKS
Trailer Bridge’s Employee Recognition program, TB Bucks, had another full month of team members recognizing their peers for going above and beyond demonstrating our TB12 values. Check out this month’s recipients and what their peers had to say about them: Brian Mullins: “Anytime during operations or dayto-day terminal ops, whenever we need a mechanic to jump in on a problem he is there like Superman. He will take the time to figure out problems with cars and NITs to get them running so we can get them loaded on the barge.”
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Anthony Hill: “Going above and beyond and being a great team player.” Jeremy Kohn: “Phenomenal work ethic, extremely motivated, and great attitude. Chase Smith: “He makes the work environment enjoyable and is always on top of his work, making the office run efficiently.” Nathan Alexander: “He always jumps to help when it is needed with no hesitation.”
Sales Tip of the Month:
LOGISTICS IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS A L E S S O N F R O M CO N VOY
In mid-October, digital freight broker convoy closed their doors due to lack of funds after a wildly successful beginning. What were they missing? Relationships. Convoy doubled down on their technology investments, enabling shippers to book and ship freight at unprecedented speed. But there was a problem. Digital brokering usually means there is no human interaction between the shipper and brokerage service. This lead to challenges like poor customer service when issues arose with accounts. Since relationships weren’t being built all along, Convoy didn’t truly know their customers. Trailer Bridge CEO Mitch Luciano reflected on the company’s failure by saying: “So we are all clear, at Trailer Bridge we DO NOT have a digital brokerage. The idea behind this business model says we can take the human element out of the business, have lower SG&A, and therefore need less margin % to be successful, and we do not believe in that model of success.” President of Logistics Eric Masotti also echoed this sentiment on a recent episode of Trey Griggs’ podcast Word On The Street: “The secret to the (logistics) business is to combine that technology with relationships.” Here’s the bottom line: Invest in continuously growing relationships with your customers and you will be rewarded with longevity in the industry.
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
W O M E N I N S U P P LY C H A I N
SELETHA CARTER NAMED
2023 RISING STAR IN LOGISTICS Trailer Bridge’s Director of Pricing in the company’s Ocean Division, Seleatha Carter, was named a 2023 Rising Star in Logistics by Jacksonville Business Journal. The Rising Stars program was launched this year and is meant to recognize those whose recent accomplishments signify that they are on the way up in their career. Winners of this award are chosen based on “past accomplishments, promise of future accomplishments, involvement in the community, and other attributes.” Seleatha certainly fits the bill for all the above. She has been in the logistics and transportation industry for nearly 20 years. And since joining Trailer Bridge in 2015, Seleatha has gone from the role of Pricing Analyst to the Director of Pricing. With her upward momentum, there is no telling where she might go next. Make sure to give Seleatha a big congratulations next time you see her!
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Trailer Bridge Participates in the Kate Kombo Trailer Bridge loves some friendly competition in the name of a good cause. Recently, members of TB participated in the Kate Kombo, a pickleball and golf tournament fundraiser organized by the Kate Amato Foundation. All funds raised from the event will go towards supporting the advancement of childhood cancer research. Both of TB’s pickleball teams placed – congratulations to Eric Masotti, Austin Tagner, Andrew Stivers and Jacob McKee.
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
WHITNEY CROXTON ATTENDS TMSA EXECUTIVE SUMMIT
Whitney Croxton recently attended The Transportation Marketing and Sales Association Executive Summit, held October 12th in Chicago. At this event, she networked with leaders in transportation and logistics and learned the latest trends in marketing for the industry. Below, she is seen catching up with Scott Corbett from Mastery Logistics Systems. One of her favorite sessions, was the Fireside Chat with Jennifer Kobus, Vice President of Transportation and Logistics at Ulta Beauty. Jennifer shared tips for sales and marketing professionals about approaching shippers like Ulta as well as career advice around juggling it all. While in the Windy City for her TMSA conference, Whitney spent some quality time with the team members (and their seasonally spooky friend) at Trailer Bridge’s Chicago logistics branch.
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Making Halloween Happen at the Dreams Come True Trunk or Treat There were no tricks and all treats at this year’s Dreams Come True Trunk or Treat, hosted by Dreams Come True of Jacksonville. At this event, volunteers decorate their trunks and hand out goodies to provide a fun and accessible way for children with life-threatening diseases to participate in Halloween. Shout out to TBGives for organizing and participating in this event!
