Ohio State Patrol wants your vote for best looking cruiser in the U.S.
According to an announcement, the American Association of State Troopers hosts the annual contest where state police agencies submit photos of their patrol vehicles. The top 13 photos, determined by the public, will be featured in the AAST's annual calendar.
This contest promotes friendly competition among law enforcement agencies nationwide and helps agencies connect with their communities. The Patrol's cruiser, along with the Flying Wheel logo, symbolizes its commitment to providing unbiased and professional public safety services, according to the announcement.
Voting is open now and will close at 5 p.m. on July 11. To cast your vote, visit the contest webpage and click the 'Vote Here' link. Then, scroll down to find the Patrol's photo and vote.
Participants can vote once per day per device, so it is recommended to bookmark the page and vote daily for the best chance to win. Voters may need to clear their browser's cache and cookies each day to ensure their votes are counted.
This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Ohio troopers need your help to win national cruiser photo contest
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Nissan's Infiniti attempts 'product renaissance' to jump-start sales and blunt tariffs
CARMEL, Calif. — Among the sea of European and other foreign-made cars (some costing millions of dollars), Nissan's (NSANY) Infiniti brand decided Monterey Car Week was the time to unveil its latest creation, the QX65 midsize crossover SUV. It's part of a product renaissance at the Japanese automaker, which has been plagued in recent times by older models that haven't riled up premium and luxury buyers, who have no dearth of options. Infiniti's US head, Tiago Castro, said the QX65's upcoming launch is buoyed by the relative sales success of two of its newest products, the QX80 and QX60 SUVs. 'So we're in the middle of a product renaissance that really started with the QX80 last year,' Castro said from this year's Quail event. 'This vehicle has been building momentum. We actually had this year the best seven months ever in sales for the QX80, so really good moment [for the brand].' Castro said the QX60, which was updated last year, is seeing sales climb year over year. The company is hoping the same for the new QX65. 'The goal now, as we accelerate the future, is to launch one vehicle per year for the foreseeable future.' While that's good news, both Infiniti and Nissan have faced a rough patch recently, and both are only now trying to emerge from slow sales and heavy debt — at least for parent Nissan. But Castro believes Infiniti at least has a game plan. 'Nobody can say that we didn't have a tough year last year,' he said. 'Very clear. But here's the important part. We have a very clear understanding of what needs to happen. There's full alignment in the global team and the regional leadership team that in order for Nissan to be stronger, Infiniti needs to be strong. So we're going to invest in the right product and the right moment.' Castro said the first step was to understand the product portfolio and how to optimize delivery because there have been other headaches for Infiniti: tariffs. While Japan has a preliminary deal in place for 15% tariffs, cars imported from Canada and Mexico still have a 25% auto sector tariff tacked on. 'So, for example, QX50, we had to pause the production into the US, but in Canada, there's a lot of opportunities, so we shipped more vehicles there. We also increased production of QX60 that is built here in the US,' Castro said. QX65 will also be built in the US, which Castro said was 'very important' to increase its US footprint. Signing a tariff deal with Japan is immensely helpful, as the QX80 SUV that's in demand is built in Japan. 'The customers are reacting very well, and we need to deliver the vehicle' and not stop, he said. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet One of the main selling points for Infiniti, though it's a premium luxury brand, is that it undercuts the pricing of German brands and rivals like Toyota's (TM) Lexus and Honda's (HMC) Acura. While debuting at the Quail event raised eyebrows amongst a Monterey crowd that's known more for glitz rather than frugality, Castro believes Infiniti can compete on product too. 'It's important for us to demonstrate what we can do to this luxury consumer. A lot of customers here, they love what they're seeing,' Castro said, singling out a 'terrain spec' QX80 concept. Castro added, 'But as far as the consumers are concerned, we see the market still moving in the right direction. Leading indicators — everything from website traffic to visits to dealers — are increasing. So positive year ahead of us.' Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
15 minutes ago
- Forbes
Matt Crafton To Retire From Full-Time Nascar Craftsman Truck Series Racing
Three-time Nascar Craftsman Truck Series champion Matt Crafton is set to retire from full-time racing at the end of the 2025 season. Crafton, who's competed with ThorSport Racing for the majority of his career, will step down as the driver of the No. 88 truck. Ty Majeski, who won the Truck Series title in 2024, will move from the No. 98 entry to the No. 88 truck. Crafton won back-to-back championships in 2013 and 2014, along with the 2019 title, a year in which he didn't win a race. He has 15 career victories, all of which have come with ThorSport Racing. His last victory came at Kansas Speedway in July of 2020. Throughout Crafton's career, he has been supported by one sponsor: Menards. His 23-year relationship with the chain is among the longest in Nascar history. This year, he only has three top 10s with an average finish of 18.3, almost seven positions lower than his career average of 11.8. Crafton made his Truck Series debut in 2000 with ThorSport Racing. He only left the team in 2004 to compete for Kevin Harvick Inc. before returning to ThorSport a year later. A rare lifetime Truck Series driver, Crafton could be a future Nascar Hall of Famer due to his success in the series. The only major Truck Series driver in the Hall of Fame is Ron Hornaday Jr., who won four titles and 51 races. Jack Sprague was nominated to be in the Hall of Fame. He won three championships, as well, but had 28 wins. Crafton never had a major opportunity to compete for wins in the Cup Series or Xfinity Series. He replaced a few drivers for qualifying sessions over the years, as well as an injured Kyle Busch in the 2015 Daytona 500, finishing 18th. He made two other Cup Series starts in 2019 and 2023. He also made three Xfinity Series starts for Richard Childress Racing in 2013, with two third-place finishes.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Why Some Owner-Ops Plateau and How to Break Through
