Posts Tagged ‘driver’

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Out-of-Control Truck Driver Strikes Three Vehicles, Smashes into Two Homes…Who’s Handling Your Freight?

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

The sound of a tractor trailer crashing into multiple vehicles and houses would bring anyone running to their doors to find out what happened.

accident

Image provided by wtae.com

As was the case Monday afternoon when a tractor trailer overturned in Springfield Pike, PA, skidding nearly 50 feet before causing some serious damage.

According to state police, the driver (identified as 44-year-old Rodney Crow of Kentucky) was speeding when he failed to make the curve, losing control and crashing into a telephone pole, three parked cars, two homes, and another telephone pole (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/s_771926.html).

Crow was able to be pulled from the tractor within 20 minutes and was transported to the hospital where he is doing fine.

accident

Image provided by wtae.com

Fortunately, the family of one of the houses that was struck was not home at the time of the accident.  The other house, occupying a family of five, resulted in no injuries.

As Carissas Gettemy, their neighbor, stated, “They were all in the living room. The dad pushed them all away because the truck was coming toward the house. But, since the red car was in the way, it got pushed into the house” (http://www.wpxi.com/news/29980091/detail.html).

But the accident came as no surprise as neighbors indicated trucks traveling at high speeds all the time down the hill, with one driver being killed in the same spot five years ago and both houses being struck in the past.

Although a runaway truck ramp is in consideration, currently being detained due to the area occupying the endangered Indiana bat, neighbors state that they would still feel unsafe, with some in the process of/thinking of moving.

It took several hours for power to be restored with the road being reopened Tuesday morning.

Crow, who was transporting a load of finished wood at the time, is being cited for multiple violations, including speeding.  Although no one was injured, imagine if Crow was transporting a load of hazardous materials instead of wood products and the havoc that could have resulted.

Now imagine it being your product on board and your choice to contract the carrier.  That’s often the case when shipping via a third-party in which you do not know who is handling your freight.  That’s why you should always trust your freight in the hands of a reputable carrier.

Road Scholar Transport is an asset-based carrier maintaining an excellent safety record.  With a 0.0003% damage claims record, we take measures to ensure that only the most qualified drivers and safest equipment are transporting your freight.

Visit www.roadscholar.com to learn more about Road Scholar’s qualifications and services.

List your comments regarding the accident below.

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Final Rule Banning Hand-Held Cell Phone Usage Among Truck Drivers Could Result in $11,000 Fine for Carriers

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Text messaging while driving distracts an individual for an average of 4.6 seconds, increasing their risk of an accident by 23 times (http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html).  Given these facts, texting continues to still grow with over 196 billion messages being sent last June alone.

cell phone

In an attempt to reduce the risk of an accident/injury, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) prohibited commercial truck drivers from texting while driving last year, with the DOT extending the rule to include intrastate HAZMAT drivers earlier this year.

Last Wednesday, the FMCSA took the rule a step further, this time banning interstate truck drivers from utilizing hand-held cell phones while driving.  The rule, which still allows drivers to continue usage of hands-free phones, will affect nearly four million drivers, according to the FMCSA website.

Strict penalties have been put into place to enforce the new ruling.  According to www.fmcsa.dot.gov, any driver caught in violation could face a maximum fine of $2,750 with carriers allowing their drivers to operate a vehicle while using a hand-held phone facing a fine of $11,000.  Those drivers being issued “two or more serious traffic violations” will have their CDL suspended.

Distraction.gov states the following statistics regarding cell phone usage during operation of a vehicle:

-Reaching for an object/cell phone increases the risk of an accident by three times

-Dialing a phone increases the likely of an accident by six times

-There were 5,474 fatalities and nearly 500,000 injuries due to distracted driving in 2009

-Talking on the phone (either hand-held or hands-free) gives the driver a concentration equal to a blood alcohol level of 0.08

-Talking on the phone while driving decreases concentration by 37%

Given these stats, the FMCSA issued the new ruling, set to go in effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register.

truck

Road Scholar Transport promotes safety on the road, which is why we have policies on driver cell phone usage.  In addition to policies, Road Scholar’s newly equipped Bendix Wingman ACB system allows our trucks to maintain a set distance of 8/10ths of a mile marker behind a forward vehicle.

When cruise control is off, the ACB will deliver a beeping alert, which gets faster and louder when closing in on a vehicle, as well as a visual warning on the dashboard showing how far the vehicle is from your truck.

