This has been a challenging year for most of us involved with Admiral Merchants. Most of those challenges are faced by everyone else in the trucking business. While the number of trucks on the road has not increased materially, demand for our services is down and consequently rates across the board are down. While fuel costs are down, the fuel surcharge which helps our contractors with the cost of their business is down even more.

Total line haul revenue, the primary measure of our success, is down. You cant sugar coat that. However, all of us who have been involved

in trucking for any length of time know that it is an industry beset with ups and downs. Our Senior Vice President for Sales Walt Site keeps his own charts measuring our progress. His hand-prepared, hand-colored graphs are legendary with the management team at Admiral. While Walt uses most of the computer applications we have here, he likes to keep the total line haul revenue chart by hand. Up and down, up and down, over the years, Walts chart has gone, hand drawn with colored pencils. This year, it is most decidedly down.

However, as we all know, the true test of an individual or of a company is how we respond to adversity. Admiral Merchants and all of our great contractors and agents are not simply sitting on our hands. All of us are working on trying to get one more load each day, trying to drive improvement. And we are starting to see some results. As I have mentioned to many people, I am especially gratified that our turnover rate the rate at which contractors leave Admiral Merchants is as low as its ever been. Those who know us best, our current contractors, know that Admiral Merchants is the best place for the contractors business. Second, we are recruiting and signing on contractors at a higher pace than we have ever done before. Congratulations to Mike Griffin, Director of Contractor Services, Wes Dyer, Recruiter, Kim Nelson and Bonnie Bley and all they work with for a job well done. However, this also reflects what we all know to be true: a lot of other carriers are not doing as well as we are. Their contractors are leaving for greener pastures. And for many, the pastures of Admiral are indeed greener.

Why is this? I think its because the primary focus of everyone at Admiral, the management team, our great staff, all of our contractors and agents, is Problem Solving. As almost every reader of this newsletter has heard me say many times, we are in the Service Business. Service is the value that we provide our shipper customers which they cannot get elsewhere. Anyone with a truck can move freight from point A to point B. Only a motor carrier committed to service can move it safely, on time, and in conformance with the needs of the shipper. Among the things that the management team does to support everyone at Admiral, including our great contractors and agents, is to travel to visit with them and to call on our shipper customers on their behalf. I was recently in the Fort Worth area with other members of the management team and sales team member Mary Alfano, calling on some of her customers. We called on one of our agents who serves a manufacturer of agricultural and lawn care products for both consumers and commercial users. Our agent who handles the account has provided great services with a core of Admiral contractors to that company

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OCTOBER 2015

PROBLEM SOLVING

FALL ISSUE

Ships LogIn This IssueProblem Solving 1-2

Admiral Merchants Website: Sign Up and Password Reset 2

Balancing Technology And Customer Service 3-5

Huge Fuel Discounts Help Admiral Contractors Bottom Line 5

In Memoriam 5

Updates From The Legalization Department 6

Suspending Insurance 6

Tendered Invoices And Freight Payment 7

Driver Testimonial 8

Vehicle Maintenance Goal Achieved 9

A New Voice At Admiral 9

Meet New Safety Director 10

Why Are Good Shippers Lost? 10

Changes In The Brokerage Department 11

Help With Quoting Over Dimensional/Overweight Permits 11

2015 Driver Appreciation BBQ 12

Snapshots From The 2015 Driver Appreciation BBQ 13-15

Office Visits 16

Pennys Lane 17-19

Photos From Agent Visits - Brian Short and Team 20-22

Digging Deeper And In New Ground 22-23

Safe Driving Awards: March 2015 Thru June 2015 24

Top Revenue Producing Agents 25

Top 20 Drivers By Equipment Type YTD 25

Problem Solving (cont from page 1)

Admiral Merchant Website: Sign-up & Password Reset

2

for years. Over the period of time she has provided those services, the shipper has gone through at least three traffic managers. Each of the traffic managers has learned quickly the value of the great service that agent and our contractors provide. When I was visiting with the current traffic manager, I was struck on how deeply grateful she was for the great service her company and its customers had received from the Admiral team over more than 25 years.

The gratitude of a customer is at least one of the ways you measure success. Business for our shipper is down and so the amount of business that we receive from that customer is down. However, we are still getting close to 100% of the shipments out of the Fort Worth facility. When that companys shipments pick up, so will our business. Why? Because the shipper recognizes the value their customers have received from us over the years.

We all have to remain committed to solving problems for our customers. We look at our line haul revenue which is down and are tempted to say, Oh, woe is me.

However, business for our customers is also down. We have to

continue to be there for them, continue to try to solve their problems, continue to offer words of encouragement. If we do, when business picks up for our customers, our business will also pick up. If our customers arent selling equipment, they arent shipping equipment. If theyre not shipping equipment, theyre not using Admiral Merchants Motor Freight. We need to see the general economy improve and then our business will, too. However, while waiting for that to happen, we have to continue to remind our shipper customers that we can solve their problems by delivering excellent service. If we do that, when the economy recovers, so will our business.

Thanks for all you do. Thanks to all of our contractors and agents for being Problem Solvers for our great shipper customers. Thanks to every member of the Admiral Merchants team in Minneapolis and the sales team on the road for being Problem Solvers for our agents and our contractors.

Brian P. ShortPresident and CEO

Admirals IT department is always looking for ways to provide convenient and trouble free usage of our tools and driver based applications.

With that in mind, we are happy to announce a new enhancement to the Admiral Web page; self-registration.

You can now create your own account to gain access to the Admiral website by answering some simple security questions unique to you. You no longer need to contact IT or Contractor Services when wanting to gain access to the load board or to have your password reset.

The following information is what you will need to get started using this enhancement.

Contractors need the following information: contractor number, tractor number and zip code

Agents need the following information: agent number, telephone number and zip code.

Click Create Login to create your login as a new contractor or agent.