Being an owner-operator is not just about grinding—it's about evolving. It's about pushing past the predictable stall-out that hits most carriers somewhere between survival and sustainability. That moment when you're running thousands of miles, grossing big numbers, but seeing almost none of it stick. That's the plateau. And in 2025, it's more punishing than ever. Freight markets are volatile. Fuel isn't cheap. Operating costs are rising. And load boards are oversaturated. Owner-operators who rely on hustle alone won't make it. This is the turning point where strategy, structure, and systems take over. This guide isn't a pep talk. It's a tactical survival kit. Use it to turn your truck into a true business. Highlight the sections, execute what applies, and measure your outcomes. 1. Know Your Numbers or Bleed Out Slowly If you can't recite your cost-per-mile within a few cents, you're operating blind. You can't manage what you don't measure. Execution Points: Track fuel daily. Weekly trends can expose savings opportunities. Break maintenance down by category and frequency. Build a simple cost-per-mile tracker: fuel, insurance, maintenance, tolls, factoring, and downtime. Review your profitability per lane, not just per load. Tool stack: Google Sheets + weekly review + envelope discipline = a $20K/year swing for many ops. Highlighter Moment: If a lane nets less than $1.20/mile after all costs, you're paying to drive. 2. The Spot Market is a Tool, Not a Business Plan If you live on DAT or Truckstop, you're letting volatility run your business. Execution Points: Analyze 90-day load history. Identify repeat routes and top-paying lanes. Build a 'stable lane' plan: 3-5 lanes with known brokers or shippers. Schedule weekly broker calls. Ask what lanes they need filled regularly. Track deadhead miles and adjust booking strategies accordingly. Highlighter Moment: Consistent lanes beat random high-paying spikes every single time. 3. Paperwork Chaos Kills Cash Flow Missed invoices. Lost BOLs. Late payments. It's not the freight that ruins cash flow—it's the sloppy backend. Execution Points: Use a scanning app (like Genius Scan or Adobe Scan) to digitize PODs at the dock. Set up folders: Rate Cons, BOLs, Invoices, Settlements. Organize by week. Set a reminder every Friday to reconcile revenue, outstanding invoices, and settlements. Store digital and hard copies of compliance docs in a truck-accessible binder. Highlighter Moment: Organized paperwork = faster pay = fewer cash crunches. 4. Offload What Doesn't Require Your CDL Every hour you spend invoicing, negotiating, or chasing brokers is an hour you're not strategizing. You're the operator. Stop acting like the entire staff. Execution Points: Delegate invoicing and document tracking to a virtual assistant or family member. Vet part-time dispatchers who align with your lane and revenue goals. Automate repetitive tasks: invoice reminders, document storage, compliance alerts. Highlighter Moment: Reclaiming 10 hours/week lets you focus on $10K/month decisions, not $10/hour chores. 5. Work With Shippers, Not Just Brokers Brokers will always have a role, but direct shipper freight is where margins breathe. Execution Points: Identify 10 shippers within 150 miles. Reach out with a direct, professional pitch. Be consistent: clean equipment, on-time delivery, clean paperwork. Follow up after three successful loads to propose a recurring lane. One direct shipper lane can stabilize your whole week. 6. Treat Maintenance Like a Profit Center Breakdowns don't just cost money—they cost credibility. A sidelined truck is a sidelined business. Execution Points: Create a maintenance calendar: oil, tires, brakes, alignments, filters. Track unplanned vs. planned maintenance. Aim to reduce surprise repairs by 50%. Set aside 10% of gross income monthly into a dedicated maintenance reserve. Scheduled downtime is 4x cheaper than reactive downtime. 7. Build Repeatable Systems, Not Just Habits Habits depend on you. Systems scale beyond you. Execution Points: Document your weekly workflow: load booking > delivery > invoicing > reconciliation. Build checklists for fuel management, maintenance reviews, and compliance. Review systems quarterly. Adjust for growth and bottlenecks. If your business collapses when you take a weekend off, it's not a business. It's a job. 8. Reputation is a Business Asset Your MC number carries a reputation whether you manage it or not. Make sure it's working for you. Execution Points: Be early. Deliver with zero drama. Follow up with gratitude and professionalism. Track broker ratings, on-time delivery %, and claim rates. Ask for references from top brokers. Use them in your outreach. In a flooded market, trust closes more deals than rates. 9. Plan for the Next Level Before You Need It Don't wait until you're overwhelmed to scale or pivot. Execution Points: Set 6-month and 12-month goals. Be specific: revenue, number of trucks, lane focus. Break those goals into weekly targets: profit margin, loads, miles. Block 1 hour/month to review progress. Adjust course based on real data. Business without a plan is a truck without a map. Direction beats speed. Final Word: Stop Running in Circles. Start Building With Intention. Most owner-operators plateau because they never evolve from hustle to strategy. They stay trapped in the same week-to-week grind, with no roadmap and no leverage. The ones who break through? They know their numbers cold. They cut unprofitable freight. They build systems. They prioritize relationships. They protect their reputation. They scale with intent. This business isn't about running harder—it's about running smarter. You can keep running 3,000 miles a week for pennies. Or you can run 2,000 with purpose, profit, and a plan. The plateau isn't the end. It's your signal to evolve. Choose structure. Choose strategy. Choose to be unshakeable—regardless of market noise. Your truck is your business. Build it like one. The post Why Some Owner-Ops Plateau and How to Break Through appeared first on FreightWaves. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