When cruise control is on, the ACB will automatically reduce the throttle, use the engine retarder, or apply the brakes (delivering 1/3 the vehicle’s power with the driver applying the rest if needed) in order to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead.  Talk about crash prevention.

Check out all of Road Scholar’s safety features at www.roadscholar.com and get on board a safe carrier today.

What do you think of the FMCSA’s ruling banning hand-held cell phone usage?  Do you think that the FMCSA should ban hands-free usage as well?  List your comments below.

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Driver Turnover Rises Due to Ten Influences, Shippers Called Upon to Help

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Trucking companies, manufacturers, and shippers have all come to experience the problem of driver shortage facing the industry today.  In order to employ more drivers into their fleet, trucking companies are taking recruiting drivermeasures, such as placing signs advertising sign-on bonuses onto the back of their trucks.

Now it’s okay to offer an incentive for safe drivers, Road Scholar Transport, in fact, offers a $1500 sign-on bonus.  But for many drivers, a large bonus is not the only factor they look for when applying for a job.

The Journal of Commerce stated a CostDown Consulting study which outlined ten influences that led drivers to leaving their job.

The first influence dealt with compensation/benefits, as we have already established with the example of sign-on bonuses.  Road Scholar Transport also offers excellent pay, safety bonuses, a comprehensive benefits package for eligible full-time employees, and much more!

Along with compensation/benefits comes keeping the promises set forth upon hirement in regards to wages, bonuses, etc.

Another reason for driver turnover was home time.  As an article in www.joc.com notes, policy on home time is defined by the company but “in the long-haul sector, a competitive policy gets drivers home once a week for 36 hours or every 10 days for two days off.”  Road Scholar understands the importance of family; we are a family-owned business, which is why we offer flexibility in work schedules, home time, as well as full-time and part-time opportunities so your personal life is not inconvenienced by work.

apply

Along with home time, the survey also lists equipment and equipment maintenance as factors drivers are concerned about…and they should be.  A company may be offering a hefty start-up bonus but what about the safety of the driver?  Under what conditions are they working with?  Vehicle safety is not something that can be left up to chance and could cost drivers wages due to being inoperable, or worse, cause an accident.  That’s why Road Scholar always conducts pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections, has a skilled maintenance team, and operates excellent equipment which includes new 2012 models.

The article also lists influences including respect/honesty, communication, and problem resolution in the work environment.  Road Scholar’s drivers use equipment such as Qualcomm and Nextel direct connect to communicate with a friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable operations team who responds immediately to any concerns.

The survey also states reasons such as training and clear/fair work rules as increasing driver turnout.  At the same time, trucking companies are increasing their transportation costs in order to account for increased driver wages.  This, in return, threatens the shippers who, CostDown Consulting’s Joe White explains, can help trucking companies by “becoming more flexible to their needs” as well as “discuss pickup and delivery times with carriers with an eye to helping drivers avoid rush-hour traffic congestion” (http://www.joc.com/labor/rising-driver-turnover-rate-threatens-shippers).

According to interstatetransport.wordpress.com, driver turnover has already reached 79 percent in the second quarter and is expected to increase a driver’s pay from “3 cents to 5 cents per mile for company drivers and 4 cents to 6 cents for owner-operators during the next year.”

Companies can draw in drivers through bonuses but can they maintain them?  If you are looking for a carrier in the trucking industry and are seeking the above criteria, then visit www.roadscholar.com and apply for a job today!

What qualities do you look for in a trucking company when searching for a job?  List your comments below.

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Retailers’ Expectation of Slow Consumer Spending for Holiday Season Could Backfire, Benefitting Trucking Companies

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

presentsRetailers are holding off on stocking up for the holiday season due to current consumer spending statistics which, looking at past seasons, is one move that could prove detrimental as the holiday season approaches.

After gaining a smaller than predicted increase of 0.3% last July, U.S. consumer spending reached an unexpected halt in August, according to an article in Providence Business News.

A reason for this, the article explains, comes from a lack of consumer confidence, which has increased to its “second lowest level this year” as “the number of households saying it was a bad time to spend was the highest in three years.”

In return, the two largest ports in the U.S., Los Angeles and Long Beach, have seen a 9.4% decrease in volume coming into the U.S. when compared to last year’s statistics due to retailers being cautious of weaker holiday sales (http://www.pbn.com/Retailers-cautious-on-US-consumers-risk-holiday-shipping-rush-,61298).

The problem with this is that retailers now face the chance of being undersupplied as a result of being unprepared, as was the case back in 2009 when consumer spending took a drastic turn for the positive.

