Top 10 Winter Driving Tips for Truckers

Top 10 Winter Driving Tips for Truckers - Ah, winter. The time of year where everything gets cold, snowy, slushy and icy. The roads can be particularly dangerous to drive on during this season, and truckers are at the greatest risk for accidents. Winter weather conditions have a tendency to sneak up on even the most cautious drivers, and all it takes is a second to make a tragic or costly mistake. Winter demands a heightened awareness and improved driving skills. You have to keep your eye on the prize and take the ice, snow, wind and cold in stride. With the proper planning and precautions, you can stay safe on the roadways this winter. Check out these top 10 winter driving tips for truckers. Keep an eye out for brake lights on the vehicles in front of you: Being alert is half the battle. Watch for those brake lights and adjust your braking accordingly. Allow plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you to accommodate for those last-minute lane changers. Be sure your lights are on and working: This should be part of your pre-drive check. Make sure your lights and high beams are in [...]

Top 10 Winter Driving Tips for Truckers2020-12-14T15:11:51-05:00

Fuel and the Total Cost of Ownership

Fuel and the Total Cost of Ownership - The fleet owners and managers of today know the importance of looking beyond the initial purchase price and taking into account the total cost of ownership (TCO) of their equipment. Residual value, repairs, maintenance and parts, along with other hard and soft costs, also should be considered when it comes to the true expense of owning a vehicle. No doubt, fuel has always been a huge part of the equation, but it’s usually been centered around the costs of fuel. Fuel impacts vehicle maintenance and performance, of course. But with more and more fleets required to hit sustainability targets, emissions must also be a considered in fleet management. Biodiesel helps lower a fleet’s total cost of ownership (TCO) in many ways, such as through the easement of maintenance issues, increasing performance and cutting back on emissions. Meeting Goals of Sustainability Sustainability when it comes to biodiesel’s environmental benefits should be considered as part of the total cost of ownership, even though it traditionally hasn’t been. This is important, as clean air regulations are rising. Many private and public sector organizations are starting to adopt sustainability plans, so whether your fleet has [...]

Fuel and the Total Cost of Ownership2024-09-09T06:56:54-05:00

3 Money Saving Fuel Industry Tips

3 Money-Saving Fuel Industry Tips - There are a lot of common money-wasting practices in the fuel industry that can be prevented or minimized with a few tips, found here: 1.      Meter Loss Fuel is a product most people never see. After all, this liquid is delivered from a truck via a hose to another vehicle after being converted from cubic inches to dollars and gallons. You can’t see how much is coming out, and aside from a fuel gage that shows Empty or Full, there’s no exact confirmation as to numeric values associated with the fill up you just received. Consider this when it comes to understanding how the metering/dispensing process works. Fuel is dispensed and metered in cubic inches, then it is converted to gallons and dollars 231 cubic inches are found in one gallon of liquid (1,155 cubic inches in five gallons of liquid) Federal guidelines say meters/totalizers to be “off” by as much as + or – six cubic inches per five gallons of product dispensed The amount of slack allowed in a meter is ½%: o six cu. in. / 1,155 cu. in. = 0.0052 o 0.0052 x 100 = 0.52% or ½% The [...]

3 Money Saving Fuel Industry Tips2024-09-09T04:18:05-05:00

Fall Driving Fleet Safety Tips

Fall Driving Fleet Safety Tips - Well, it’s that time of year again: the leaves are changing, pumpkins are out, and the weather is getting cooler. Fall is nearly here, and with it, new dangers are present on the roadways. Here are some tips to think about and hazards to watch out for as we head into autumn. Heed the Leaves More and more leaves will fall onto the roadways, covering up traffic lines, pavement markings and even hazardous pot holes. When it rains, as fall is prone to do in New Jersey, wet leaves could make your vehicle slip and slide, causing an accident. Take extra precaution when you see the road covered with a rainbow of yellows, reds and oranges. Be on the Lookout for Deer The fall happens to be breeding season for deer, so you’ll be seeing a lot of them on the sides of the roads. More than likely, one of them will dart out in front of you at some point, sometimes in groups. Heed these tips: Keep your eyes open. If you spot a deer on the side of the road, slow down. Chances are, there’s more than one. Brake, don’t swerve. Swerving [...]

Fall Driving Fleet Safety Tips2020-09-18T09:52:03-05:00

The Need For Higher-Value Diesel Fuel

The Need For Higher-Value Diesel Fuel - If you’ve ever been to a diesel station before, you’ve seen the dark patch of stained concrete underneath the fuel pump. This is common, as the diesel fuel often overflows as it’s being pumped into the tank. That’s because diesel often foams up, just like when you pour soda into a glass too fast. On a case by case basis, it doesn’t seem like a big waste – it’s just a few ounces of fuel, right? But when you think about how often this happens all across the country, you’ll realize how it adds up. Not to mention -- after foaming happens, it takes a while for the fuel to settle back down, which means your tank isn’t really full after all. Take that soda-fizz-in-a-glass example. If you are a fleet operator responsible for dozens of trucks on the road, you know this waste results in unnecessary downtime for the whole fleet and higher costs in the long run. Foaming diesel is just one issue commercial truckers may be oblivious to in their daily operations. In fact, it could be contributing to the degrading quality of diesel fuel. However, it’s entirely preventable. [...]

