Category: Performance

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Performance Recognition

Driver Spotlights

At our operations meeting every Friday, each of our driver managers takes a moment to acknowledge one of their drivers for their outstanding performance. We want to give a special thank you to the following drivers for their exceptional work, which serves as a great example of what it means to be an MK Driver.

Aaron Williams – Rescued a trailer from a towing yard that was very muddy and crowded.  Thank you for being patient and having a good attitude.

Jessica and Terry Branham – Took the time to get a trailer that was stuck in the mud out.  Thank you for being so willing to help out.

Merk Coleman  – Had some great weeks of being our relay driver out of Cordele, GA.  Thank you for being flexible as we figure this new position out.

Kerri Doss –Repaired a temp sensor on her truck that saved us time and money from an over-the-road service call.   Thank you for being someone we can rely on.

Rick Merrill – Ran 3100 miles in a week which takes a lot of diligence.  Thanks for going over and above.

Johnathon Neumann and Jeremiah Brubaker helped a fellow driver who was struggling with his fifth wheel.  Thanks for being great team members.

Deb Coleman – helped a new driver move trailers around so that she could get to her load. 

James Watson – Restacked and reworked pallets that had shifted and saved us the expense of paying someone to do it.  We appreciate it! 

Franks Rich, Charity Battley, Gifford, Libby, and Kamenn Gittinger have all worked extra days in the past few weeks to help us make on-time deliveries. We appreciate the extra work from all of you! 

Frank Rich
Charity Battley
Gifford Libby
Kamenn Gittinger
Categories
Announcement & Hot Topics Performance

Loads of Respect

All associates of any company are expected to treat others and be treated, with respect.  Companies that value a culture of respect, like Marvin Keller, have higher levels of productivity, less turnover, better morale, and greater success overall.  This is a source of great strength that flows throughout MK and leads to trust, which is the foundation of good professional relationships.

Respect is a major element of Professionalism and Teamwork.  Trucking requires a lot of teamwork and being disrespectful is rude, unprofessional, disruptive, and causes chaos.  Showing you care is the best way to help the team and help our customers.  To paraphrase a popular proverb “The attitude you project to others will be reflected back at you” and “What you give is what you get.”  If it seems everyone treats you poorly, it is probably you, not them.  This is also called arrogance, and arrogant people tend to know “everything about everything” and end up making a bunch of mistakes causing grief for everyone on the team. 

MK believes that associates who are valued and recognized for their accomplishments are more successful and engaged in their careers.  Treating everyone fairly and being respectful of their input and ideas goes a long way toward company success.  An open line of communication ensures that problems are addressed early and resolved before they spin out of control.  Disagreements happen and should be done constructively and not in a condescending manner.  During conflict, a respectful person knows there is another side to the story and uses common sense to get the truth, plus understands this could be a chance to learn something new.  There are personality traits of humility and humbleness found here.

In closing, more respect is better so keep the LOADS of RESPECT coming at MK! And thanks for taking a moment to reflect on this article and consider how we all can improve.  Be sure to pass along your ideas to your DM.

Categories
Performance Recognition

Top Producers of 2023 – Quarter 4

Each quarter, the Producer Badge is awarded to drivers who are in the Top 10% of the fleet in which they exceed the quarterly productivity goals. This badge symbolizes the driver’s hard work and success within Marvin Keller.

Congratulations to the following drivers who earned the Producer Badge for 2023 – Quarter 4!

Owner Operators – Top 10% Total Revenue for the Quarter

  • Junrey Montejo
  • Robert Willis
  • Nicholas Harjung
  • Terry Hodge
  • Christopher Hopper

Company Drivers, OTR – Top 10% Fleet in Total Miles

  • Richard Merrill – 40,557
  • Jessica Branham – 38,445
  • Allen Fitzgerald – 35,463
  • Orville Merrill – 32,028

Company Drivers, 4 On/4 Off – Top 10% Fleet in Total Miles

  • Ed Hrezo – 26,835
  • Deb Coleman – 25,249
  • Anthony Collins – 24,705
  • Jeffrey Efird – 24,203
  • Robert Benton – 23,740
  • Eric Doney – 22,121

When Drivers receive the Producer Badge, they earn 1,000 Pro Points. Being in the Top 10% is a great achievement and we appreciate the extra work these drivers put in to be our Top Producers! Keep up the great work drivers!