If the same situation arises this year, trucking companies could greatly benefit as retailers will pay more to get their freight expedited to their stores to account for the holiday rush.  In cases like these, shippers rely on Road Scholar Transport for delivery of their products the next day or even same day!  Just go to http://www.roadscholar.com/mileage/index.php?to_zip=&=Calculate&from_zip to quickly calculate your expedited shipping time.

Not only will retailers rely on quick transportation means, but trucking companies could expect to see an increase in shipments as well which, despite capacity issues, can cause carriers to outperform.

Road Scholar

If you find yourself in need of shipping your freight in the securest, most efficient way, all you have to do is remember three words: Road Scholar Transport.  Road Scholar offers 48’ and 53’ trailer availability, van and reefer service, expedited shipping, hazmat certified drivers, and reliable service.

Visit www.roadscholar.com for all your seasonal shipping needs.

Do you forecast consumer spending for the holiday season to be muted or do you foresee a surge?

want your freight there fast

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Court Discards EOBR Mandate Due to Driver Harassment Issue

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Last Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit refused a ruling that would mandate electronic onboard recording devices (EOBRs) on violators, sending the regulation back to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

U.S. Court of Appeals

The ruling, set to take affect on June 1, 2012, would require those carriers who violate hours of service rules at least 10% of the time, excluding those short-haulers who utilize time cards, to install EOBRs in their trucks.

But groups such as the Owner-Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA) have been petitioning the ruling for a while believing that constant surveillance violates a driver’s right to privacy and can lead to greater safety issues for those drivers pushing to meet their quota, sometimes driving tired.

Last week, the OOIDA got their wish and the petition was sent back for review on grounds that it did not address concerns regarding driver harassment.

According to truckersnews.com, “the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit concluded that “the rule cannot stand because the agency failed to consider an issue that it was statutorily required to address.”  And although truckinginfo.com explains that “the agency does say in the rule that it is legally required to prevent harassment,” it “does not go into detail on how that will be accomplished.”

And that’s not the only concern that needs to be ironed out.  The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee is already set to meet during the week to discuss “how best to give roadside inspectors access to electronic logs” and will report back to the FMCSA with suggestions (http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=74547).

According to the court, the FMCSA must describe what exactly needs to be done to prevent harassment as well as “consider what types of harassment already exist, how frequent and extensive the practice is, and how EOBRs will either allow or prevent harassment” (http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=74560).

Along with that, the court suggested that the FMCSA also survey those drivers who already utilize EOBRs on how they feel about them and then compare their input with those who do not currently use the system.

The regulation is set for June of next year with the FMCSA striving to develop the ruling by the end of this year.

Road Scholar Transport

Road Scholar Transport always drives safe, which is why we incorporate the latest safety technology into our fleet, driven by the safest drivers.  Visit www.roadscholar.com to put your cargo in safe hands.

Do you feel that the regulation will cause driver harassment?  List your comments below.


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Stories From the Road…Steve Marchel

Monday, August 15th, 2011

It was his love to drive and the decent pay it resulted in that led Steve Marchel to become a truck driver.  As of next month, Steve will be driving for Road Scholar for 15 years.  In that time, nothing has changed…he stills loves his job.

When asked what he likes in particular about working for Road Scholar, Steve listed numerous things including the fact that it is a family-owned business whose management puts family first, explaining that they are very good people (as well as everyone else throughout the company) and that his job has given him the ability to be home daily with his family as well.

Steve also likes the pay.  In fact, he says that the extra money he earns unloading freight or with a safety bonus gives an incentive to work more and get compensated more for it.  Almost every day he encounters another one of the world’s worst drivers, which he claims makes the day interesting and keeps him on his toes.

But besides quality service, advanced technology, excellent pay and benefits, and a knowledgeable and family-oriented staff, perhaps what stands out the most about Road Scholar is its awareness program.

Steve feels that the awareness program, which sponsors organizations such as The American Breast Cancer Foundation and Autism Speaks, is great for charities/foundations as well as community awareness.  When he is pulling an awareness trailer, he loves the positive comments he gets when picking up or delivering freight.  Even passerbys smile, wave and even give a thumbs up.

He explains that Road Scholar does this only with the awareness campaign’s best interest in mind to begin with and that good things like that are sure to bring about good benefits.

awareness program

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ATA Predicts No Signs of Another Recession in their Trucking Economic Review

Monday, July 25th, 2011

ATAIn their 13th volume edition of The Economic Review (TER), the American Trucking Associations (ATA)’s Vice President and Chief Economist Bob Costello addressed several factors that could affect the outlook of the U.S. economy.

