Are you having a hard time viewing the ELD tablet due to glares? Company Driver/Trainer Ed Hrezo shares a tip to help prevent light glare.
Ed was having trouble viewing the tablet with his sunglasses – “the screen just looked black.” However, if he turned the tablet from horizontal to vertical, he was able to see the GPS clearly while wearing his polarized sunglasses.
What are polarized sunglasses? Also referred to as anti-glare sunglass lenses, they help reduce light glare and eyestrain. Because of this, they improve vision and safety while driving.
Ed stated this was a tip he was able to share with two of his trainees who found it to be helpful as well.
If you’re having trouble fully seeing the tablet while driving due to glares or wearing regular sunglasses, consider using these tips and getting polarized sunglasses.
In business, time is money. And in the logistics industry, you often have to connect multiple processes and people into a precise sequence of operations. At Marvin Keller, we value your time. To help you and the company best utilize our time, ETAs are vital.
Importance of ETAs
One must send in accurate time estimations to support the planning process. Having an accurate ETA makes for better driver and customer satisfaction. ETAs also allow planners to match drivers with the best possible loads.
Since customers want to know what’s happening with their goods, shippers and carriers need to keep up and improve their service by providing the most precise information.
As best practice, please send in your ETA once you stop for the evening or before you head out in the morning. We understand things happen, so do not stress if things change with your ETA. ETAs are an estimated time of arrival so, give us your best estimate.
What Can Impact ETAs?
Below are multiple factors that can impact ETAs:
Route distance between origin and destination
Truck average speed
Number and duration of intermediate stops
Weather conditions
Time needed for refueling
Traffic
Available hours of service and mandatory rest periods for truck drivers, and so on (not to mention all sorts of emergency situations).
If you have any questions or need help calculating your ETA, reach out to your DM!
New DYK Quiz
For fun, we created these “Did you know” Quizzes to test your trucking knowledge. Each quiz will stem from the previous “Did you know” Article. You can complete the quiz by visiting the link below:
Maintenance Campaign – Importance of Pre & Post-Trips
Conducting thorough pre and post-trip inspections will identify the tractor-trailer systems and parts are working, failing, and/or missing.
A regimen of a complete pre-trip at the beginning of the day, a walk-around inspection every time the vehicle is parked, and a post-trip at the end of the day is the best practice. This will help maintain your equipment and help avoid over-the-road breakdowns, ultimately keeping you safe.
An easy way to earn 200 Pro-Points!
Complete the following campaign activities by June 30th, 2023, and receive 200 Pro-Points!
As temperatures rise with the arrival of warmer months, we would like to shed light on the significance of Idle Free – APU Systems and share tips on how to maintain a cool temperature in your cab.
What is the APU System?
The Auxiliary Power Unit System, also referred to as the APU System, is specifically created to regulate the temperature in your cab. On average, it can run for 8-10 hours. Additionally, our APUs are equipped with their own inverters to provide power.
Purpose of APUs
The purpose of an APU is to maintain the temperature of the cab without having to idle your truck. Idling your truck not only wastes fuel but can also cause damage to the engine and emissions systems.
Here are some tips for maintaining the temperature in your cab.
One hour before you stop, turn on A/C in both the front and sleeper berth of the truck to cool it down. Once you stop, turn on APU, and your truck should remain cool during your off-hours.
Crack your windows – If you’re going to park your truck for a while, and you’re sure it’s not going to rain, roll down your windows to keep air circulating through the vehicle.
To beat the heat, consider parking in a shaded area or positioning your windshield facing east if possible.
Keep yourself cool! Stay hydrated and dress appropriately.
We want to acknowledge these exceptional drivers who went above and beyond in assisting us. Your willingness to go the extra mile is greatly appreciated!
First, we would like to recognize Dan Emel. He witnessed a crash last week and was able to help the driver and her five children out of the vehicle safely. He also waited with them until help arrived. We’re very proud to have you on our team, Dan!
Shoutout to Darrell Seaman who helped cover a load so that we could get another driver home to AZ for her time off. Thanks for being a team player!
We would like to recognize Allen Fitzgerald. He found an air leak in his truck on a pre-trip inspection and was able to get it fixed. Right after that he passed a Level 1 DOT inspection defect free! Your dedication is leading you to success, Allen! Keep up with great work.
A big thank you to Gifford Libby. One of our new drivers Joel Kindrick, wanted to let us know that Gifford did an outstanding job as a trainer and appreciated his guidance into the industry. Thank you for helping our Drivers be prepared for their new careers, Gifford!
We would like to acknowledge Michael Bodine for his quick thinking when he was hit by another vehicle. He immediately started recording with his camera, which helped us obtain video evidence to ensure that the cost of repairs will be covered by the other driver’s insurance. Great job for being proactive!
Thank you to Randall Bayles for helping us by taking two trailers in the same day to Fleetmaster and waiting for their repairs. Thank you for your time and effort!
Shoutout to Frank Rich for helping us cover a rush Hazmat load to Nevada which was such a long trip he had to take his 34 hr reset over the road. Thank you for helping keep our Customers happy!
Finally, we would like to acknowledge Ryan Ernst for his exceptional work in filming a pre-trip video for our Quarterly Maintenance Campaign. We highly value and appreciate his talents and the effort he put in to create the video. Thank you, Ryan!
Truckers are subject to Hours of Service regulations that specify maximum driving hours and minimum break times. Exceeding Hours of Service is a critical DOT violation. These hours are set in place to ensure your safety and the safety of others on the road.
