It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone, but what a great year it was. For the past 5 years, we have been bringing you trucking articles, stories from the road, and tips and tricks to help make your life as a trucker more informed and easier.
In 2017 our blog made the list of Top 100 Trucking Blogs and Web Sites for Trucking Industry Pros! We’re very proud to be included in such a list as we continually strive to bring our fleet and our industry friends information they can use to get the job done.
Today, let’s take a look back at some of our most read and favourite posts of 2017. Heading into 2018, we have more great content to share with all of you, so we hope that you will continue to be avid readers of our blog.
Vehicle Pileups, Poor Visibility, & Safety
Multi-vehicle pileups are often thought about and written about as though they’re unavoidable. It’s considered “weather related”. Usually, some sort of weather event will occur which reduces visibility, and sometimes traction on the road, such as – snow, rain, fog, smoke, smog or dust. But most of these aren’t unpredictable. The sad thing is the lives lost in these accidents are often avoidable.
The Dispatcher/Trucker Relationship
The relationship between dispatchers and drivers is . . . complicated to say the least. For lack of a better term, it’s like a game of give and take. Except it’s not a game – there should be no winners or losers, and you definitely shouldn’t get a participation award just for showing up.
Truck Driver Burnout: How to Overcome and Avoid It
Truck driver’s jobs are very demanding, fast-paced, stressful and isolating. After years of sitting behind the wheel, you become conditioned to the lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t take its toll on you. Whether you notice it or not, you may be suffering from burnout.
Distracted Driving: There’s more to it then cell phone use
The SmartDrive Distracted Driving Snapshot for Trucking illuminates key observations about distracted driving and a verified measurement of specific distractions that are making our roads unsafe. In particular, the Study compares the Most Distracted Drivers to all other drivers and the explicit risks that mobile devices present when operating commercial vehicles.
John Sat Down to Discuss the Importance of Fuel Mileage
As with safety, getting the best fuel mileage is a team effort. A combination of technology, oversight and strategy by management, proper maintenance, and quality drivers allows to be successful in a tough industry. It takes dedication and focus to get these results and we’re proud of the hard work by our drivers.
Trucks & Motorcycles Kings of the Road
Motorcycles accelerate quickly and are less visible, which is tricky for big trucks. Difficult to see combined with blind spots is a little maddening. Truck drivers need to take extra care around motorcycles, and motorcycle riders need to take extra care around big trucks.
How to Get Along with Dispatch
Today, many times you will find that dispatchers are often young people, highly skilled with computers, and planning but they have no idea what a truck driver does every day. Often times, they are so new to the industry and culture, that they don’t even know how to best work with truck drivers, who, let’s be honest here, aren’t always the easiest people to work with.
Facing DOT Inspections
DOT inspections are part of the daily life of a truck driver. Weigh stations and DOT Inspectors should not be feared. If you are running legal, as you should be; your equipment is well maintained and you have done your pre-trip inspection – getting through an inspection should be a breeze.
Basic Traffic Safety Rules
Everyone is responsible for roadway safety. Even the most skilled drivers can be involved in accidents. We’re not just talking about trucking safety, but general safety tips that all motorist could keep in mind and practice the next time they head out on the roads.
Are You Winter Ready?
Every year we see drivers stranded on roadsides, sometimes for days on end depending on the magnitude of the storm. Just this past winter, multiple Manitoba roads were closed due to weather on multiple occasions. The thing about winter weather is, it can be brutal and unpredictable. It is important for truck drivers to be prepared for the winter season by equipping the truck with the proper supplies.
You are not Alone
Life on the road can be lonely. Leaving behind a spouse, children, family, friends or even your family pet can be difficult and lead to feelings of guilt, sadness, and depression. It can be difficult to identify your feelings, and even more difficult to ask for help but it’s important to know that you are not alone.
ELD ready – Great job by our team
December 18 will come and go as any other day for us because of the hard work and dedication of our drivers and our team. Becoming compliant with the ELD mandate hasn’t been easy. Our drivers have been professionals and have learned to adapt to the change. We’d like to thank them for working hard and making the changes that needed to be made. Great Job!