Click Reset Password if you have forgotten your password.

Dishon SmootIT Specialist

Balancing Technology and Customer Service

3

Accounting CornerCompanies often struggle at trying new processes and procedures. Determining what impact these changes may have on their customers and employees can also be a struggle. At Admiral these changes are done to improve efficiency, improve the processing of settlements and invoicing, and get the contractors and agents paid faster.

You may recall years ago we provided envelopes for trip paperwork. This served us well for many years and the post office delivered us a lot of envelopes every day for processing with only an occasional lost envelope. Several years ago we introduced TripPak envelopes and putting trip envelopes in a box for UPS delivery to us on a daily basis. Again handling all the paper associated with a trip, bills of lading, delivery receipts, trip reports, fuel receipts and on and on. Then several years ago as technology progressed we introduced truck stop scanning with additional capabilities added using in-cab scanning and mobile phone scanning. All of these changes were possible with the progression of technology but at the same time reducing the need for the contractor to call billing/processing or settlements department.

If you have younger kids or grandkids you can see how easily they adapt to new technology and processes. In todays technology world you can deliver your load, go to your truck, scan us the paperwork and be paid within a very short period of time. The number of scanned documents has been reduced as well because fuel receipts dont need to be scanned if the T-Card is used for fuel purchases. These changes are designed to make the paperwork processing burden less on the contractor and easy and simple to complete. This also helps Admiral in that documents are not lost and are available to be processed timely. This has also affected the number of calls to the billing/processing department. The normal calls we used to receive related to did you get my paperwork are no longer needed as the reliability of scanning is virtually 100%. We believe that one of the highest forms of customer service is to process your paperwork and payment without the contractor having to take the time to call and check where in the process their settlement is.

We are continually looking for ways to be more efficient in entering and processing loads, from agents entering the load data and dispatch to the final contractor payment. Our long time contractors at Admiral have been a part of all these changes from 100 % paper to nearly 100% digital. With the automation of these routine tasks, it enables us to handle the more difficult or complex requests on a more personal basis and certainly reduces the routine calls made to the billing/processing department. Please be assured we appreciate your patience when we do roll out the new programs and procedures. There is definitely some trial and error that goes along with any implementation of new software programs, so thank you.

One more change coming January 1, 2016. We will no longer mail your settlement statement. We currently email monthly settlement statements to 2/3rd of the fleet and US mail about a 1/3rd of the fleet. Beginning January 1, 2016 our settlements will be available on line or e-mailed but we will be discontinuing the US mailing of all settlement sheets. We will still mail checks weekly to those who have requested that, but the settlement sheets will only be available on-line or e-mailed directly to you. We will remind you of this change several times before year end. Admiral is also upgrading the on-line settlement pages. It will be faster in use and provide accurate yearend information on deductions, earnings, etc. So watch for information on that in the coming months. These improvements will assist you in being more profitable and increase your ability to manage your time in a way that benefits you.

Please make sure we have your up to date email address.

T-Chek Upload vs. Paper Checks

There are many benefits to getting your commission pay uploaded to a T-Chek card such as:

Convenience

The Settlement Department is able to upload your commission pay onto a T-Chek Card. Commission is processed on Wednesdays, typically by 11:00 a.m. CST.

Transfer funds via a Voice Response Unit (VRU) from the T-Chek card to your personal bank account, eliminating the need to wait in line to deposit your commission check at a bank.

An earlier payday can occur if a regular payday lands on a holiday.

If you are on vacation or on a sick day, you can be assured the deposit will be made.

A T-Chek upload greatly benefits you in the event you should require funds in an emergency situation.

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Balancing Technology and Customer Service (cont from page 3)Security

Lost or stolen checks are a common source for identity theft. With electronic deposits your personal information is viewed by less people and signatures are not required. Eliminating paper checks and using T-Chex upload greatly reduces the risk of fraud and possible ID theft.

Eliminate waiting time for a replacement check and avoiding costs associated with re-issuing lost or stolen checks. Eliminate stop payment charges and investigating charges that may be levied by a bank when a check has gone missing.

No need to worry about your check being stolen from your mailbox.

Other Benefits

Going paperless is environmentally friendly because it reduces Admirals carbon footprint. The green impact can be further expanded by using the online settlement statements that are available 24/7. Please contact the Settlements Department or visit our webpage under Settlements for more information.

Understanding Your Settlement

The Settlement & Billing/Processing Teams want to thank you for doing a great job when sending in your paperwork! Following the simple procedures and sending in all required documents has helped you and will continue to help you get paid quickly! As a reminder, refer to the back side of your Trip Report for paperwork requirements and different options on submitting paperwork. Keep in mind, when emailing or faxing in your paperwork, a PDF or TIF doc is the required format. Pictures or JPG docs are not accepted and will be rejected. Remember to always complete your Delivery Receipts, Trip Reports and turn in your logs with each trip. Missing logs and incomplete trip reports will delay your settlement and you may be asked to get these items completed before we can process your settlement. Please look over your paperwork before sending and REMEMBER TO WRITE YOUR TRIP AND UNIT NUMBER ON ALL DOCUEMENTS.

Processing paperwork and settlements is always a busy process from start to finish. With that in mind Monday is our busiest day of the week, with all of the weekend scans pending processing. We appreciate your patience and ask that its not necessary to call us after sending in your paperwork as it can take 2 4 hours to process. With fewer phone calls, we can process trips more efficiently.

With all of the New Contractors on board, there is always a concern about your deductions and how they are calculated into each settlement. When reading over your settlement

statement, all of the information that applies to your pay is on each of the settlement pages. Please take the time to read all of the associated pages and contact the settlements department if you have any questions. The following is a brief explanation of each page to help you have a better understanding:

Page 1 This is a Settlement Summary and Year To Date information page:

SUMMARY: (Located at top of page) is a summary of your settlement from page 2. It summarizes the total revenue paid, advances (card uploads) and deductions for that days settlement.