How it’s measured in BT Scorecard
Infringement Score
Any HOS violation
14 hr violation
11 hr violation
8 hr violation
70 hr violation
Allowed up to 1 infringement per month
Keys to avoid infringements
Trip Plan
Plan your route and alternative routes prior to starting to drive for the day
Use all trip planning tools available to you (DriveMK app, GPS, Atlas, Weather apps, Google Earth, etc.)
Take into account the time of day, high-congestion areas i.e. major cities, weather conditions, fueling time, pre & post-trips, breaks, drop and hook or live load/unload times, parking availability, and locations.
Did you know we do not receive payment until 30 to 40 days after we bill our customers?
A part of a truck driver’s duty is keeping track of bills of lading (BOLs). These freight documents are essentially a contract between the shipper and carrier that outlines important shipment details. Having a signed BOL from all parties shows proof of delivery.
After receiving a signed BOL, you must scan the paperwork through Mobile Capture to us making sure you get the full page and it’s clear. The sooner you do this, the better. That way, we can bill our Customers without delay to receive a quicker payment and have better cash flow. We also ask that you keep a copy of the signed BOL for 30 days in case the Customer asks for a new copy.
Importance of Turning in Paperwork ASAP
After we bill a customer for a single load, it takes 30 to 40 days to receive payment. Therefore, not scanning your paperwork creates a huge financial impact.
As of 4/18/2023, we have a total of 68 loads with missing paperwork coming to a total of $97,892.87 in potential revenue. That’s why scanning in your BOLs as soon as possible is so important so we can get paid timely.
If you have any questions about freight documentation, please talk to your DM. We’re here to help!
Below are the steps for connecting your phone to the Bluetooth in your truck:
First, when you turn on your truck, make sure your radio is also turned on by holding the “power” button and that your Bluetooth is turned on within your smart phone.
Next, hold down the “Bluetooth” button found in the top left corner and it will say “Add Phone”
Then press on the “Volume Knob” to activate the Bluetooth (it will search for your device)
In your phone’s Bluetooth settings, select your vehicle from the list of options.
Confirm the pin code shown on the phone matches the code on the truck radio.
Then you should be paired and ready to roll handsfree.
This information can also be found in the Resource Library whenever you may need it. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Did you know that harsh braking has other effects than just damaging your brakes?
Harsh braking occurs when a driver uses more force than necessary to stop a vehicle. This action can indicate distracted or aggressive driving which leads to increased tire wear, a variety of maintenance issues, and sometimes, costly insurance claims.
Harsh braking is a common result of drivers not maintaining a safe following distance, increasing their risk of rear-end collisions. It can also happen when a driver is distracted and not driving mindfully or defensively when another vehicle, person, or object appears on the road ahead unexpectedly.
Effects of harsh braking:
Wear & tear on brakes: Those who find themselves hard braking often may notice significant wear and tear on the brakes. It can also cause them to overheat. While the heat won’t spread, it can damage and warp the braking system and rotors, which will lead to expensive repairs down the line.
Reduces the lifespan of the braking system: Average lifespan on brakes: about 250,000 miles. Hard braking all the time reduces the brake’s lifespan by half.
Wear & tear on tires: The strain on your tires from quickly braking can cause the treads to wear out more rapidly than usual.
Can necessitate vehicle downtime
Contributes to fuel spend and wastage
How Harsh Braking is Measured in the BlueTree Scorecard:
Harsh Braking: Deceleration of 7 mph per second
For example, traveling at 40 mph and suddenly slowing down by 7 mph to 33 mph in one second will trigger a harsh braking event.
Financial Case for Better Braking
Safety is the primary reason to eliminate harsh braking, however, there are financial benefits that cannot be ignored.
Fewer crashes lead to less money spent on insurance claims and equipment repairs.
Better fuel economy – Each act of aggressive braking and acceleration increases fuel consumption by as much as a half-gallon.
Lower operation and maintenance cost – A new set of brakes can cost anywhere from $540 – $900.
Better MK PRO Formance Scores lead to more MK PRO Points awarded to the driver.
Safer Braking
According to industry studies, hard braking was one of the most predictive behaviors for the likelihood of future crashes. Most rear-end collisions and hard-braking incidents are caused by tailgating.
Key 4 – Leave Yourself An Out
The safest position in traffic is with few or no vehicles around you.
Build and maintain a space cushion around your vehicle.
If you lose part of the cushion, work to keep at least the front and one side open.
Anticipate the actions of others around you.
In some cases, harsh braking and acceleration are the results of driver frustration, developing appropriate coping skills needed to ease that frustration can keep a driver safer behind the wheel.
Reporting detention has never been easier! Now you’re able to send in a detention notice to your Driver Manager right from your phone on the Drive MK App.
Follow the steps below to report detention notices:
1. Once your in the Drive MK app, go to the “Stops” page and click “Send a Detention Notice”
2. Once clicked, you will see the option to pick a stop and add any comments to explain your detention reasoning.
3. When you’re finished, click submit and it will notify your DM by sending an email and a chat in the Drive MK app.
In regards of this new app feature, we would like to reiterate the following policies for detainment:
From the Drive MK App, inform your DM if you have been checked in at a shipper/receiver for an hour. This lets us know that you’re being delayed.
If a broker is involved, you must also notify them of detention. They must be told beforehand, or there will be no compensation.
Once you have done this, keep us posted on your progress. (In a door, unloading, empty, etc.)
All Bill of Ladings must have in/out times on them, whether or not you were detained. This is our only way to get detention, and our only way to verify what we have in the system.
We want to help reduce your time in a dock, but we cannot improve this process without your help. The more information we have, the better the process will get! If you have any questions, please ask your DM.