Categories
Performance Safety

Practicing Good Safety Habits

A major part of being professional as a driver is practicing good safety habits. As a driver, your job is to move product safely from point A to point B. It sounds easy enough, but there are a lot of pieces involved in that. To start, you need to plan ahead. Trip planning is essential to the safe, on-time delivery of your load. Planning ahead for weather, traffic, road closures, or construction gives you an advantage as you know what to expect and can be proactive about any potential issues on your trip. Planning ahead also includes thorough inspections. Checking to make sure the truck and trailer are in good working order can prevent dangerous and costly accidents that put you and other drivers at risk.

When you’re on the road, follow your Smith System training. Eliminate distractions, always look ahead for hazards, and give yourself plenty of space and multiple ways out.

Developing safety routines and following them every single day can ensure that you are in control of most of what happens on the road. Avoid taking shortcuts and do the right thing even when no one is watching.

The costs of complacency when it comes to safety procedures can be dire. Avoid being lazy, reactive, or inattentive. These behaviors can lead to damage of products, equipment, or even loss of life. We want our drivers to make it home safely every week, and putting safety procedures first is how that happens.

Categories
Announcement & Hot Topics Performance Safety

Did you know?

Did you know that large trucks were involved in nearly 500,000 crashes, according to the most recent year’s FMCSA data?

So, how can you avoid becoming another statistic on the road? By practicing safe, defensive driving.

Here’s what you need to know about defensive driving:

  • It’s based on two core principles: Anticipating and Increasing Driver Awareness
  • This means encourages drivers to stay alert for possible hazards and changes in driving or road conditions, enabling them to make good driving decisions and avoid dangerous situations
  • It’s important to be aware of your surroundings, maintain a safe following distance, avoid distractions, and remain calm to avoid trouble while behind the wheel
  • Defensive driving should be practiced by all drivers, regardless of experience level

By implementing these techniques, drivers are less likely to be involved in accidents, keeping you and the motoring public safe. We care about your safety more than anything else, so take control of your safety and practice defensive driving today and every day!

Categories
Announcement & Hot Topics Performance Safety

Did you know?

Did you know that our Netradyne Dashcam comes with an app called ‘Driveri’ that gives feedback on your driving performance?

As more drivers and trucking companies are turning to technology for safer and more efficient driving, the Netradyne App is a great option. Not only does it offer real-time feedback on driving habits, but it also improves safety for drivers.

Benefits of the Netradyne App:

Real-time Access: With the app, drivers can now stay up to date on their driving performance and take proactive measures immediately. The app provides personalized feedback that helps you make better decisions while behind the wheel – improving overall driver score & ranking in real time.

Automated Driver Safety Coaching: Let drivers take control of their career with Virtual Coaching, a self-directed weekly safety review of their top opportunities for improvement. Virtual Coaching includes video examples so your drivers can contextualize the feedback.

How to download the App:

  • In the App Store or Google Play, type in “Driveri” and download the app.
  • Select “forgot password” and type in your email address
  • You will get an email to create your new password
  • Then go back to the app and log in
Categories
Performance Recognition

What can I spend my Pro-Points on?

Did you know you’re able to spend your points on any item at any time? You can exchange your Pro-Points for a variety of things, such as gift cards, tools, TVs, or even cash in your points on your weekly settlement! In addition, you can send us a link from Amazon with the item that you want and we will get it ordered as soon as we can.

For instance, Anthony Gilio exchanged his Pro-Points for brand new Cobra Exhaust Pipes to put on his motorcycle. Check it out!

How can I earn more Pro-Points?

Below are some of the different ways you can earn Pro-Points:

  • Interacting within the app: Simply use and engage within the app. For instance, drivers are awarded 50 Pro-Points for sharing their knowledge by adding a note to a Shipper or Receiver.
  • Earning badges: Within the Drive MK App, there are many badges that we award with Pro-Points. The highest-earning badge is the Work Streak Badge; keep a work streak and you can earn up to 5,000 Pro-Points! 
  • BlueTree Scorecard: You can earn 1,000 Pro-Points for each green score in Safety, Compliance, Performance, and MK Elite (green in all three categories). Meaning you can get up to 4,000 Pro-Points! 
  • Outstanding Performance: DMs award Pro-Points to recognize their driver’s extraordinary performance.