Commercial Vehicles Exposed to Floodwaters: Inspection and Reconditioning Tips

Commercial Vehicles Exposed to Floodwaters: Inspection and Reconditioning Tips - Now that Hurricane Ian has just swept through Florida, it’s a good time to review best practices for commercial vehicles that have been exposed to floodwaters. Inspection and reconditioning of truck safety components are important. Massive relief and rebuilding efforts are necessary in floods, which are extremely reliant on the trucking industry – not to mention thousands of truck drivers. When your commercial vehicles are exposed to floodwaters, Taylor Oil wants to take this time to offer fleets and drivers some technical advice on how to inspect and recondition air brake, wheel-end, and other safety components that were submerged, either partially or completely. Salt Water Damage If the submersion occurred in salt water, the parts replacement process will have to begin immediately due to the chances of corrosion. This can take away necessary lubrication and put parts at a higher risk for premature malfunction. If you have a brake system valve that was submerged in salt water, you will have to replace it. At the same time, you should also replace air compressors, air reservoirs, anti-lock brake system (ABS) relays, modulators, and brake actuators. Saltwater corrosion increases the risk [...]

By |2022-10-14T15:53:44-05:00October 14th, 2022|Inspection|Comments Off on Commercial Vehicles Exposed to Floodwaters: Inspection and Reconditioning Tips
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Diesel Exhaust Fluid Storage: Onsite Storage Tips

Diesel Exhaust Fluid Storage: Onsite Storage Tips - Changes in emission standards back in 2010 specifies that truck manufacturers must include selective catalytic reduction systems in their diesel-powered vehicles. As such, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is a key component of those systems. An onsite supply of DEF ensures your fleet of trucks can always access the fuel it needs to run efficiently. Going along with that, it’s important to maintain proper storage conditions in order to preserve the integrity and shelf life of your onsite DEF supply over time. Here are some storage tips: 1.      Maintain the Right Temperature Temperature control has a big impact on DEF shelf life. It’s recommended that you store DEF between 12 degrees Fahrenheit and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything outside this range may compromise quality. Low temperatures can make DEF freeze, and then you won’t be able to use it till it thaws. High temperatures will form ammonia in the DEF, which reduces quality and negatively affects truck performance. It’s best to store it at temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, which will allow for up to two years of storage without sacrificing quality. 2.      Keep DEF Away From Direct Sunlight Where your onsite DEF storage [...]

By |2024-09-09T04:25:23-05:00September 23rd, 2022|Diesel Exhaust Fluid|Comments Off on Diesel Exhaust Fluid Storage: Onsite Storage Tips
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Emergency Fuel Plan: Top 4 Tips for Your Business

Emergency Fuel Plan: Top 4 Tips for Your Business - Does your business rely on a vehicle or equipment that needs fuel to run? Then you should have a backup plan in place so you always have the fuel you need even in the event of an emergency or fuel shortage. This will help your business run smoothly even during an unexpected event or crisis, not to mention it will help you avoid expensive downtime. Check out these top tips for putting an emergency fuel plan into place for your business. 1.      Keep Abreast of Fuel Shortages It’s critical to have an emergency fuel plan in place at all times, but especially during known shortages. Know what the current shortages are so you can make adjustments in your plan. You can do this by checking local gas station websites for updates. You could also sign up for text or email alerts from the transportation department in your state. 2.      Create a Plan For Emergency Fuel Supplies Come up with a plan on how you can acquire emergency fuel supplies if needed. If you work in an area that gets a lot of natural disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, [...]

By |2023-02-02T14:55:06-05:00August 10th, 2022|Emergency Fuel|Comments Off on Emergency Fuel Plan: Top 4 Tips for Your Business
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Quarterly Driver Training Tips

Quarterly Driver Training Tips - Is there such thing as too much driver training? Possibly. Some experts say that assigning too much training can ultimately lose its effectiveness over time. This often happens when fleets engage in monthly training assignments for their drivers, whereby they assign a block of training each month and give drivers a certain amount of time to complete it. Assigning safety training monthly across the board could be seen as counterproductive, as it’s not really an effective strategy for enhancing driver knowledge, workplace culture or fleet safety. It may be better to engage in quarterly training instead. Just dropping work and content into someone’s lap and walking away isn’t an effective form of education. There has to be some give and take. You have to be able to review what happens afterwards, make plan adjustments, fill gaps, and involve your drivers. To maximize training effectiveness, you must assess the effect over time so you can make wise decisions based on them. If the training worked great and solved a problem, that’s wonderful. But often times it doesn’t achieve much at all. How do you know the training is working if you just keep assigning work [...]

By |2022-07-21T09:39:27-05:00July 21st, 2022|Trucking Tips|Comments Off on Quarterly Driver Training Tips
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Underground Storage Tanks: What Are the Risks?

Underground Storage Tanks: What Are the Risks? - Leaks or spills from petroleum product underground storage tanks (USTs) are bad news. They contaminate soil and groundwater, making their way to neighboring properties or surface waters. In addition, they can result in third-party injuries and property damage – not to mention natural resource damage claims. Owners and operators of USTs must comply with regulations, of course. But they should also maintain their tanks and manage finances in an effort to protect themselves against expensive environmental claims, cleanups, and tank removal costs. There are many factors that will affect the risk of a release. Those factors include tank age, tank construction, tank monitoring and maintenance effectiveness, and leak detection type. Spills often occur during delivery of oil or gas into a storage tank, when the hose is connected to the fill pipe and the product is being pumped into the tank. When someone leaves the oil in the hose after disconnection or when there has been an improper hose connection in the first place, spills can occur. They can also happen with an overfilled tank. Leaks are another risk. They most often happen underneath the dispenser island, the spill bucket, submersible [...]

