Do you ever pause to consider the impact of your emotions before you start driving? We might occasionally overlook that driving involves more than just technical skills. Our emotional state is crucial in our performance, reactions, and engagement with other road users.
Whether it’s a rush of excitement on an open highway, anger at being cut up at an intersection, or frustration in gridlocked traffic, we might be unable to turn our feelings off. However, we can learn to recognize what’s happening inside us to navigate our inner world to a safer and more enjoyable driving experience. We can also prepare before our journeys to create conditions and environments conducive to greater calmness on the road.
With cold weather approaching, we would like to remind everyone to start your truck heater at least once a month to make sure it is properly working. Some trucks may require multiple attempts, so we want to ensure your heater is working properly before it’s too late. If you have any problems, please call the shop.
We all have something that inspires us to do what we do. What drives you? What is important to you? Is it your family, friends, pet, hobby, or favorite pastime? Because of your WHY, It’s essential to prioritize safety for yourself and the motoring public by operating safe equipment in a safe manner.
Earn a $200 bonus on your settlement when you complete the What’s Your Why? Safety Campaign activities! Be sure to complete the campaign materials by November 30, 2023! Click the link to see more information about our campaign:
A friendly reminder to double-check your order and trailer number to ensure you’re pulling the correct trailer. Make sure you’re matching the delivery address on your paperwork with your dispatch. If they do not match, please reach out to your Driver Manager immediately!
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!
If you already have Samsara ELD’s we will be emailing you a link and login info to install the new navigation. It’s called CoPilot Truck with Active Traffic.
We have licenses with CoPilot Navigation which is the same Navigation that you had on your Orbcomm Tablets. There is a way to make it the default Maps so that when you click on the address in Drive MK workflow, it will open up CoPilot instead of Google Maps.
If you have any questions about the installation, please reach out to your driver manager. We’re all working and learning together as we make this transition!
You have just 18 days left to finish the maintenance campaign materials!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and earn Pro-Points by participating in our latest maintenance campaign! This campaign focuses on the importance of tire inspections from a maintenance and safety standpoint.
Those who complete the campaign activities by October 20th, 2023, will receive 200 Pro-Points!
Have you come across our “I Spy” Stickers yet? These stickers have been placed in different spots on some of our trailers. The goal is when you complete a thorough pre-trip inspection and find a sticker, you will be rewarded with MK Pro-Points.
Only 33 drivers have found these stickers!
Reminder – 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?
Great News Drivers! Marvin Keller has switched to a much better ELD system called Samsara. It uses a very simple App to track your Hours of Service and Safety Scorecards. We have a few drivers testing it now who have had a lot of positive feedback. We are looking forward to switching everyone very quickly. Your Driver Manager will schedule you through the shop to have it installed in your truck soon!
It’s no secret that the demand for skilled truck drivers is on the rise. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult to recruit new talent and retain existing drivers.
To stay competitive with other trucking companies in recruiting, Marvin Keller spends around $7,000 per month on job advertising sites to attract top talent. However, finding new candidates isn’t the only goal – we also prioritize retaining them. Our goal is to ensure that all new drivers joining the team have the tools and resources needed to succeed and grow within the company.
Importance of Referrals
Beyond job sites, there are many other ways to attract quality candidates, improve retention, and manage recruitment costs. Referral programs are often the most effective recruiting channel in this regard. Here’s why:
Improved retention rates: Employee referrals lead to higher job satisfaction and retention rates, saving the company time and money on recruitment.
Better cultural fit: Current employees are more likely to refer candidates who will fit in well with the company culture.
Cost-effective: Instead of spending money on job postings, we would rather rely on current employees to refer qualified candidates and reward them for it.
Tips on Referring
To find new driving talent, word-of-mouth is the most effective. To refer someone to Marvin Keller, we suggest getting to know them personally, explaining your work experiences, and directing them to the company website and social media to get a sense of our culture. Once you’ve done this, encourage them to apply using your name as a reference.
Please inform us if you want any materials to be handed out to potential candidates, such as business cards, flyers, and so on. We will be happy to provide them to you.
For your referrals, Marvin Keller has a referral campaign to recognize and reward you for referring potential candidates. Here is MK’s current referral campaign.