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
Growing Connections at the Global Produce & Floral Show Trailer Bridge team members from across TB Nation recently attended the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral show in Anaheim, CA. The team used this opportunity to share TB’s suite of produce transportation solutions with new prospects and tell them how we can personalize their supply chain.
Supporting Local Athletes at the BKS Partner Corporate Run 5k Participants from Trailer Bridge recently joined BKS for the BKS Partners Corporate Run 5k. This event is part of BKS’ initiative to “celebrate workplace fitness, promote company spirit, and celebrate health and wellness in the Jacksonville business community.” The run also benefits the community of Jacksonville, FL through giving back to local high school track and cross-country teams and helping fund a local running trail. PAGE 24
Touring the Trailer Bridge RoRo Every TB employee remembers their first time on the RoRo! These TB team members recently had their own unforgettable experience exploring TB’s RoRo at the Blount Island terminal at JAXPORT. A big thank you to Jimmy Raulerson for hosting these tours.
Congratulations to David Vasquez and his bride Rachel They got married October 14th, 2023. We wish all the best for the happy couple and their future together!
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
Trailer Bridge Hosts Health Fair There is nothing scarier than bad health, so it was only fitting that Trailer Bridge held their annual Health Fair the week before Halloween. During the event, team members at the Jacksonville Corporate office were treated to a whole host of health-conscious activities such as biometric health screenings, a health-conscious food truck, wall Pilates, a speed walking race, and the opportunity to win wellness prizes. Thank you to all who participated in this year’s fitness festivities!
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Industry Networking at The TALON Forum Whitney Croxton, Becky Simon, and Jasmine James recently attended the TALON (Transportation and Logistics Organization Network) Forum in Jacksonville. The subject of this year’s forum was Jacksonville: America’s Logistics Center. The ladies took this opportunity to network and learn more about the logistics industry in Northeast Florida.
Propeller Club Luncheon Chris Goss, Chad Yarbrough, James Cox, Zach Monger, and Whitney Croxton attended the Propeller Club Port of Jacksonville Executive Spotlight Luncheon at the end of October. At the event. Charles Diorio, Vice President GHC Operations at American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier ARC shared his experience and insight as a leader in the logistics industry.
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
Inspiring High School Athletes Employee Engagement and Training Specialist Becky Simon was recently invited by Home Team Student Services to speak to soccer players at Riverside High School. She shared her personal story of obtaining scholarships and successfully playing collegiately through her undergrad degree. Her top tips for the students were to leverage their network of coaches and guidance counselors, hard work will always pay off, and never give up on their dreams.
COMING SOON!
OPEN ENROLLMENT For all employees planning to use the Trailer Bridge health insurance benefit in 2024, open enrollment this year goes from November 15th to November 27th. It is very important that you enroll during this period, as you will not be able to be added once the deadline has passed. More details on the 2024 health plan options will be coming soon. If you have any questions, please email Benefits Specialist Becca Sutton at rsutton@trailerbridge.com.
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OCTOBER OUTBREAK CHALLENGE
RESULTS
To all our survivors: congratulations on outrunning the horde and protecting your precious candy stash. But only one team can emerge the winner of the Great Candy Caper. The team that came out on top with the most steps during this year’s Walktober challenge is The No Brainers. No matter where your team fell in the rankings, you all killed it! The total steps of all TB team members who participated in the challenge was 11,254,675 step (5,627 miles). We hope you had a spooktacular time participating in this year’s challenge!
Here are the final team rankings, from highest to lowest total team step count and VP points: 1ST THE NO BRAINERS: 322,184 STEPS, 73 VP POINTS 2ND BONE DADDIES: 229,302 STEPS, 33 VP POINTS 3RD DEAD-I-CATED MOVERS: 224,202 STEPS, 32 VP POINTS 4TH FREIGHT WALKERS: 229,134 STEPS, 29 VP POINTS 5TH CARNIVAL CORPSES: 191,474 STEPS, 22 VP POINTS 6TH CONTAINER CRAWLERS: 176, 483 STEPS, 22 VP POINTS 7TH SMASHING PUMPKINS: 174,777, 21 VP POINTS A big congrats to the top stepper in TB Nation, James Cox, with 507,682 steps (253.8 miles)!
