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.
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:
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 numberassigned 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).
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.
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.
