Long Haul Trucker

Posts Tagged ‘Long haul trucker’

Looking At The Causes Of Rollovers

By David Lemke

Many rollovers happen when drivers try to return to the road after putting a tire off the pavement. You can rut in soft ground or catch a pavement separation here and go over. If you put a wheel off the pavement or even onto a paved shoulder that may have separations, straighten the rig out and bring it to a stop. Don’t try to return to the road at speed. Get out of the rig, carefully inspect the site and determine that you can get back on the road without catching or tripping a tire before you move out again. If you do decide to drive it back on, return to the road as slowly as possible and at as shallow an angle as possible. The more steer you put in the easier it is to go over.

If it looks too bad, call a wrecker! We are not kidding here, we know that some drivers have gone off the road and come back without rolling the rig, but hundreds of others have also tried and rolled the rig! DRIVE SAFE

Look us up at www.navajo.com

1-800-525-1969

Stop by and see us at

1400 W. 64th Ave.

Denver, CO 80221

Openings For Dedicated Drivers

By Nicole Castrovince

Navajo Express has immediate openings for dedicated drivers going from Salt Lake City to several locations in Montana. We have an established account with Costco and we are really trying to grow our business with them! This run offers great home-time and awesome pay! The run is hauling Rocky Mountain double sets and so it requires that you have your doubles endorsement. If you have your endorsement for doubles, but don’t have any experience, don’t worry – we can train! I have received really positive feedback from the drivers on this route. They like that they are getting home almost every other night, that there is always miles and of course the pay! They also really love the team working in the Salt Lake terminal that is running this account. Headed up by Michael Haas, the folks there are all working diligently to keep customer service a top priority!

If you have any interest in this run or knows anyone who might, please feel free to give me a call anytime!

Thanks,

Nicole Castrovince

Driver Recruiter

n.castrovince@navajo.com

303-286-0711

Toll Free – 1-800-525-1969 EXT. 0711

OBSERVABLE DEFECTS & CSA Inspections

By David Lemke

One of the major reasons for inspections is driving with “Observable Defects” – driving equipment with visible problems. Inspectors are trained to look for exactly these kinds of visual violations, so if an inspector sees one observable problem, the inspector is likely to conclude that there are other violations as well. An observable defect DARES the inspector to initiate an inspection. Observable defects can be significantly reduced through DRIVER CONTROLLABLE behavior, such as quality pre-trip inspections.

Look us up at www.navajo.com

1-800-525-1969

Stop by and see us at

1400 W. 64th Ave.

Denver, CO 80221

Do You Have The Right Permits

By Soby Giudice

When you are assigned a new truck it is important to make sure you review your permit book and that all permits are current. And every time you are preparing for your dispatch, in addition to doing a complete vehicle pre-trip inspection you should check your truck permit book.

You want to make sure that all required permits are up to date and complete. This is important so that your vehicle is authorized to haul through all states you will travel on your dispatch. Failure to do this can cause delays at a weigh station during a vehicle inspection as any missing or required permits are corrected. This takes time and additional company monies while your valuable on duty not driving times ticks away!

So be prepared and check your permit book! Any questions you can call Soby at Extension 0727

Look us up at www.navajo.com

1-800-525-1969

Stop by and see us at

1400 W. 64th Ave.

Denver, CO 80221

Don’t Drive Angry…

By Brandon Leonard

On the way home the other day I saw a car cut off an 18 wheeler (Couldn’t see the company). I was surprised to see that the 18 wheeler backed off and didn’t show that he was aggravated at all.

There are so many times that I see a car cut a big rig off and then the big rig will ride the cars bumper to try to intimidate them. This is very dangerous and can cause a very serious accident.

I just wanted to post saying when you are out there on the road, be courteous and if someone cuts you off just back off to a safe following distance and shake your head. BE SAFE OUT THERE!!!!!

DVIR REPORTING

By George Ryan

The DOT has required a pre-trip inspection and subsequent documentation for decades. Along with the inspection there was also a requirement for a driver to certify that any safety defects found on the inspection were repaired. Initially safety defect documentation was on the back page of each paper daily log.

However, since the advent of electronic logs the current Daily Vehicle inspection Report (DVIR) system has been developed and the required Pre- Trip Inspection (PTI) is now also documented electronically. Also with the electronic DVIR there is an additional requirement for a documented Post Trip Inspection on each piece of equipment. If a driver keeps the same trailer the entire day, he will be required to submit four (4) DVIR macros. He will do one PTI for the pre-trip on the tractor, another for the pre-trip on the trailer and then a subsequent post-trip PTI on the tractor and also the trailer. If more than one trailer is hooked that day, there will be 2 additional PTI’s for each trailer. In the case of double sets, the ConGear will also require the Pre and post trip inspections

The Macros used to document ALL PTI inspections will be Macro 18 for the tractor and Macro 19 for each trailer. The DVIR Macro (Macro 18 for tractor and Macro 19 for trailer) can serve two purposes. First, it can report the completion of the required pre and post trip inspections. But it also can serve to report any DOT or safety defects.

If there are any DOT or safety defects found on any PTI inspection, the process to get that defect repaired is simple. If it is a DOT or Safety defect then there is a block marked “defect” on the DVIR (Macro 18 or 19). Simply enter a “Y” in that block, then check the system affected in the menu just below. At the bottom of the DVIR there are two additional blocks requesting (1) a phone number, and (2) a location. Those two blocks must be completed before the Defect DVIR will reach the Road Services Department.

If the defect is not a Safety or DOT item, then a Macro 22 is the appropriate way to report that particular defect. What constitutes a DOT or Safety item? If that defect would hold the unit out-of-service at a DOT scale, or poses a safety hazard to the public then it will need to be reported on a DVIR. Air Conditioning, CB antennas, cigarette lighters, engine performance, Inspections past due – - the DOT is not concerned with those types of write-ups and therefore they would NOT be reported on a DVIR.