The Need For Higher-Value Diesel Fuel2020-08-12T09:21:13-05:00

Suspending the Federal Excise Tax through 2021 for Heavy Duty Commercial Truck Purchases

Suspending the Federal Excise Tax through 2021 for Heavy Duty Commercial Truck Purchases - As policymakers begin debating future economic stimulus packages as part of COVID-19 recovery plans, they believe suspending the federal excise tax (FET) through the year 2021 for purchases of new heavy-duty commercial truck purchases will bring immediate and recognizable results. They also believe it will work toward restoring and expanding domestic manufacturing jobs, increasing productivity of truckers and reducing emissions for communities all over the country. Since the pandemic first began here in earnest in March, the important role of the nation’s trucking industry cannot be ignored. The men, women and trucks on the roadways have been working round the clock to stock grocery store shelves and deliver necessary medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE). A Much-Needed Boost Now, elected officials are presented with a big opportunity to give the trucking industry a much-needed boost by suspending the FET through 2021, which adds an average of $22,000 to the cost of a single new class-8 big rig. Consequently, this drives the price tag up exponentially, putting this type of purchase out of reach for many fleets and truckers who already operate on slim profit [...]

Suspending the Federal Excise Tax through 2021 for Heavy Duty Commercial Truck Purchases2024-09-09T04:17:09-05:00

4 Quick Summer Trucking Tips

4 Quick Summer Trucking Tips - Summer is just about upon us and the temps are getting hotter. While we all crave the warmth and sunshine after a cold winter and chilly spring, this is a good time to go over some tips to stay safe while trucking during the dog days of summer. Here are four quick summer trucking tips to keep yourself and other motorists safe on the roadways. 1.      Check Your Brakes Time to do a once-over of your truck. Did you know that temperature can have a huge impact on your brakes? It’s true. When temperatures soar, brake fading is a possibility. This is when you lose friction in your brakes because the components can’t adequately absorb the heat any longer. As a result, this condition paves the way for increased stopping distances and decreased brake life performance. Routine maintenance, especially on your brakes, ensures conditions such as brake fading won’t happen. 2.      Properly Inflate Your Tires The summer heat can cause tire blowouts. With the rise in temperatures, tires tend to inflate. When those inflated tires get into contact with the hot road, this added friction, along with high speeds, can spell disaster – [...]

4 Quick Summer Trucking Tips2020-06-16T13:34:35-05:00

Top 3 Tire Pressure Tips for Fleets

Top 3 Tire Pressure Tips for Fleets - One thing is for sure when it comes to maintaining your fleet’s tires: tire inflation is a major concern. Not only does inflation pressure affect the safety of the truck and driver, it also impacts fuel economy and retreadability. It can be difficult to keep on top of the tire pressure, so here are some tips to keep in mind. First off, keep in mind that pre-trip and post-trip checks will maximize tire life and keep your costs under control. After drivers and fuel, tires have always been a fleet’s highest operating cost. Heed these tips to reduce costs and improve driver retention. 1.      Use Calibrated Gauges Typical shop gauges can be off, as they get dropped frequently and aren’t maintained. As a result, psi readings can be off by 2 to 15 psi. You must test each gauge and recalibrate it every month against a master. You may find you’ve been inflating tires to the wrong level all along. Set up a psi testing station with master gauge in your shop, and make it somewhere everyone can see it and have access to it. Drivers can simply swap out their [...]

Top 3 Tire Pressure Tips for Fleets2020-05-13T10:00:45-05:00

Fleet Procedures for COVID-19

Fleet Procedures for COVID-19 - Our fleets are on the front lines of the current global pandemic, COVID-19. We are on the roads 24/7 making mobile oil and gas deliveries to keep the Northeast moving. OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. COVID-19 certainly falls under this. For many employees and business owners, the company vehicle is their workplace. If you are a fleet manager, you know you must do your part to lower the risk of potential infections among those using your fleet and those with whom your drivers interact. Spread mainly via person-to-person contact, this virus can also be caught by touching infected surfaces, such as company vehicles, then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. Tips for Fleet Safety Drivers and fleet managers: Wipe down frequently-touched vehicle surfaces with a sanitizer and/or disinfectant, such as steering wheel, radio, gear shifter, armrest, door handles and power window buttons. Drivers: Sanitize equipment, such as scanners, handheld computers, toolboxes, and cart handles that may be used to haul equipment. Keep in mind, alcohol- or ammonia-based cleaners may damage the interior dashboard, seats, and in-cab touch screen [...]

Fleet Procedures for COVID-192020-04-16T15:34:26-05:00

Fleets and Mental Health Awareness

Fleets and Mental Health Awareness - Truck drivers tend to carry the image of being tough and resistant to emotional stress, but this perception isn’t always true. And it certainly doesn’t allow for open discussions about mental health in the trucking industry. Yet it’s important to do away with the stigma of mental illness in this industry. As such, many fleet truckers and their employers are working hard to change that image, paying more attention to mental health and its influences on the workers’ well-being and work performance.With suicides up among truckers, it’s more important than ever to shed light on this situation and provide much-needed support. Death by suicide is just one small part of the wider more complex topic of mental health. With more than 17 million American adults experiencing depression, this is one of the most common mental disorders.In truckers, this number is nearly double, according to Transport Topics. This is particularly alarming because depression is associated with suicide, and suicide is now one of the top 10 leading causes of death in this country.Suicide RatesThe suicide rate is higher within certain groups and professions. Narrowing this down, transportation has the fourth-highest rate among working-age adults in [...]

Fleets and Mental Health Awareness2020-03-23T15:17:42-05:00
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