YEAR TO DATE: (Located bottom left of page) is your year to date revenue paid, advances (card uploads) and deductions. This is great information to know what your gross earnings for the year are.

Page 2 This page details your settlement for that day and is broken down in 4 sections:

REVENUE: This section shows what is being paid to the Truck/Contractor. This will include line haul revenue, fuel surcharge and any other accessorial pay, trip numbers being paid, gross amount and % paid to truck.

REIMBURSEMENTS: This section shows reimbursements to the truck other than line haul and accessorial pay.

ADVANCES: This section shows any uploads to your T-Chek Card including your settlement amount if you signed up for Quick-pay. It will include trip numbers, dates and the amount of each upload.

DEDUCTIONS: This section shows any deductions that are included in your settlement for that day. These are either one time deductions or reoccurring deductions that the contractor has signed up for when leased on. The schedule for reoccurring deductions and how often they come due are noted on page 3 of each settlement.

Note: The Amount indicated in the bottom left corner will indicate 0.00 if you do the quick-pay or your check amount if you get check mailed weekly.

Page 3 This page is a recap of your deductions that you may have signed up for when you leased on as well as any escrow amounts. These may or may not be included on your settlement for that day (page 2) but will let you know what to expect on upcoming settlements. Amounts and frequency may vary depending on the type of deduction. The Frequency Codes located at the bottom of each page will indicate how often deductions come due.ESCROW ANALYSIS: This section shows your escrow amounts and balances. The Limit is what you are required to put into a reserve and the Current Balance is the current balance to meet the Limit. The difference between the

4 (Continued on next page)

5Balancing Technology and Customer Service (cont from page 4)two amounts is what you actually have in reserve. Once the Current Balance reaches zero, you have satisfied that deduction.LOAN ANALYSIS: This section shows any balances due on loans. The Loan Amount is your beginning balance followed by your Deduction Amount, Frequency (Frq) and Balance Due.

MISCELLANEOUS DEDUCTION ANALYSIS: This section shows all other deductions other than Escrow and Loans. Most of these types of deductions may or may not have a limit due to the frequency.

Most common Frequency Codes:1 Each Load amount comes due each load or each trip.

2 Every Pay Period amount comes due weekly each Thursday.

3 Xth Pay of Month amount comes due once monthly. The pay period in which it comes due will be displayed in parentheses. Example: (1) = 1st Thursday of the month, (2) = 2nd Thursday of the month etc.

4 One-Time amount is a one- time deduction. Once the deduction has been taken, it will no longer display.

Page 4 This page is a Trip Summary from the time you were dispatched up to your delivery date. All the information on this page is generated by the system and is not used for any purpose.

If you have any questions or concerns about your settlement, please contact the Settlements Department.

Thank you!Settlement Team

In Memoriam

In these tough economic times, the old saying that, every penny counts, really applies. Youve often heard us say that our business is a pennies business. Well, it really is. When we look for new programs for our contractors we keep this in mind. Our fuel-discount-program is one such example. The only difference is that all of those pennies that our Contractors save through this program add up to some REALLY BIG DOLLARS!!!

From January through July of 2015, the average discount per gallon across our fuel network was 34 cents per gallon. The average number of gallons purchased by our Contractors and Drivers per fueling was 123 gallons.

This equated to an average fuel savings per fueling of $41.46. That is on EACH FUELING!

Across the Admiral Network, if you multiply those savings by the number of times our Contractors fueled, youve got something very exciting, a total fleet savings of $1.34 million from January through July. This money went right back into the pockets of our Contractors just for doing exactly what they have to do anyway fuel their trucks.

Once again, we are proud to be able to say that partnering with Admiral really pays off.

Mike GriffinDirector of Contractor Services

Huge Fuel Discounts Help Admiral Contractors Bottom Line

We have recently lost members of the Admiral family. While some may have been known by many and others by few, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on those we have lost.

Emery Wells (Contractor 5740) of Bradyville, TN has worked as an Admiral Contractor since November, 2011. Emery passed away on May 24, 2015. Emery will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Dean Gosnell (Contractor 4864) of Alberta CAN has worked as an Admiral Contractor since February, 2008. Dean passed away on August 4, 2015. Dean will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

David Langford (Contractor 6089) of McEwen, TN has worked as an Admiral Contractor since August, 2013. David passed away on August 29, 2015. David will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

HELP US HELP YOU!!

We want to save you money wherever and whenever we can!!

One of the ways we can help you accomplish this is, when you are going to be off for 30 days or more, we can temporarily suspend your Physical Damage and/or Occupational Accident insurances. We must however, leave Non-Trucking Liability (Bobtail) insurance in place while you are not working.

If you know that you are going to be inactive and not working at all for 30 days or longer, please call Contractor Services at 612-843-8275 and let us know. We will then send you a form to fill out, authorizing

us to temporarily suspend your insurances. Once we receive the completed form back, we will go ahead and suspend your insurances until you return to work.

However, please remember that you must contact us when you are planning to return to work so we can send you the authorization form to reinstate your required insurance coverages. All insurance coverages must be in effect before you return to work.

Thank you, Contractor Services

The 2290 HVUT filing started on July 1, 2015 for the current tax year and was due by August 31, 2015. If you missed that deadline you can still file with mini-mum penalties and/or late fees.

To simplify this process, we have set up a link on the Admiral web site.

1. Log in

2. Select Contractors/Drivers

3. Select Border Crossing/Licensing

4. Select 2290 HHV Electronic File (this takes you to the ExpressTruckTax)

5. Follow the step by step instructions

If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me at ext. 8138.

Thanks and safe driving!