The final step to this process is Driver certification. Immediately upon completion of the repair the driver MUST submit a Macro 52 (truck) or 53(trailer) verifying completion. If that isn’t received, a message reading “** DOT DEFECTS REPAIRED DRV CERT ** “ which will require the driver to insert a “Y” or “N” in response to the question “HAVE ALL DEFECTS BEEN REPAIRED?”

Since inception of this program we have seen a marked improvement in the number of units held out of service at scales and Ports of Entry. But it takes cooperation and effort by the driver, the manager, Road Services, and Safety for the program to be fully functional and effective. The driver is the most important element because he is the person that needs to look for problems via the PTI, properly report the problem, and once repaired to certify that repair.

Look us up at www.navajo.com

1-800-525-1969

Stop by and see us at

1400 W. 64th Ave.

Denver, CO 80221

New Cell Phone Rules For CDL Drivers

By David Lemke

FMCSA Summary of the Federal Restriction on Hand-held use of Cellular Phones for CDL Drivers

FMCSA and PHMSA issued a final rule that restricts the use of hand-held mobile telephones by interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers (CMV) and intrastate hazmat drivers. The rule does not restrict or prohibit the use of hands-free devices. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on December 2nd, 2011 and will take effect on January 3rd, 2012.

Changes:

1. The final rule prohibits CMV drivers from holding, dialing, or reaching for a hand-held cellular phone. This includes all push-to-talk functions. Hands-free use of a cellular phone is allowed. The ban does not prohibit or restrict the use of Citizen Band Radios, GPS, or fleet management systems.

a. Dialing – As defined by FMCSA, a driver is allowed to initiate, answer, or terminate a call by touching a single button on a mobile telephone or on a headset. This action should not require the driver to take his or her eyes off the road.

b. Reaching – FMCSA banned reaching for a cellular phone or hands-free device that is done in “an unacceptable and unsafe manner.” Examples of this behavior would be reaching for a cellular phone on the passenger seat, under the driver’s seat, or into the sleeper berth. To be in compliance with the rule, a driver must have a cellular phone and/or hands-free device within “close proximity” to his or her person.

2. Driver and Motor Carrier Penalties – Under the final rule, CMV drivers who are convicted of a hand-held cell violation twice within a three year period will be disqualified for 60 days. If convicted for a third violation within three years the driver will be disqualified for 120 days. Drivers will be subject to federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense. Motor carriers that allow their drivers to use hand-held cell phones while operating a commercial motor vehicle face a maximum civil penalty of $11,000 per violation.

ATA Pushes for CSA Changes

By David Lemke

Navajo Safety

Trucking industry leaders called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Tuesday to make changes to its safety monitoring system, which they said assigns scores that have little correlation to carriers’ crash risks. American Trucking Associations said the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program has a number of flaws, and asked that the agency improve issues related to crash accountability, research showing links between safety and CSA’s violation categories and the publication of scores in those categories. “From the outset, ATA has supported FMCSA’s efforts to improve its enforcement capabilities through CSA,” ATA President Bill Graves said in a statement. “However, recently our members have become concerned that the agency has become increasingly unresponsive, even in the face of data and logic.” In March, FMCSA said it would delay implementing a system that would assign violation points to carriers through CSA that reflected whether a carrier was responsible for a crash.

Look us up at www.navajo.com

1-800-525-1969

Stop by and see us at

1400 W. 64th Ave.

Denver, CO 80221

Nationwide DOT Roadside Inspection Sweep June 4 – 10

Roadside BlitzNavajo DOT

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), a group of federal, state and local transportation enforcement agencies, is preparing to put 10,000 inspectors at 1,500 sites nationwide to conduct approximately 75,000 roadside inspections on June 4- 10, 2012. The CVSA “Road Check” inspection sweep is an annual event designed to highlight common violations of state and federal motor carrier and HAZMAT transportation regulations. The goal of the Road Check program is to take unsafe drivers and vehicles off the road, increase awareness of inspections and their function, educate drivers about vehicle maintenance and gather general motor carrier compliance data.

This year, inspectors will focus special attention on compliance with driver hours of service requirements and distracted driving violations (texting while driving). Drivers who are stopped during the RoadCheck enforcement sweep should be prepared to undergo a full Level 1 roadside inspection.

Level 1 inspections include the following: examination of driver’s license; medical examiner’s certificate; alcohol and drug use; driver’s record of duty status; hours of service; seat belt use; vehicle inspection report; brake systems; coupling devices; exhaust systems; frame; fuel systems; lighting devices (turn signals, brake lamps, tail lamps, head lamps and lamps/flags on projecting loads); safe loading; steering mechanism; suspension; tires; wheels and rims; windshield wipers; and compliance with applicable HAZMAT requirements such as placards and markings. Due to Navajos current CSA scores we will be targeted for inspections. We need your individual commitment and support to eliminate any inspection citations! Let’s show them our best professional effort!

Be prepared for this event and ensure you;

ü Have completed your required pre-post trip inspections and you equipment has no violations

ü Have your valid driver license & medical card with you.

ü That you are not over your allowed hours of service

ü That if you have HazMat it is properly placarded, you have your HazMat/ERG books and your shipping papers are correct

ü That you comply with the requirements of cell phone use and are not texting or typing while driving

ü That you have a authorized passenger pass for a rider

ü That your unit is not over weight

Remember to report your inspections and send in the form. Clean inspections get you extra $’s

Look us up at www.navajo.com

1-800-525-1969

Stop by and see us at

1400 W. 64th Ave.

Denver, CO 80221