In his first encounter with Devine Intermodal 20 years ago, Bennie Gamble didn’t know what “intermodal” means.

“I’ve never heard that word,” he told then-company president Dick Coyle. “I have a degree in logistics, and I’ve never heard that word.”

But he climbed aboard and figured it out, something he’s done again and again since graduating from high school – barely graduating, he says. He took 17 years to complete college while working a series of full-time jobs. Each was a rung on the career ladder, and each required figuring out how to do something he’d never done.

Now, as Devine Intermodal’s Nevada vice president, Gamble advises young people that it’s okay to take on something they aren’t sure they can do, and feel the fear.

“Say yes now, and then figure it out.”

Devine Intermodal moves freight across modes of transportation. It serves the Port of Oakland with daily runs over Donner Pass. It’s engaged in domestic intermodal from the Sparks rail ramp, and has a strong presence in drayage. It has a full truckload division working with California’s food-producing sector up and down Interstate 5.

“We know how to be nimble,” said company president Karen Vellutini, who spent 15 years in ocean transportation before arriving at Devine. “This industry is never the same from one moment to the next.”

Business Built on Relationships

Devine nurtures long-term partnerships.

“We have customers that go back to the 1950s,” said Business Development Director Thomas Radcliff. “We are not by nature transactional. We’re very relationship driven. The recipe has worked for us for 101 years.”

Vellutini says Devine’s employees are a vital part of the customer’s the supply chain. Some clients have worked with the same service reps for a decade or more.

New relationships have played a role, too. One of Gamble’s early assignments was to steer the company into warehousing. The region was smaller, and decision makers were more accessible then.

“I ran around town and I found 20,000 square feet on Deming Way, and I inked a deal,” he said. “I’m freaking out because I‘ve got the company on the hook for a lease payment on an empty building,”

He scrambled to find someone – anyone – with something to store. Any building with a trailer parked outside became a prospect. He juggled short-term storage for customers with seasonal needs. Relationships developed, and finally people were calling him, looking for space. He hustled to accommodate them.

“That’s how I got this thing going, running around town, meeting people… I got a lot of deals done with a handshake. Nobody was asking me for a 15-page contract.”

Devine’s biggest-ever warehouse deal was accomplished with nothing but a promise: If we make one mistake, we’ll eat it.

It was a big, nerve-wracking promise, truly made with a handshake. The job marked Devine’s full-fledged entry into warehousing, but it was more than transporting and offloading. It was a complete revamp of the customer’s operation. Gamble worked around the clock to ensure there were no mistakes. He created simplified routing guides for their retail destinations.

“Toys R Us, Walmart, Target, Kohl’s… I think I lost a few years off my life doing that deal. I knew we could do it, but it was huge.”

The relationship game has changed. Newer, bigger players in the region have more layers of management, with less local authority.

“It’s more of a corporate environment,” Gamble said. “I don’t feel like I know everyone in town anymore.”

Seizing Opportunity

Devine started in Sacramento with a single truck, in 1923. The founding family ran the company until the 1980s. Today Devine has 75 drivers and a similar number of single-truck operators. There’s a support staff of 25 located here and in California.

Under current ownership the company was rebranded as “intermodal” to capture a surge of import-export business arising from containerization.

Containerization was “a game changer,” Vellutini says. China’s manufacturing sector spurred an explosion of imports. Food growers who’d been Devine’s core customers also found containerized shipping beneficial, offering protection from pilferage and damage.

Devine grew, acquiring other California companies, first in Manteca, then in Fresno. A truckload carrier serving roughly the same area was next. It complemented Devine’s hostling service.

Devine cemented its position in Reno and Sparks with the acquisition of Napz Drayage.

“We’d always served the Reno market from Sacramento,” Vellutini said. “But having a footprint here, where you say ’Here’s my Reno address.’ That made a huge difference.”

Each acquisition propelled the next phase of growth, she said.

Meanwhile, Devine’s trucks were spread across a patchwork of parking lots. Gamble’s days were eaten up driving from one facility to another. Often, he was out in the streets searching for more parking space.