Karen HedtkeLegalization Specialist

Suspending Insurances

Updates From The Legalization Department

6

Tendered Invoices and Freight Payment

7

The concept of freight payments is relatively simple in theory, but is becoming very complex in practice. Receiving freight payments has turned into a collection of processes; in using various tendering systems the freight payment providers are capturing comprehensive data from the freight invoices and their supporting documentation. Shippers are then utilizing this information to capture data, to create a reporting database and to automate the disbursement of payments and their remittance details. A number of our shippers and carriers have provided the Admiral collection team access to their online reporting systems, the ease of use and functionality of the tools we have been given has assisted the department in verifying payments and

detecting payment issues early on. The uniqueness of each system can often times be challenging but has proven to be a great resource for our team.

Requirements for tendered invoicing is referred to as invoice validation, all of the pertinent information that is required to process a payment is entered through various stages of the shipment being moved. From the shipper creating the tender to the Agent accepting the load, the driver meeting the delivery requirements, the Bill of Lading (BOL) being submitted, the delivery date updated and the payment processed.

Admirals Credit Department works with a number of electronic payable systems. These systems have contractual requirements needed to get our invoices processed and paid. Electronic data has its limitations the need for accuracy and proper documentation is essential; by not being accurate and not providing the required supporting documentation can cause a delay in payment and the rejection of the tendered invoice. With some 3rd parties processors (3PLs) not having the required information created in the contracts between the Shipper and the 3PL can shut down the entire tendering process for a particular tender; turning the process in to a manual invoice submission adding an additional 30 to 45 days to process and pay the invoice. The collections team mindfully manages these accounts; at times requiring assistance from Sales, the Agent and the Agents shipping contact to resolve rejected or short paid invoices. Learning the mechanics and particulars of each system and finding solutions that best meet Admirals payment requirements and the tendering requirements have proven to be a challenge.

Essential elements and documents customers require in order to process and pay invoices are:

The shippers Load Number, Pro Number or their Tender Number.

The Rate Con/ Rate Agreement/Tender Copy (RC), a standard RC signed and dated; a print screen of the tender from the customers system; an instructional email with the pick-up, deliver-to and pricing sent to the Agent. The rate agreement can be very diverse these days, none-the-less it is an extremely important piece of documentation that is required to get Admirals invoice paid.

The Bill of Lading (BOL) signed and dated; a very simple or very complicated piece of documentation, submitting all of the pieces of the BOL such as pages 1 of 3, 2 of 3 and 3 of 3 and they are turned in lendable, signed and dated is a key element in getting Admiral paid.

A Delivery Receipt (DR) signed and dated. Additional Miscellaneous paperwork needed is:o Scale / Weight tickets o In & Out gate tickets o Interchange receiptso Key Rec Stickers for the Menards and Home Depot loadso Customs paperworkThe Credit Department appreciates all of your help and guidance, getting the documentation needed to process our invoices for payment and working with the various tendering systems, even though they are electronic systems, as you can see we are still in need the standard shipping documentation to get the invoice processed and paid.

Pat GegnerCredit Manager

Driver Testimonial

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Here at Admiral we are always looking for better ways to serve our business partners, and part of that is seeking out advice wherever we can. With that in mind, Admiral has started interviewing drivers to find out what works for them and why they are leased on with us. By taking these tips out of the truck stops and exchanging the information on a large platform, we will all benefit from the collective knowledge of the entire Admiral team.

The next driver in this interview series is Kevin Wilmot, who recently joined Admiral in January of 2015, driving a 2012 Kenworth and specializing in oversized and military freight.

What brought you to Admiral?I was previously with Mercer and realized that I needed to align myself with a company that would support me as a person and allow for more flexibility. Wes Dyer reached out to me and we hit it off being a former Mercer employee. I was really conflicted about what I needed professionally and personally. My former company was focused on quotas and I realized there needed to be more for me as a person. Admiral has been that place in giving me a quality connection as a person and opportunities professionally.

How long have you been trucking?Ive been hauling truck for 34 years. I began in the Marine Corp Secondary and havent stopped since. I love what I do and see myself as a qualified drivernot a pro! I am learning every day and love the support I am receiving from the organization and people like Penny Lynner and Bonnie Bley. I believe in a stay positive attitude to approaching life and work. Some people think its about arriving and I am of the mindset that its the journey and we learn something new each day. I love trucking and see value in the people I encounter every day.

What sets Admiral apart from other carriers?The personal connection I have received from day one has been great. Brian Short called me within the first week and this made me realize I was a person and not a number. The reputation from the outside has been one of a company with high standards and the drivers I have encountered have been very nice. I am really enjoying having access to so many agents (over 300) and that nothing is dictated. Rather, I have the flexibility to work with various agents and maximize my trips so I am able to generate income more consistently. The networking is huge and I feel like I am working with a team! I enjoy the speed of pay and turn around with all my loads. I really sense that I am more in control of my business and have a great support with Admiral.

Are there any impressions of Admiral that stand out for you?When I first started it was a tough transition as my previous company was structured to handling and dictating all my loads. Since coming to Admiral I have experienced tremendous support and direction from multiple departments. Most notable was the help I received from Penny Lynner as she helped me to establish some great contacts and leads. I realized this transition would take some extra effort on my part but it has definitely paid off as I am more established and feel like Admiral is family.

How have you been successful with Admiral?Using the abundant list of agents I have been able to network myself in a way that allows me to plot each load in advance. I am of the mindset you need to be proactive and think of your loads in a fashion of series of steps to keep you moving and generating income. I live by the mottos living the dream and staying positive as to how to approach my customers and life. I realize the importance of communication with my agents and customers alike. I make every effort to follow through on calling and updating agents with my progress and follow through on the little things to ensure the best service possible. Thus, my reputation is what I know will prevail in continuing my success as a team member with Admiral.

