As professional truck drivers we are expected to be safe and compliant at all times. Violations, even seemingly small ones, are counted against a company’s safety rating. It is important to know that while drivers may sometimes get off with a warning, points are still deducted from the company’s safety rating and the violation is still documented on your driver record. You may think that this isn’t a big deal because you, the driver, aren’t responsible to pay any fines for your actions, when in reality it is a big deal and it involves more than you.
When companies are tagged with violations (warnings or tickets) it affects the company’s CSA scores and therefore all drivers within the company. If DOT red flags a company they will increase the frequency in which they inspect vehicles and drivers of that company and they will complete more detailed inspections of all company trucks that cross a scale.
All Violations Count and are Reported
When people think of violations they think of tickets with fines and violations such as hours of service, overweight, mechanical failures and moving violations. What they fail to realize is that violations as simple as a clerical error on a log book or a receiving a warning instead of a ticket can be just as harmful to a company and a driver.
All DOT warnings and tickets are documented, shared with the company that you work for and remain on both the company’s safety report and the drivers report for two years. The points against the driver and the company are the same for a warning or a ticket with fines.
How Your Actions Affect Everyone in the Company
Have you ever wondered why your Safety and Compliance department takes even the smallest of violations ever so seriously? It’s for the betterment of the entire fleet.
Poor CSA scores; accumulated by unprofessional drivers or drivers who believe that they are the only ones affected by their actions, can lead to an increase in insurance rates, loss of business, a reduction in rates and even the suspension of a company’s ability to operate.
While it may seem that those things only affect the company you are driving for you need to look at the bigger picture. Poor driving habits and a lack of responsibility on your part affect the entire team. Loss of business mean less runs for the fleet; reduction in rates means less pay for your fellow drivers; a suspension of a companies running authorities means loss of work for everyone in the company.
When your Safety and Compliance department warns you or speaks to you about things you need to watch out for and improve upon you need to take it seriously. The Safety and Compliance department is responsible for an entire fleet, not just one driver. They must ensure that the company’s CSA scores remain in high standing for the continued success of everyone on the team.
Safety and Compliance is a Team Effort
Len Dubois Trucking has high expectations of its driving fleet because the actions of one affect all. The goal is to be perfect. The expectation is no violations – no warnings and no ticket – at all.
Our driving fleet is the front line for safety and compliance and because of the fleet’s continued dedication to safety we are among the safest drivers on the road. While each driver is expected to follow all safety and compliance regulations while they are on the road, they are never alone.
Len Dubois Trucking has a dedicated team of professionals behind the scenes to help ensure that our driving fleet has everything they need to get the job done safely and professionally. Our Driver Services Manager deals with compliance issues. If any driver has questions about regulations or company policy they are encouraged to contact him for answers. Our shop and maintenance team inspects every tractor before each trip and are always available to assist drivers while on the road. Our Customs service personnel ensures all our loads are clear and compliant before our drivers reach the border and are always available if our drivers have questions or problems. Our experienced professional dispatch team dispatches legal and are there to work with and support our drivers when things don’t go smoothly. We all are working toward the same goal of getting the job done SAFELY and within the rules.