“We were all over town,” Gamble said. “We penciled out what we were paying for all those separate locations.”

Devine had to consolidate. FedEx had moved to Mustang, leaving a 100,000 square-foot facility on Rock Blvd. The building offered space for a warehouse, with offices and room for a shop. Better still, a secure parking lot on 22 acres. But Devine wasn’t ready for such a large space.

The building on Rock sat empty for a long time. When the owner agreed to split the space, the moment was right. Half of the building was reconfigured for Devine. Pepsi took the other half.

Self-described transportation geek Vellutini recalls driving into the property for the first time.

“I said wow, that is a really beautiful parking lot.”

Industry Influence and the Future

Vellutini spent her early career in ocean transportation. It wasn’t the path she sought – it wasn’t even on her radar screen. But company was hiring and she was a recent college graduate who needed a job. It suited her after all, and she stayed 15 years, until one of her clients referred her to Devine Intermodal.

She’s grateful now for a good grasp of maritime operations. It’s helpful every day, she says.

Over two decades, Vellutini has filled a variety of roles at Devine, learning the business from every angle. (She notes that her only truck-driving experience took place inside the yard, not on the street.) Now, as Devine’s president, Vellutini sits on the Intermodal Carrier Conference of the American Trucking Associations. She gains regional perspective with the exposure to colleagues from all over the nation.

Gamble has spent 8 years on the board of the Nevada Trucking Association. Sitting with other transportation executives on the board stimulates his thinking, he says. This year he became NTA’s new board president.

“I listen quite a bit. When you’re isolated in your own little world, you’re not exposed to the things that are happening within the industry.”

Both appreciate the chance to influence legislation, Gamble at the upcoming state legislative session and Vellutini at the federal level.

The industry anticipates some relief next year from the tight grip of the Biden climate agenda, they said.

“There’s so much talk — the new EPA, and how they’re going to relate to CARB,” Vellutini said. “I do feel there’s going to be a lot of change from the environmental perspective.

“The looming thing is, what will happen with tariffs? Are they posturing or will they really do it?  How is that going to impact the import market?”

The Devine team – and the industry at large – is also concerned about the Trump administration’s position on labor. Specifically independent contracting.

“It’s hard to say what the next two years will look like, because there’s so much in flux right now. At this point all we can do is watch and prepare as well as we can. And try to have a dual-pronged approach to whatever’s coming our way.”

For Nevadans who want a more restrained state government, there’s good news coming out of the 2024 election. The business sector can take heart with a legislative headcount that boosts Gov. Joe Lombardo’s leverage against bad bills. On the federal level, some of President Biden’s most damaging actions are likely to be reversed.

Our business community kept a nervous watch on legislative races this fall, knowing the governor’s vetoes from the 2023 session would hang in the balance. Lombardo was the backstop against two very determined Democrat-controlled houses last session, issuing 75 vetoes.

This election saw Assembly Republicans pick up a single seat, to bust the other side’s two-thirds majority. One additional seat has squelched the Democrats’ ability to unilaterally pass taxes, assuming Republicans will vote as a block. But GOP seats are still a 15-27 minority.

The head count for Senate Republicans held, but they remain outnumbered 13-8.

Critically, Nevada voters killed Ballot Question 3, the Ranked Choice Voting initiative. Question 3 had passed in the previous election. A second win would have enshrined it in the state’s constitution, making elections endlessly complicated.

Ballot Question 7 passed, requiring voter ID. This reflects public polling on the subject, and reflects public understanding that showing identification to vote is a perfectly reasonable requirement.

Nevada elected Donald Trump for president, but we are nonetheless a purple state. On the election map, our two largest counties are blue. Democrats voting in the presidential race outnumbered Republicans by 30,000 in Clark County; by 2,600 in Washoe County.

The populous blue counties ensured victory for Nevada’s congressional Democrats. Congressman Mark Amodei as the lone Republican held his seat while the five Democrats remain in place.

Trucking and manufacturing are watching Trump’s prospective appointees.