If you would like to take part in this testimonial series, please contact Mike Griffin at 612-843-8153 or mgriffin@ammf.com

Admiral is scored in seven categories in the Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) program: Unsafe Driving; Hours of Service; Hazmat; Driver Fitness; Vehicle Maintenance; Crash Score; and Drug and Alcohol Violations. These ratings create a profile for Admiral that customers may take into consideration when choosing

who will handle their freight. We have always had a fantastic crash rating, but have struggled in other areas, such as vehicle maintenance and hours of service. Admiral is proud to announce that the fleet has achieved the threshold standard (below 80%) in vehicle maintenance after years of dedication and tireless work by our safety team and the attention to detail of our contractors.

Scoring a Driver and Carrier Various violations are given scores and severity level, and then then the scores are adjusted by the time since the violation occurred. There is more emphasis on violations that have happened more recently. All violations remain in Admirals score for 24 months, and on a drivers record for 36 months, but a violations value reduces over time due to this time weighting system.

After a score is determined, Admiral is compared to its peer group and then ranked against all of the other carriers in our group. The carrier with the lowest score in the group is ranked at 0, while the carrier with the highest score is ranked at 100. All other carriers fit somewhere in between, and this ranking against our peers is what our customers care about when selecting a carrier.

Why is Admiral Celebrating Getting Below 80%? Admirals score is relative to other carriers, so a score of 80% means that we are better than only 20% of our competition.

This does not sound like an achievement worth writing about at first blush. But, Admirals business model of working with independent owner-operators places us on uneven footing with owned fleets. We are competing with carriers who have the infrastructure so that they should never have a violation. Owned fleets can manage their own trucks with an in-house maintenance staff ready to verify everything is in working order. Before hitting the road, an owned fleet can substitute a tractor or trailer if a defect is found by maintenance specialists. Admirals contractors take great pride in their equipment and pay great attention to maintaining their tractors and trailers, but they simply have neither the time nor the resources to match the maintenance departments of the largest van carriers in the country.

This is an occasion to celebrate and a time to refocus on maintenance. With the dedicated attention to contractors equipment, Admiral and our contractors are seeing the results of the steady work of the entire fleet. But, while Admiral is improving, so is the entire industry. Furthermore, the FMCSA has proposed moving the threshold for a passing score from 80% to 75%. Take the time to enjoy this well-deserved achievement, and then prepare to take on the next challenge. It is not good enough just to improve; we need to improve faster than the competition. With the success so far, we have no doubt that this new goal is achievable.

As always, if you are involved in an accident, incident, or have a cargo issue, the Claims Department is here to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the following numbers:

8:00 AM-5:00 PM (CST) -- 800-972-8864 ext. 8191 Outside of business hours 612-991-5923

Mark Dooley Director of Claims Management

Vehicle Maintenance Goal Achieved

A New Voice at Admiral

9

As many of you have heard (literally) we have a new voice at Admiral. With Missy Swenson transferring to the Operations Department, Claire Gregory has joined the Admiral team. And thought it would be a great idea for her to introduce herself to you.

Hello everyone! I am so excited to be the new receptionist at Admiral, and thanks to Missys wonderful training I am confident that I will do a great job and love it here. I am currently a full time student in pursuit of a Business Management degree, and while I do have previous reception experience, I have also been a server since I was 18. Ive lived in Minnesota my whole life and because of that, have grown to love the outdoors and would spend every day at my cabin in Ely if I could. I love talking to people and absolutely cannot wait to get to know everyone involved with the Admiral team!

Thanks for welcoming me.Claire Gregory

Claire Gregory and Missy Swenson

I joined the Admiral Merchants family as the Director of Safety just last month. Already I have been very impressed with the professionalism of our independent contractors and the agents.

My background includes approximately 30 years of transportation experience in both the Safety and Operations arenas. I have worked at Dallas Mavis and Greatwide Truckload, and most recently at Diamond Transportation so I am very familiar with the O/O system and the open deck industry.

I am very excited to be here and working with such a respected company. My wife and I (and our dog Brandi) will be moving to the Minneapolis area from Kenosha, WI just in time for the wonderful Minneapolis winter.

I look forward to working with you all.

Paul HinrichsDirector of Safety

10

Meet our New Safety Director

Why Are Good Shippers Lost?

1% die

3% take another job

5% switch their routings to friends or relatives

9% gives their business to someone that cuts their rates

14% leave because of bad service

68% take their business away because of the lack of attention or poor attitude on the part of the agent, contractor or someone within the trucking organization!

Lesson to be learned. . . Never, ever take anything for granted. No one can be faulted for continued follow up and the continued use of the words; thank you. This is not just from our agents; it is also from our contractors and our corporate folks too. Be sure to show your appreciation to our shippers. Dont let them think you are taking them for granted. Remember, there are probably 5 competitors doing whatever they can to do to get your business, especially during slow times.

Now the truth is told. The above is a reprint from a Ships Log from over twenty years ago. Good sales practices dont change much, do they?

Walt SiteSr. VP Marketing

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Changes in the Brokerage Department

Help with Quoting Over Dimensional/Overweight Permits

It was bittersweet saying goodbye to Debbie Taylor at the end of June. After 12 years at Admiral, she decided it was time to retire. We cant thank Debbie enough for her dedication and outstanding customer service, and know she has been having fun traveling and golfing in her first two months of retirement.

With that being said, we want to welcome Dave Stedman to the Brokerage team. You all know him as one of the freight coordinators in operations. With his 20 plus year in transportation and knowing the operations side at Admiral, he will be there to help you with any of your transportation needs.

In addition, we added Theresa Dougan to the team. We thought we would give her a quick moment to introduce herself.

Hi, Im Theresa Dougan. I was raised in Topeka, KS and am a BIG KC Chiefs fan. I lived in Oregon for 10 years and have been in Minnesota now for 16 years. I have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. I love to sew, read, ride my bike, and spend time with family and friends.

I came aboard the Admiral team on June 8, 2015. Not to worry, I have 18 years of experience in transportation. I have been the customer, the agent, the dispatcher and the broker. I look forward to working with each of you and learning even more about this business.