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
QUARTERLY
AWARDS
Congratulations to all TB team members who were recognized as this quarter’s award winners!
Q U A R T E R LY E X C E L L E N C E A W A R D S
BECCA SIMPSON
JENNY LEWIS
DAN SHERIDAN
ANTHONY HILL
Customer Service Excellence
Customer Service Excellence
Operational Excellence
Safety Excellence
BECCA SIMPSON
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TERRY MICKEY
Welcome New Employees
LEAH NOWAK Controller Jacksonville
NICOLE BONNER
CHAD POTTS
Accounts Receivable Coordinator Jacksonville
FP & A Director Jacksonville
SARIAH FELIX
SIDNEY KLIMKO
MARCELLIS JEWETT
Logistics Sales and Operations Houston
Logistics Sales and Operations Dallas
Logistics Sales and Operations Kansas City
RAQUEL ILLINGWORTH
DANIELLE JACKSON
Logistics Sales and Operations Jacksonville
Logistics Sales and Operations Atlanta
JAKE HOFFMAN Logistics Sales and Operations Kansas City
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
PROMOTIONS & CHANGES
PAUL SINCHUK
RONALD LEWIS
SAMANTHA GURLIACCIO
Director of Information Technology Jacksonville
Senior Director, FP & A Jacksonville
AP Lead, Logistics Accounting Jacksonville
The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. – Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos
Schedule B Number:
A Schedule B number (also known as a Schedule B code) is a 10-digit U.S.-specific code used by the Unites States Census Bureau to classify items being exported from the country.
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November 2023 SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Click the committee logo to view upcoming events! 5
12
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National Nacho Day
Smart Meeting: Negotiations
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WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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8
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11 Veterans Day
15
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Open Enrollment Begins
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Open Enrollment Ends
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Thanksgiving
Black Friday
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2
Chia Pet Day
WORK ANNIVERSARIES
UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS
Charlie Sanchez
11 Years
Roberto Trevino
4 Years
2
Trey Oliver
16
Jeff Vaughn
11 Years
Juan Diaz
2 Years
3
Tom Mayfield
17
Jamie McLennan
Steven Lee
11 Years
Kevin Varnell
2 Years
4
Terry Mickey
18
Patrick Cioffi
Mitch Luciano
11 Years
Jazmon Baker
1 Year
4
Brian Mullins
21
Greg Kleffner
Trevor Bearup
11 Years
Clay Poole
1 Year
4
Ryan Giblin
22
Kevin Turner
Michael Preamble
7 Years
Kayleigh Parker
1 Year
8
Inga Hysaj
23
Raul Rosado
Tony Kvasnicka
6 Years
Diana Mejia
1 Year
10
Wesley Purcell
23
Chase Smith
Bailey Ellington
5 Years
Joe Hardy
1 Year
11
Jasmine James
24
Becca Simpson
Tracy Rigney
4 Years
Blake Hornbrook
1 Year
11
Jeff Vaughn
24
Robert Flockerzi
11
Ruben Montero
25
Jacob Wegrzyn
13
Carissa Latorre
29
Miguel Sanchez
14
Karelis Cardona
James Cox
ISSUE 49 NOVEMBER 2023
DRIVER OF THE YEAR
LUIS ANTONIO Here is what the Truck Ops and Safety team had to say about TB’s Driver of the Month: “Luis Antonio is a very reliable driver that we are lucky to have as part of our team. He is always smiling and making jokes with the dispatch team. He is on time and strives to do his best when it comes to delivering our loads and keeping our customers pleased. We want to recognize him as Driver of the Month because of the passion he has to show up and do a great job. He has been with us for many years and like many other drivers, we have had the pleasure to know him at a personal level.”
DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW TRAILER BRIDGE!
WHAT DO YOU THINK? The Marketing Team wants your feedback, suggestions or stories for next month’s Bridge Please send to @Group–Marketing
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PIC OF THE MONTH There is a lot of visual talent at TB, and we want to showcase your skills! We would like to feature a TB “Pic of the Month” submitted by a TB rockstar. Please send to @Group–Marketing