One of these challenges is the housing division, which is experiencing a drop in prices (down 3.9% since April 2010) due to tougher credit applications and low incomes, TER notes.

Although in the last two months, payrolls have increased a total of 43,000, Costello explains that “At this stage in the recovery, we should be creating an average of 175,000 per month, or more.”

So why the low number of jobs?  As Costello states, businesses are demonstrating a lack of confidence, some feeling that we are still in a recession.  At Road Scholar Transport, we believe that we are recession proof as long as we continue to put forth the hard work and effort we have doing for years.

Road Scholar Transport has the confidence and is always looking to hire drivers, offering excellent pay, bonuses, benefits, and more.  Apply today at http://www.roadscholar.com/employment.php.

freight

TER also notes a 2.7% decrease in Truckload service and 2.4% decrease in dry van service from January to May 2011, with LTL tonnage increasing 15%.

Not only that, but carriers are continuing to face capacity issues.  But as Costello states, not only are carriers unable to expand their fleet, the increased prices of new Class 8 tractors has prevented them from replacing older 2006 models, resulting in pricey maintenance repairs anyways.

new trucks

Road Scholar Transport always invests in safety.  Although there is a cost to owning newer models, there is no price tag on a person’s life.  That’s why Road Scholar has recently purchased new trucks with active cruise control capability, maintaining a set distance from a forward vehicle, thus, preventing an accident.

With these challenges, the state of the economy can go any way in the upcoming months.  If oil surges to prices beyond $125/barrel for a long duration or “if the debt ceiling isn’t raised by the Aug. 2 deadline or shortly thereafter,” it can lead to another recession, Costello argues.  Other than that, he believes that the economy outlook is not one of a recession but rather a slow growth.

What is your outlook of the U.S. economy?  Do you feel that we will enter into another recession?

news on the trucking industry

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Should Pennsylvania CDL Applicants be Required to Take Driving Tests in English-Only?

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Imagine going to a driving center to apply for your CDL license.  You sit down and are asked the first question:  “In what language do you want to take the test in?”  You are then faced with 32 options including Punjabi, Hmong, Tongan, and Croatian.  Where’s the English button?

language

This scenario is not in your imagination, especially if you live in California, which offers 32 different languages to take your commercial driver’s test in.  But California is not alone.  There are several other states that offer over a dozen language options!

Many of these states believe that not allowing these options are prone to discriminatory lawsuits and that “there are no studies that suggest English proficiency makes better drivers,” an article in Land Line Magazine notes.

Then there are other states pushing for the remittance of non-English language options for driving tests.  Pennsylvania is one of them.

The state of PA already has one bill in place, HB 1180, that limits testing to only the English and Spanish languages.   Now, another bill has been submitted to the House Transportation Committee which would limit testing to strictly English.

Tennessee, who provides four language options, is looking to do the same but will wait to be considered until “lawmakers return to the capital” next year, the article explains.

About six states have already done without additional language preferences for CDL drivers, believing that those who “drive on roads without a command of the English language” pose as a safety risk (http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2011/Jul11/070411/070711-05.shtml).

Flight 93

Road Scholar Transport is an advocate for safety, which is why we only hire the most qualified drivers, conducting background and drug tests on all new hires.  If you are a safe driver or owner-operator, we want to hear from you.  Apply today at http://www.roadscholar.com/employment.php.

Should Pennsylvania (or any state for that matter) require CDL Applicants to Take Their Driving Tests in English-Only?  What do you think?

want a safe carrier

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Amtrak Files Suit Against John Davis Trucking, Claiming Driver was ‘Incompetent and Unqualified’

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

Wednesday, Amtrak filed a suit against the trucking company responsible for causing an accident last week resulting in six fatalities.

Amtrak

The accident occurred when John Davis Trucking Company plowed through the railroad crossings in Nevada, striking two of ten Amtrak railcars headed for California, causing it to catch fire.

Now, days after the crash, Amtrak is stepping in, suing the trucking company for negligence which resulted in over $10 million worth the damages (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jun/29/amtrak-sues-trucking-company-over-fatal-northern-n/).

According to The Las Vegas Sun, Amtrak is arguing that John Davis Trucking “negligently entrusted the Peterbilt tractor-trailer rig to driver Lawrence Ruben Valli II,” who they “should have known was ‘incompetent and unqualified’ to operate the truck and that the company negligently hired him and then failed to properly train him.”