Tom BobryckiBrokerage Manager

Debbie Taylor Retiring

Theresa Dougan is the newest member of the team

Over the past year, the permit department has created a few tools to help quote OD/OW loads. You can find these tools on the Admiral website under the Permits tab, then under the Pilots/Quoting tab.

The following documents are available online: Over Dimensional Permit Fees Overweight Permit Fees Escort Requirements Estimated Quote Form

*If you are looking for a quote for permit pricing, please fill out the Estimated Quote Form and email it to Permits@AMMF.com or fax it to 612-843-8179.

We have created these tools to help alleviate some of the phone calls so that we can spend more time processing permits. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Permits@AMMF.com or call 612-843-8270. Thank you,

Megan Erickson Permit Manager

2015 Driver Appreciation BBQ

Once again, our annual Driver Appreciation BBQ was a fabulous event. It was held at the Speedway Truck Stop in London, OH and almost one hundred drivers, agents, and family members attended this year. Although we had a chilly and wet start to the day, the weather Gods were looking out for us once again. The sun burst out of the clouds just as everyone started to arrive, and we were able to spend the rest of a beautiful afternoon enjoying some great food and meeting with old friends. We were also able to meet some of our newest contractors and agents, as well as their families.

Every year I get asked about the purpose of holding these BBQs, and my answer is always the same. The first and most important reason is to say thank you to our business partners and to let you know how much we appreciate all your hard work. Secondly, it provides great networking opportunities with other drivers, agents, and members of the Admiral team. Last but not least, Brian Short (President and CEO of Admiral) always attends the BBQs so he can meet with everyone face to face and discuss any concerns or issues there may be. Brian truly cares about what you have to say, and has acted on many of your suggestions.

The BBQs are a great way to communicate with you about what is going on at Admiral, as well as the overall trucking industry. We also want to inform you about improvements we would like to implement, and to ask for your cooperation and support. One of the initiatives we introduced at the BBQ this year, was our on-line permit application. Our permit manager, Megan Erickson, gave a brief presentation on how to use the permit application, which can be accessed at any time and will help speed up the process. Instead of calling us to order their permits while on the road, drivers can now order their permits at any time, day or night. Please give Megan a call with any questions, and she will walk you through the process. Dishon Smoot, our IT specialist, will then upload all of your equipment information onto your computer for you. This way, all you need to do is enter the routes you want and the load information required by the states. When youre finished, hit the submit button and you will receive an e-mail confirmation of your request. The BBQ was a great place to introduce everyone to this new initiative and we are very excited about implementing it.

Finally, we want to give special thanks to our great grill masters at the BBQ, Mark Suver (5588) and his AB daughter, Ricki. Both of you did a great job, and we hope youll be back again next year, because we received many compliments about how great the food was. We also want to thank Fred Haase (agent 2248) for helping us with all of the ground work, and for his good humor. Last but not least, I want to thank the folks at AFLAC who brought their Heisman Trophy trailer to the event again this year. They were on hand to let everyone know about some great insurance plans with low group rates, which are about 50% lower than if you tried to purchase a similar plan directly from an agent. These plans are available to agents as well as drivers. If you want more information, please visit their website at www.aflac.com/ammf. Thanks to everyone for making this years BBQ such a success!

Make Every Mile a Safe Mile

Penny LynnerVP Operations

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Snapshots from the 2015 Driver Appreciation BBQ

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Snapshots from the 2015 Driver Appreciation BBQ (cont.)

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Snapshots from the 2015 Driver Appreciation BBQ (Cont.)

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Office VisitsWe realize that most loads do not bring you through Minneapolis MN, but when they do, we would love it if you would take time and come visit us. Just call the office and the receptionist will direct you to the best place to park and arrange a taxi for you.

We will show you around the office and stop at the different departments so you can meet everyone. You can pick up any supplies you need, and someone from the office will take

you out to lunch. We really do enjoy meeting our drivers and agents so if you can make it workplease know you are always welcome.

Hope to see you soon! Missy Swenson

Below are some of our drivers that have visited latelythank you for coming!!!

Chuck Mikec Unit 6371, MikeRob, William Ryan Unit 6368, Missy

Missy, Clayton Freeman Unit 6292ALisa, Rick Stone Unit5735A, Mike

Missy, John Earl Unit 6082

Bonnie, Kim, Marvin Schwark Unit 5683A

Sheldon Beckman Unit 5688A, Bonnie, Missy

Penny, Steve Johnson Unit 6 398

Missy, Andy Mainard Unit4453, Karen

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Pennys Lane

Admiral contractors and drivers strive to provide excellent customer service on a daily basis, but we seldom hear feedback. However, when customers do express their thanks and appreciation for outstanding service, we want to recognize those individuals who go the extra mile and thank them for being part of Admiral.

June 16, 2015 - Justin Fritz, Agent 3452 - received an email from Greg Carty, Plant Manager, stating that driver Ron Lewis, Unit 6229, made a delivery for Xerxes to the Hagerstown, MD location and that Ron was very patient and courteous that morning. There was a driveway full of trucks loading oversize loads and they actually unloaded him in the parking lot. Great work Ron!

June 26, 2015 Donna Duckworth, Agent 3279 This is the first Load out of NADC.

Pictured left to right are:Carrier Rep, Bobby Conley, Shipping Supervisor for NADC, and Admiral Driver, Athen Steele, Unit 4152

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August 6, 2015 - Charles Gale, Unit 5854 - New Truck

August 20, 2015 - Justin Fritz, Agent 3452, e-mailed to say that Dave Adams, Unit 5235A had just delivered a Xerxes tank for him in Joliet, IL and as usual, he did a wonderful job. Justin went on to say he always does a wonderful, professional job and that his customers love him.