At EPA, the appointee is Lee Zeldin, a New York Republican. The industries are counting on Trump to revoke California’s legal status as its own regulatory nation-state. Zeldin will be at the forefront of the ensuing battle. It’s already brewing in the Golden State. Business will have to watch and wait while court challenges play out.

Trump has appointed former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy to lead the Transportation Department. The head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will report to Duffy, if he’s confirmed.

Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright is an exceptional appointee for Secretary of Energy. If confirmed, he’ll bring to the job a real understanding of “all of the above” energy policy. This is a number-one priority for manufacturing.

Trump has chosen North Dakota Governor (and early Trump primary challenger) to lead the Department of the Interior. Bergum will also be in charge of a new entity, the National Energy Council, envisioned to promote U.S. energy dominance.

Trucking will keep a close eye on the nomination of Lori Chavez-Deremer to the Department of Labor. She has been aligned with some union positions, notably the fight against independent contracting. She’s one of three Republicans who was in favor of the PRO Act, which makes it easier to organize, and deprives employees of choice by omitting their chance to vote.

The gap between election day and inauguration day creates some uncertainty. A longshoreman’s strike that threatened holiday shipping was postponed, but it may reignite as Trump takes office in January

A central issue is the incorporation of automation into the work at the ports.

Tariff talk has created more uncertainty across all sectors. There are potentially beneficial effects, and a potential downside. Tariff debates are raging, even before the Trump administration has stepped into office, and will continue as plans firm up.

NTA continually seeks out new partners with affordable benefits for our members. Check out these services, products, and training opportunities. Identify yourself as an NTA member to receive the negotiated prices and discounts!

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE
ProGroup Inc. administers the Nevada Transportation Self-Insured Group for NTA. Join this group for cost savings, technical assistance and training in all areas of employee health and safety.

Contact Michelle Ferrise at ProGroup – michelleferrise@pgmnv.com – 702-805-5122

TRAINING/SEMINARS
Scopelitis Transportation Consulting (STC) is a specialized consulting and advisory business that serves the evolving safety, regulatory, compliance and business needs of the transportation industry. STC has a series of webinars focused on DOT regulatory compliance. These trainings are geared to fleet / operations managers and safety / compliance professionals. Upcoming seminars include:

• Accident Response, Crash Preventability Determinations & DataQs – January 21, 2025
• Role of FMCSA and the States in Regulatory Compliance – February 25, 2025
• Driver Qualification and Drug & Alcohol Testing – March 25, 2025
• Hours of Service and On-Road Compliance – April 22, 2025

Click here to learn more and to sign up for this series.

Front Range Compliance Services (FRCS) is a proven and trusted DOT compliance program manager. FRCS is a 50-state specialist in all things DOT. They offer a variety of services, including DOT Compliance Training, internal mock “audits”, file management, DOT Compliance Audit Preparation & Representation, MVR Services and Drug/Alcohol testing programs. FRCS is a full-service safety & consulting company. Training Programs currently include free informational videos and on-demand webinars via www.DOTUniversity.com. NTA has scheduled 2 initial ZOOM classes for the first half of 2025:

• Reasonable Suspicion Training (required for all motor carriers) – February 11th
• Periodic Vehicle Inspection & Qualifications – June 3rd

Go to www.frontrangecompliance.com for more information.

DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING
TSC Testing was founded for the Transportation Industry. They service all states and have thousands of collection sites to serve their clients. Through the NTA program, you receive discounted pricing on consortium fees, employee drug testing and more. Contact Levi Ochotorena, lochotorena@tsctesting.com, 916-345-5022

LEGAL ASSISTANCE
Driver’s Legal Plan is an actual national law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of truck drivers, and the interests of trucking companies. This program offers subscription-based legal assistance for drivers to correct CSA data, manage citations and if necessary, assist with crashes.

Contact Tina Hopkins, tina@driverslegalplan.com, 405-724-4219.

BUSINESS SERVICES – FREE REVIEWS
Schooley Mitchell is the largest independent cost reduction consulting firm in North America. On average, they reduce essential business service expenses by 28% and most do not require changing vendors. Services include credit card processing, ELDs, telecommunications, uniforms and more.

