Category: Announcement & Hot Topics

GP in Shelbyville, IL is asking for our help in supplying straps for all outbound loads. This will assist with reducing the amount of damaged cases and shifted loads.

With that being said, we are personally ordering a box of straps to be delivered to GP to get started, but going forward you will need to leave 2 straps in the back of the trailer you drop off.  Please try to keep 2 straps on you/in your truck at all times. Be sure when you are live unloading, that you are taking off the straps and keeping them.

Straps are an essential part of our loads and we need to ensure all loads have proper equipment to make it to delivery safely. Please call your DM with any questions.

Looking for your help!

We are needing suggestions on how to keep straps with trailers so that every trailer has straps. Please fill out this one-question survey below! We look forward to hearing from you.

Strap Survey

DriveMK App: Enhancing the Truck Driver Experience

Being a professional truck driver can have its hardships, no matter how much driving experience you have. That’s why we developed the Drive MK App – to make life on the road easier for you. Our app is packed with many features, including:

• Shipment Information: right at your fingertips, you have your load information. 
• Communication Tools: Add and view driver notes about places they have been to help out the next driver. Direct messaging is also available if you want to talk to another MK Driver.
• Badges: Earn Pro-Points and badges for your achievements.
• Highway of Honor: Drivers can track their miles for the week, month, or all time
• MK Pro-Points: View your Pro-Point balance within your app profile. 
• Newsfeed: Stay up-to-date with weekly company and industry news.
• Resource Library: Any information or documents that a driver may need while over the road can be viewed in the resource library. 
• Load Board: MK Owner Operators can choose what loads they want right from our app!

Discover the Value of the Resource Library

One of the most valuable features is the Resource Library. The Resource Library is a tool designed to help you find documents, training videos, and other resources. Whether you’re seeking assistance or want to stay up-to-date with the latest MK information, the Resource Library is an excellent place to start.

Where can I find the Resource Library?

1. Click ^ for the menu
2. Click “Resources”
3. There you will be directed to all of our resources. Find what you’re looking for using the tabs or the search bar.

We want to acknowledge the following drivers who went above and beyond in assisting us. Your willingness to go the extra mile is greatly appreciated!

We would like to shoutout Todd Sargent for noticing a bad tire on a trailer at a lot that wasn’t his. Good eye and keep up the good work!

A huge thank you to Wes Ryden for fixing a coolant leak on his truck, as well as taking good care of rejected oil. Way to take the initiative!

Shoutout to Sean Johnson and Aaron Williams for doing a Meet & Greet to make sure we made on-time delivery. Thank you for keeping our Customers happy!

Thank you to Jimmy Hendrix for he unloaded and reworked a steel coil load. We appreciate your help on this and keeping our Customers happy!

We would like to recognize the Miller team for assisting us with some local loads before heading home. Thank you for all your help!

Shoutout to Josh Johnson. On his first week out with us, he helped us with an overnight delivery. Thank you for helping us and keeping a positive attitude while doing so!

Thank you to Terrance Parks for giving another driver a ride so they could get back home. Thanks for being a team player!

We would like to acknowledge Warren for restacking the pallets of cat litter and making it possible for us to deliver the load. We appreciate you!

A huge shoutout to all the Drivers that have found the “I Spy” Stickers. We appreciate your thorough Pre-Trip Inspections!

If you pay for anything for the truck or trailer, including parking, please follow these instructions to be reimbursed:

• Get a receipt.
• Write the word “cash” on the top. (Even if you used a card)
• Write your last name and your driver number on the top.
• Then scan in mobile capture under “cash receipts”

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Driver Manager!

Did you know that Marvin Keller can be fined by a Broker for not tracking a load through their tracking source?

MK can be fined between $75-$200 per load if the driver does not download the tracking app.  We understand that drivers dislike the tracking apps, but there are some Brokers who will not book us on the shipment unless we agree to use their tracking tools and we want to keep our drivers moving. 

We’ve also been working to get Brokers and Customers set up so the shipment will track through our system instead.  As always, we try to book as much Customer freight as we can and avoid Broker loads, but unfortunately there are times that can’t be avoided.   

We wanted to acknowledge GP Cedar Springs’s established guidelines for trailer inspections and make our best effort to adhere to them to prevent any rejections.

To avoid any potential hazards, all trailers are thoroughly inspected before loading. These paper rolls can weigh anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 pounds each, making safety a top priority. Any defects in the trailers that go unnoticed during inspection can lead to serious damage when loaded with these heavy paper rolls.

Cedar Springs Documents:

Below are two documents outlining the guidelines. Please review them so you know what to expect and look for before arriving. If your trailer needs repaired, contact TriState Commercial Tire.

TriState Commerical Tire Location:

2324 Ross Clark Circle Dothan, AL

334-678-8473

Cedar Springs Trailer Inspections.pdf

Georgia Pacific Cedar Springs Trailer Inspection Guidelines.pdf

Please view the following images.

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:

ETA – DYK Quiz

You may have noticed our recent maintenance campaign emphasizing the importance of conducting Pre & Post Trip Inspections. Building upon this, we sought to enhance the Pre-Trip Inspection experience with an engaging incentive called “I Spy”. Our goal is to ensure a positive and interactive experience for all.

What is the “I Spy” Campaign?

To reward you for thorough pre and post-trip inspections, we have created stickers that display a QR code linked to our Drive MK App. We are placing these stickers on multiple trailers so when you are out doing an inspection and find one, you scan it in and receive MK Pro-Points.

After scanning, you will receive the “I Spy” Badge and the opportunity to level up with the more stickers you find on different trailers. More stickers you find = more Pro-Points!

How do you scan the QR Code?

Here’s how you scan it in.

• First, you will open your phone and the Drive MK App
• Go to “^” which is the Settings, and click “Scan.”
• Using the camera, you will hover over the QR Code to “scan it in”
• Type in the trailer number assigned to you
• Then you will be awarded the badge along with MK Pro-Points

**You are only able to scan the sticker that corresponds to the trailer assigned to you.

Why?

We want to ensure that everyone completes thorough inspections to guarantee a safe trip and help avoid OTR breakdowns. So make sure when inspecting your equipment everything is in working order, AND you’re looking for the “I Spy” stickers. Will it catch your eye?

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).

Resource to help calculate ETAs:

Driver Time Calculator: https://www.omnicalculator.com/everyday-life/drive-time

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:

APU – DYK Quiz