August 26, 2015 Clyde Wood Unit 5245A, delivered this 30,000 gallon propane tank on his new stretch trailer. It was 68 ft. 6 in. long, 9 ft. wide and 59,000 lbs. He traveled without incident from TX to NV. This was Clydes longest load he has moved in over 30 years of driving. The Admiral agent on this load was Chris & Heather, Agent 2383 out of CA.

Pennys Lane (cont.)

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September 16, 2015 Brad Tolles, Agent 2609, and Keith Tolles Unit 2929 hauled the life boats that will be used for Dis-neys new movie, The Finest Hour. They were delivered directly to the movie set in Quincy, MA. The movie will be released in December. Here is a link to the movie trailer. https://youtu.be/BQmllwTKtqU

September 16, 2015 Mary Ellen, Agent 3429, received an email from Jr. at Centerline Freight, informing her that Bob Norton Unit 6255 received this compliment email from a competitors driver:

Jr, As you know I was picking up Wednesday at Braddock Medical surgical at 1590 Huber street. The driver you had that had picked up from Nevadato deliver there was extremely helpful. The tank he had was neatly secured and was a true professional driver. If you have a way to thank him for me please do so. I was extremely sick, and he was a real trooper. He may be a Com-petitor, but he did take care of your freight as well as me. Way to go Bob!

**We would love to publish pictures of your equipment too! E-mail your pictures to khedtke@ammf.com so that we can post them in the next edition of Pennys Lane! **

Pennys Lane (cont.)

Photos from Agent Visits - Brian Short and Team

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Agent VisitsBrian Short and members of the Admiral team were able to take time away from the office to visit some of the Agents this summer. It was a valuable experience being in the field, because it allowed us to get answers to the following question: What can Admiral do to help grow your business? Below are a few photos from those visits.

Larry Morris Agent 2048

Chris and Heather Palmer Agent 2383

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Photos from Agent Visits - Brian Short and Team (cont.)

Charlie and Amber Agent 3327 Vernon Probst Unit 3424,Stacy from Kubota

Loading at Kubota, Vernon Probst Unit 3424Stacy from Kubota

Tom Campos Agent 2198Al White Agent 3308

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Jackie Askelson Agent 3236

Photos from Agent Visit Brian Short and Team (cont.)

Donna Duckworth Agent 3279

Digging Deeper and In New Ground

The economy is cyclical and it is structural. It moves in circles and it takes structural adjustments.

We are on the low side of a cyclical rotation and we are feeling it in the lack of loads that are out there and in the rates that are on the loads that we have. Not all business is down, but some of the prime areas of business that we tap into are affected; oil, construction, and mining to name a few.

What do we do to keep the flow of loads going? How do we improve business? Some of the answers are very obvious some are more elusive.

For each of us in this three way partnership: Contractor/Driver, Agent, and Company the answers may be different, but some of the answers are the same. Here is an example of some answers that should be the same for all three.

First of all, KEEP THE FAITH: We need to stick together. Dont turn into sour apples! We need to stay optimistic. Admiral is a stand up company when times are up and we are a stand up company when times are down. A lot of that has to do with keeping the faith.

Next, WORK HARDER: The old saying the harder you work the luckier you get comes to play in times like this. Where ever you are standing, your results will be equal to your effort. We have talked in the past about persistence and how that extra effort pays off, now is that time. Push, push harder, push again, all the while staying safe. Now push again.

Now, WORK SMARTER: Plan a little more than you are used to. Think about your next step when you are planning the first one. Network yourself. Helping someone out might be the answer to connecting to more loads. Be smart.

Then we get into areas that are not as well defined. One of the best rules in sales is that if you want more business get more business from the folks youre already working for every day. That does not work as well in a down market so we have to think outside the box. We need to look at freight that we have not been moving, commodities that we have not been big in. This is freight that has been moving on the other guys truck. How do we get into that business? Sure that business may be down too, but every load of that business that we get is new business for us.

When was the last time you worked with an Agent to get freight from a shipper that is in the business of getting power to mar-

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Digging Deeper and In New Ground (cont.)

ket? You can catch the wind or the sun, but how do you get it to market? What about these orange barrels we drive around all summer long? Someone is moving the construction equipment they use for that. Heck read the help wanted ads, whos hiring, whos producing, and who needs to move their production. Everything to do with food production and medical services is booming. We are all getting older and we all need to eat. Every day we make more and more trash. How is this being handled? Whos providing the equipment and whos paying the freight bill? Dont wait for all your regular shippers to come back to life. Find new ones, ones that are new to us, we give great service and they need us.

Remember, its all about relationships. Dont desert the old ones, but start building some new ones. There are some great folks out there that want to meet you, make friends with you, and do business with you.

Be SAFE in everything you do , think it through, hug your loved ones as often as you can, and know we appreciate you.

Ralph A Wood Senior Vice President

Safe Driving Awards: March 2015 thru June 2015

Congratulations to the following drivers who earned Safe Driving Awards for the months of March 2015 thru June 2015.

To be eligible for a Safety Award the following criteria must be met:

A current driver in good standing with Admiral for each 12 month period after your date of lease. No preventable accident or unreported accidents/incidents. No cargo claims or unreported cargo notations. No roadside inspections with out-of-service violations No moving violations (citation or noted on a roadside inspection) No more than 50 CSA points.

