When driver and diesel mechanic Chase Haney entered his name into a contest for a free an Air-Weigh On-Board Scale at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) back in late March, he said he sent up a little prayer to win so he could give the scale to his dad, Andy Haney, who is a 30-year trucking veteran.
“When I won, I couldn’t believe it. The prayer worked,” Haney told The Trucker from his home in rural Mississippi.
The giveaway was a collaboration between Air-Weigh and The Trucker Media Group (TTMG). Those who entered the raffle were asked to complete an online survey about driver safety.
“One of the highlights of the year for Air-Weigh is attending MATS, which gives us the opportunity to interact with owner-operators and to get their perspective on trucking related topics that impact their business,” said Steven Dwight, vice president of sales and marketing for Air-Weigh.
“Owner-ops are independent thinkers, and an extremely important part of the supply chain,” he continued.
Dwight says his company attends MATS each year to gather candid and direct feedback about the Air-Weigh scale systems.
“I’ve asked my sales reps to document the unique use cases we hear about from our customer base, and it always comes down to time and money,” Dwight said.
“Additional loads, optimized loads, load-and-go without the need for an inground scale, no more overweight fines, and a load once and hit the road mindset,” he added. “We wanted to donate a scale at MATS so we can get one more driver outfitted with a tool they will benefit from. Next year we will add more scales to give away.’
Meg Larcinese, national sales manager for TTMG, says the group’s goal is to serve the trucking industry at all levels, from drivers to the executive suites.
“We know how vital drivers are to the nation’s — actually, the world’s — supply chain, and we want to make sure they have the news and information they need to succeed,” she said. “The Air-Weigh onboard scale is a great tool for owner-operators; they can constantly monitor their weight so there are no unpleasant surprises at the scales.”
Bobby Ralston, CEO of TTMG, echoed Larcinese’s sentiments regarding the vital role truck drivers play in the world’s supply chain.
“We are always happy to enter partnerships that will benefit the driver,” Ralston said. “They are truly the backbone of our nation’s economy, and we couldn’t get along without them. TTMG is here to make sure drivers have the news, information and support they need to function and stay safe on the road.”
Back in Mississippi, Chase Haney shared that attending MATS has always been a dream for his dad, a man who taught Haney everything he knows about the trucking business. This year, he decided to make it happen.
“I have my CDL, and I can drive them as well as fix them,” he said. “Dad has been trucking for more than 30 years. Trucking has been his life — and mine, too. We could never work it out to get to MATS, but this year, I was determined to get us there.”
Andy Haney, who is in a trucking partnership called CMC Transportation, based in Holly Springs, Mississippi, said he had been looking at Air-Weigh scales and was debating on when to buy one.
Now, he doesn’t have to, thanks to his son, Air-Weigh and TTMG.
“I was very surprised,” said Andy Haney. “I am planning on putting it to good use.”
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