Contact Rodney Wead, Rodney.wead@schooleymitchell.com, 317-588-9325.

TIRES
Goodyear Tires. NTA Members receive discount pricing on all your Goodyear tires, as well as any related incentives and rebates. Available at Goodyear Tire Dealers.

Contact your local Goodyear dealer or call Roland Corona, roland_corona@goodyear.com, 209-576-6064

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE – FREE PHONE SUPPORT
Ironwood Business Consulting is a leading national compliance consulting firm. NTA members receive free telephone support for questions on DOT / OSHA / HR and more. You can also receive discounted rates on in-depth consulting for training, crisis management, crash assistance and other areas.

Contact Tammy Bailey, tammy@ironwoodbc.com, 936-537-0638.

SAFETY REPORTS / MOMENTUM DASHBOARDS – FREE
Momentum Dashboard / Bluewire Severity Reports. NTA provides these reports free-of-charge to our members. The reports include safety performance tracking and detailed data from the CSA program and other sources.

Contact Patti Gillette, patti@nevadatrucking.com, 720-560-3957

BUYERS’ GUIDE
Strategic Value Media has once again produced NTA’s online Buyer’s Guide. This guide offers our members a quick link to vendors across dozens of categories from financial services to truck parts and insurance.

Check out the guide at www.nvtruckingbuyersguide.com

We were dismayed last summer when the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) announced the Clean Truck Partnership, a voluntary agreement with the California Air Resources Board. And yet, we understood the painful position that led to the engine makers’ agreement. They were seeking what we all want – relief from pressure to comply with unreasonable rules.

CARB agreed to more time for the manufacturers to meet emissions requirements, and it pulled back its stricter standards,to the match EPA’s. In return, EMA pledged ongoing compliance, even if court challenges to the CARB rules eventually let them off the hook. No turning back, in other words. The vow is til-death-do-us-part.

The fallout from the CTP is enormous. First, this partnership has rattled fault lines inside an industry that needs to stand together. Not everyone was on board.

And we know for sure that CARB has no concern for economic impact to the trucking industry. We’ve recently confirmed that it would cost a trillion dollars for the industry to convert from diesel to battery electric, at least on CARB’s fanciful timetable. Our own board member Paul Truman of Truline Corporation did the math for his fleet conversion, and concluded that “it’s really an unachievable task.”

How about the coercion in this pact? By inducing EMA members to declare themselves ineligible for due process, CARB ensures that its chokehold can supersede judicial authority.

So this is where we are.

Comes now the state of Nebraska. The Cornhusker State’s attorney general is an energetic warrior for trucking. Mike Hilgers sees – and he clearly articulates – the link between the CTP and its looming downstream effects.

Hilgers joined the NTA earlier this month for a member webinar, where he detailed current court battles over these matters with CARB and the Biden administration. But he says suing government will be pointless if the industry itself keeps the offending regulatory scheme in place.

That’s why he’s also suing EMA and its largest members. The anti-trust suit calls the CTP “nakedly anti-competitive.” It accuses EMA, along with Daimler, International, Paccar and Volvo, of collusion. It says the companies are conspiring with CARB to eliminate internal combustion engines, which will harm Nebraska’s truck market and its consumers.

“Defendants are competitors who dominate the market for Class 8 ICE vehicles both nationwide and in Nebraska. Their illegal horizontal conspiracy, enshrined in the CTP agreement, will injure the market for Class 8 ICE vehicles by reducing output, eliminating choice, and raising prices for these.”

Nebraska takes this on, Hilgers said, because the state can pursue the case for as long as it takes to win.

“I think it’s so important because fighting regulators is a dangerous game for private entities,” he told us last week. “Because if you punch them with the right hand, there is very real concern that they will punch you back with their right. And not in the (court) case, but in some other means.

“And so a lot of companies… even if they have the resources to hire the lawyers and slog this out, make very rational economic business decisions. They say ‘I cannot afford to take on my regulator.’”