Since we last updated you earlier in the week in our post “Trucking Company’s Safety Record Questioned after Amtrak Accident,” new charges against the trucking company and driver have been discovered.  These include an additional two speeding violations, but since Valli’s several tickets were distributed at various time frames, it did not cause him to lose his license.

As USA Today notes, “Under Nevada law, a driver will lose a commercial license for 60 days if he or she commits “two serious violations” within a three-year period. A “serious-violation” is defined as traveling 15 mph above the speed limit or higher.  A driver’s commercial license will be taken for 120 days if he or she is issued three serious traffic violations in a three-year period” (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-06-29-amtrak-truck-driver-had-traffic-violations_n.htm).

Valli

The Associated Press also acknowledges the fact that Valli was arrested in 2007 for failure to appear from a charge in 2006 of operating a vehicle with an expired registration.

There is no word as of yet from John Davis Trucking regarding the lawsuit and a Washoe County District judge has already ruled that any evidence from the crash be immune from being destroyed (http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_18377167).

One driver, one truck, six fatalities.  Road Scholar Transport can assure you that all of our drivers are properly trained and qualified, putting only the safest drivers on the road to deliver your LTL and truckload freight.  If that’s not enough, our trucks are equipped with anti-crash safety technology along with security features including driver verification via our website at www.roadscholar.com.

What is your opinion regarding the Amtrak accident and what do you feel should be the verdict?

want a safe carrier

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Trucking Company’s Safety Record Questioned after Amtrak Accident

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Accident prevention, brand equity, liability cases…all good reasons to take the time to review a carrier’s safety record before trusting them with your freight.  But many times shippers choose to conduct business with third-parties (brokers), not knowing who is handling their freight, and thus, running the risk of shipping with a trucking company who is on an “alert” status for unsafe driving.

Let’s pretend that you (the shipper) are given two options.

Option 1: You can choose a carrier who has been cited for two crashes within the past two years, has a history of citations for faulty equipment, and earlier this year, had a truck ordered off the road for safety issues.

Then you would choose a company such as John Davis Trucking, whose series of violations and unsafe driving have been surfacing after their involvement in an accident which resulted in fatalities last Friday.

John Davis Trucking, located in Nevada, made the news when it hit two of ten railcars traveling to California.  According to thetrucker.com, the company “skidded the length of a football field before crashing into the train,” killing the driver, four passengers, and a conductor.

As National Transportation Safety Board’s Earl Weener explained, the driver should have saw the crossing’s flashing warning lights from a half-mile away (when traveling at 70-mph) (http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2011/6/27/TruckcompanyinNevadatrainwreckhadcitations.aspx).

The two trucks following John Davis Trucking managed to stop and although the engineer hit the emergency brake, he was unable to stop in time, as the trucking company crashed through the crossing gates.

Why did this happen?  According to authorities, there are so many scenarios to consider that it may take up to a year to determine the cause, thetrucker.com explains.

But are there suspicions over the trucking company and driver?  The answer is yes.

When looking at John Davis Trucking’s safety record, authorities found that this was not the first crash the company had encountered.  In fact, they were cited with two fairly recent crashes, one in October of 2009 and another within four months which led to injuries.

Not only did the company have two accidents within the last two years, but 16 maintenance violations, seven within the past year, and one that took their truck out of service due to the tire threads on the tractor-trailer being exposed, according to thetrucker.com.

In addition to that, the company has been cited for “the driver failing to use a seat belt, an equipment defect on the rig’s hydraulic brake system, lane restriction violations, cargo violations that included prohibited hazardous material markings on packages one driver was carrying, and labeling problems” (http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2011/6/27/TruckcompanyinNevadatrainwreckhadcitations.aspx).

Authorities continue to decipher the exact cause of the accident.

But if you don’t like option one there’s always…

Option 2: You can choose a carrier who has NEVER been cited for a piece of faulty equipment involved in an accident, has zero alert statuses, anti-crash technology that allows a set distance between the truck and a forward vehicle, and a reputable safety record.

Then you would choose a company such as Road Scholar Transport.  Road Scholar’s CSA 2010’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) rating, which scores a carrier and driver’s safety performance in seven BASIC categories, placing those with a score of 65% or higher on an “alert” status, resulted in zero drug and controlled substance violations and scores way below the 65% mark.

Check out Road Scholar’s CSA rating at http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS/Data/carrier.aspx?enc=l05Z/rb3sYgqvgOzAB2Xgqm8glUOB4DLxD9aRMx/xK4=

Which option would you choose?

want a safe carrier

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