By |2024-09-09T06:52:48-05:00June 14th, 2022|Fuel Tanks, Underground Storage Tanks|Comments Off on Underground Storage Tanks: What Are the Risks?
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The Top 10 Reasons Why Retreads Are Better Than New Tires

The Top 10 Reasons Why Retreads Are Better Than New Tires - Choosing retreads for your trucks will help you protect your bottom line while getting a look at the big picture. In addition to the cost savings for you, there are many economic benefits for the entire industry and energy savings for the planet. Here’s a look at the top 10 reasons why retreads are better than new tires. 1.      Reliability Studies show that retreaded tires are more reliable when compared to new tires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) agrees that “… retreaded tires are not inherently more prone to failure than new tires.” – John Woodrooffe, Director, Transportation Vehicle Safety Analytics at University of Michigan. 2.      Cost Savings Retreads cost less than new tires, saving your fleet a lot of money on your third-highest expense after labor and fuel. 3.      Warranties Include Retreads New tires are made to be retreaded. Most warranty the casings over several retreads and several years. The initial investment will pay dividends every time it gives you another tire life via retreading. 4.      They Wear Like New Tires The latest compounding and tread designs allow retreads to feature wear-out mileage that [...]

By |2023-02-02T14:32:38-05:00May 26th, 2022|Truck Tires|Comments Off on The Top 10 Reasons Why Retreads Are Better Than New Tires
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Top 6 Reasons to Choose a Diesel Generator

Gasoline and diesel are the top two types of generator fuels. Both are readily available, dependable, and provide on-demand power. They also both generate low emissions. But that being said, gasoline and diesel generators have many differences, which make each one better for different applications. Whether for a prime or standby generator, here are some differences between the two and why diesel generators may be better for your power needs. 1.      Fuel Efficiency Diesel generators are more efficient than gasoline because they do not burn as much fuel to produce power. They also have a high compression rate, which means they take less fuel to run. If you’re going for cost efficiency, this is a great reason to choose diesel. And if you own a business, a diesel-powered generator will lower your operating costs and boost your bottom line. 2.      Safety Diesel is less flammable than gasoline, which makes it the safer option. A diesel generator is particularly good if your business deals with chemicals and combustible products, as it’s not as explosive as gas. Plus, it is less likely to accidentally ignite. And if you are thinking of storing your generator in a place where there are many [...]

By |2024-09-09T02:49:45-05:00April 20th, 2022|Diesel Engine, Generator|Comments Off on Top 6 Reasons to Choose a Diesel Generator
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Driving With Underinflated Tires

Driving With Underinflated Tires: The harsh winters of Central New Jersey can really do a number on heavy-duty vehicles and their tire pressure. In fact, the weather can be to blame for loss of tire inflation pressure (PSI) and decreased fuel mileage. Basic tire maintenance can help truckers avoid missing deadlines due to underinflated tires. Check out what you need to know about changing temperatures and tire PSI. Changes in air temperature can impact how fast air molecules can move within the tire, causing a fluctuation of PSI. So, if you’re a trucker starting out in Florida for a delivery in New England, you will likely notice a dramatic change in PSI by the time you get there. Hot tires not only affect pressure but also the sound of a tire. In fact, warm tires after a long drive can experience a 15 percent increase in inflation pressure compared with cold tires. As the driver, it’s impossible to know the exact pressure rating of your tires by sight. You must be on the lookout for common signs of under-inflation including: The TPMS light illuminates on the dashboard You get reduced steering and handling You have longer stopping distances You [...]

By |2024-09-09T04:23:48-05:00March 23rd, 2022|Safety Tips|Comments Off on Driving With Underinflated Tires
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“If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail”

“If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail” - This is a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin that rings true today just as much as it did back then. Even though most people nowadays know this statement is true, many business owners and salespeople still don’t heed these wise words, especially when it comes to landing and securing new accounts. They still ride around town and “wing it” with cold calls, thinking they can just walk in a business and give them their pitch. But there’s a much better way, and it involves planning. Here are some questions to ask yourself to come up with the type of potential customer you want to target. Which sectors… Have the most profit (dealer, PCMO, industrial)? Have the most potential volume? Will you have most success in and why? Are you least likely to succeed in and why? Will you target first? Which geographic areas will you target first? Now that you have the answers to those questions, you can come up with specific companies to go to. Go online to do some preliminary research, peruse association membership lists and look into other resources that contain the pertinent information you [...]

By |2022-02-17T15:22:49-05:00February 17th, 2022|Marketing|Comments Off on “If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail”
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Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Training?

If you own a fleet of trucks and are responsible for training many drivers, you may assume that offering as much training as possible is the best option. After all, more is better, right? Not always. Let’s talk about: how much training is too much? Well, there is a thing as too much driver training, as it can lose its effectiveness over time. This situation typically arises when fleets are holding required monthly training assignments for their drivers. Many fleet owners are assigning a block of training each month, with a requirement that drivers must complete the training by the end of the month. It’s actually counter-productive to assign safety training for drivers every month. In fact, it’s not very effective when you want to improve driver knowledge, fleet safety, or workplace culture. Why is that? Well, you can’t just dump a bunch of info in their laps and walk away. You have to take time to review that content, adjust any plans, work on gaps, and ensure that drivers follow through. To ensure training is most effective, you have to determine the effect over time and make crucial decisions based on what you see. If the training gave [...]

By |2022-01-11T18:00:26-05:00January 11th, 2022|Training|Comments Off on Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Training?
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