We’ll be watching from the front row.

We’ve long complained that lawmakers keep their hands clean by making regulators do the dirty work. Now it seems, the regulators are making the industries into the bad guys. This is the fallout from aspirational and myopic lawmaking.

The marketplace noticed that green vehicle regulation is expensive. Suddenly, automakers reported EV gluts on their lots. The trucking industry calculated the real cost of a mandatory transition from diesel to battery electric. The Nevada Trucking Association is proud to have offered a forum this year for frank discussion on the topic.

We celebrated an alliance between trucking and the manufacturers. “Makers and Movers” are poised to build a broader business alliance. We have a lot of people who see value in sitting around the table, talking to each other about trends and growth and opportunities, says Interim President Jay Parmer.

NTA continued its bare knuckle campaign against lawsuit abuse. We’ve now trained hundreds of trucking and insurance executives in The Mongoose Method, preparing them for deposition by trial lawyers. Mongoose Method graduates are up to the challenge, but we – and they – hope that day never comes.

In that vein, we’re firmly behind a ballot measure for 2026. The Nevadans for Fair Recovery Act will put a cap on legal fees. The measure takes aim at “billboard lawyers” who target industries like trucking for inflated jury awards.

We’ve redoubled our focus on safety. NTA spent the year revitalizing our safety programs. We beefed up the trainings and put new energy into the safety awards. See the 2024 award winners here. Nominations for the 2025 safety awards are due March 8. More 2025 safety events here.

NTA rocked Las Vegas with the 2024 Nevada Truck Driving Championships on April 6th.

We were sad to learn just before Thanksgiving that veteran driver Scott Bunn has died. He drove a truck for 33 years, last doing regular runs between Sparks and Carlin for Reddaway.

Scott was our 2015 Driver of the Year. He was honored that same year by then-governor Brian Sandoval, who proclaimed November 30th to be “Scott Bunn 3 Million Mile Safe Driver Day.”

By 2018 Scott had logged more than 3.4 million miles. He was forced off the road by illness, and waged a long, uphill battle with a rare cancer. He described that difficult journey with optimism and good humor when we profiled him twice for this publication.

Scott was a role model, and an avid promoter of best practices. He was a respected mentor to younger drivers.

“I’ve taught literally hundreds of guys how to drive a truck,” Scott said when we interviewed him. He was especially proud when two of those proteges went to the national competition.

In recent years he bought a 1970 stepside pickup, which he rehabbed inside and out.

Scott was born to Bud and Connie Bunn in Ely, Nev. He learned to back up a trailer when he was 12. From that day, he told us in 2018, he never wanted to do anything but drive a truck. Before he was old enough to qualify for a commercial driver’s license, Scott was driving trucks in oil fields and on mining properties, doing jobs that kept him off the public roads.

Our condolences to Debra, his wife of 41 years, and to everyone who knew and loved Scott Bunn.

January 6, 2025
Nominations Open for Driver, Fleet, and Safety Awards

January 14, 2025
NTA Safety Council Meeting – Reno & ZOOM

February 11, 2025
Reasonable Suspicion Seminar via ZOOM

March 3, 2025
Award Nominations DUE

March 10-14, 2025
Certified Director of Safety course – Las Vegas

April 2025 – TBD
Safety Award Luncheons – Reno & Las Vegas

May 3, 2025
NV Truck Driving Championships – Reno

May 8, 2025
NTA Legislative Day – Carson City

June 3, 2025
Periodic Inspection Procedures & Qualifications Seminar via ZOOM

June 11, 2025
Safety Symposium & Lunch – Las Vegas

April 23-25, 2025 // ATA Safety, Security & Human Resources Conference
April 27 – May 1, 2025 // CVSA Workshop – New Orleans, LA
May 13-15, 2025 // International Roadcheck
July 13-19, 2025 // Operation Safe Driver
August 20-23, 2025 // National Truck Driving Championships – Minneapolis, MN
August 24-30, 2025 // Brake Safety Week
September 14-20, 2025 // National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
September 21-27, 2025 // National Technician Appreciation Week

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