Must be in good standing in all areas of Safety and Compliance as defined in Admiral Merchants policies and procedures. Thanks again and congratulations to the following drivers for achieving another year of safe driving. Holly Caskey Safety Director

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22 Years James M. Wilhite

17 Years Randy L. Cottingham

14 Years Christopher Campbell

13 Years John G. Legler Clarence E. Winget, Jr.

12 Years Ricky W. Guile

11 Years Harold E. Justice

10 Years Jason T. Whitaker Teresa L. Kern

9 Years James H. Murphy Jeffrey J. Diachenko David W. Kern

8 Years Paul D. Hershberger Frank J. Bowers Rodney D. Bowling

7 Years Dale E. Nabors Mearl M. Schlegel Charlie E. McKeown Arlen 'Jody' Miller Matthew M. Rocha

6 Years David B. Popp Franklin W. Shaffer, Jr. Joel P. Strand Tomy Dean Erno

5 Years J.L. Leonard William David Adams L. Dean Deckard Frederick G. Kay Ralph G. Kennedy Steven M. McCarl Clyde W. Wood Joseph M. Wright Freddie E. Martin

4 Years David L. Johnson Joseph H. Sauble Richard E. Brent Richard E. Schriver

3 Years Clifford A. Boling Howard Willie Davies Pamela E. Legg Anderson C. Mantooth Kent E. Miller Conley Powell, Jr. Larry D. Yorgason Glenn F. Morehart Alfredo Sainz James L. Ward Travis M. Durnin Harold H. Hedlund R. Blayne Lough Shawn A. McLean Duane G. ODonnell H. Gerald Penn David A. Snyder Kim J. Snyder Debbie L. Wilson

2 Years Steven D. Baird Robert A. Holder Alan R. Kent Michael R. Loman Robert Bob L. Slack Gregory A. Wallace Brian D. Clevenger Lisa L. Clevenger Barry D. Crooks John E. Flanagan Shirley M. Irwin Anthony A. Maggard Sean K. Poland Kimberly A. Southers Michael A. Southers Patrick M. McCarthy James W. Carter Troy D. French Johnney E. Keck Charles H. Krohne Clyde E. Moody Michael Robinson Warren F. Stamp Robert J. Sulzbach Walter C. Yasuk Jose L. Botello James V. Crowl Mark L. Goodwin Thomas L. Grimes Curtis L. Sanlo, Sr. Marina Sidko Vadim Sidko Devon A. Smith

1 Year Paul Allen Lenny K. Duckett Patrick A. Golden Kristopher M. Jacobs Jerzy F. Satora Nelson V. Stutzman Allen E. Veldjesgraaf Patrick M. McCarthy Terry R. Cumming Daniel Loewen Allen S. Mellott Joseph R. Spears Robert L. Catlin Dale A. Cheever Michael J. Coan Matthew S. Cunningham James Harold Gillian Charlie R. Guinn, Jr. Pamela S. Johns Ralph D. Johns, Sr. Kenneth R. Jones Roland S. Kennedy Michael N. Nagy Diana L. Stovall Ricky R. Stovall James R. Underwood, Jr. John D. Wilson Richard D. Beck, Jr. Kevin L. Clippinger Harry J. Davis Iran A. Gomez William J. Herringshaw Charles H. Lindsey Timofey Moiseyenko

1 Year, Continued Donald L. Patterson Susan E. Patterson Charles A. Schenk Rodney L. Schnelle James R. Smallwood Carl L. Stanoyevic Robert L. Wise

1) 2048 Larry Morris Albuquerque, NM2) 3017 Gary Fellure Columbus, OH3) 2103 Jim McGowan Bakersfield, CA4) 2476 Don Singleton Winchester, KY5) 3399 Harold Sparkman Kenova, WV 6) 2631 Larry Huisenga Springfield, MO7) 2248 Tammy Haase Lawrenceville, GA8) 2609 Brad Tolles Northville, MI9) 2383 Chris Palmer Alpine, CA10) 2198 Tom Campos Woodland, CA11) 2664 Shirley Bohman Chesterfield, MO12) 3458 Helen Blennerhassett Conroe, TX13) 2442 John Frey Remington, IN14) 3165 Brian Clevenger McConnellsville, PA15) 2963 Matt Hillegas Everett, PA16) 2419 David Disselhorst Granite City, IL17) 2061 Gary Muth Hot Springs Village, AR18) 3164 Pam Cramer Obesonia, PA19) 2682 Brenda Stringer Olive Branch, MS20) 2477 Bob Greenwell Louisville, KY

TOP REVENUE PRODUCING AGENTS YTD

6240 Allen Mellott6225 Richard Brent5291 Christopher Vorys5467C Mike Nichols5853 Rolland Liff6277A John Baxter6009 Lawrence Ayers5321B David Korhonen5864 James Crowl3726B Omar Overby5885 Brian Johnson5555 Jeff Smith4622B Paul Hershberger5594 David M. Blue5108 Michael Deshong2467A Brian Cisler3994 Royal Elwess5088 Carmel Holbrook4425 Mark Rix6191 Michael Nagy

5427 Portia and Anderson Mantooth3784C Ralph and Pamela Johns3274B Brian and Lisa Clevenger6361 Joe and Michelle Williamson5660A David and Kim Snyder5920 David Conn Jr.5517 Donald and Carol Stevens5935A Angel Arroyo Jr. and Mike Fontanez6119 Kimberly and Michael Southers6234 James and Kathy Ball5066A Don Fields4195D Jerry and Marci Ketterer3567 Jim Murphy6158 Danny Adams6059 Patrick McCarthy6066 Thomas (Andy) Griffin5710 Thomas Grimes6178 William Mellott6195 Terry Pittenger6203 Charles Schenk

5680A Daniel Hawkins680A D6258 Anthony Miotke and Debra Thornton3876 David Kern6204 Donald Patterson5414A Diana (Lynn) and Ricky Stovall6145 Ronald Baird 6282A Cody Olesiak4820A Ralph Baird4625A Lynn Dennis5588 Mark Suver5544 Steven Baird6318 Mike Neuteboom5685 Michael Van Krieken3529D Thomas Glen Claiborne2929 Keith Tolles3543A Frank Bowers6177A Daniel Loewen5738 Devon Smith6041 Charles Krohne6023A Roland Kennedy

FLATBEDS SPECIALIZED STEPDECKS

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TOP 20 DRIVERS BY EQUIPMENT TYPE YTD