Getting the right truck insurance for your business can feel like a monumental task. Maybe you’re not quite sure where to start. This section of our blog has articles that feature tips for buying truck insurance and tips for understanding various coverages. Insurance might seem overly complicated and impossible, but we strive to make insurance as easy as possible. That’s why these articles break down various topics into easy-to-understand tips and explanations.
The “Tips” section also includes articles that focus on ways to improve safety at your business. Though you face many risks as a trucking business, there are things you can do to minimize those risks and lessen the chance of something bad happening. The articles take various topics and create manageable steps that you can follow to boost safety at your business. The safer your business is, the fewer claims you may have. And that can help your insurance rates.
So, take some time to check out the topics that appeal to you.
CSA scores are an important and critical aspect of a successful carrier. If a driver manages them well, the scores help them get access to not only preferred loads but also reduced insurance rates. However, if a driver fails to manage them well, the carrier’s CSA scores could hit them with things like an out of service order.
Keep reading if you’re new to commercial driving and interested in learning the CSA’s point breakdown for violations.
If you’re a trucker, you might start your day by checking for loads online. Most owners, operators, or drivers have a limited budget and search for load boards that are easily accessible and affordable. However, finding the ones that generate well-paid loads consistently is often challenging and overwhelming, with tons of online options.
Moreover, when selecting a new load board, you must consider your budget and the key features that fit your needs the best.
Don’t fret if you have no idea how to go about it, as we have you covered here. Here we have enlisted some load boards so that you can make the best decision.
Just as a dessert complements a delicious meal, melodious trucking tunes are the best partner when you’re out on the road. They can turn your trucking experience into an amazing journey.
Whether you haul heavy loads in the scorching heat or deliver letters in the freezing temperature, you need motivation, inspiration, and of course, something to elate your mood. Here’s a great idea: listen to some great songs while driving.
We say this because there is no way music will fail to cheer you up. Driving songs are almost like “talking telling” that don’t let you give up and keep you GOING!
In short, listening to your favorite songs while driving your wheeler feels like taking a sip of your favorite coffee. From keeping you awake to reducing your stress and fatigue, a good playlist of trucking songs can do it all.
Here is a rundown of some amazing tunes you can listen to on the road. So relax, sit back, and drive down with these fantastic tunes.
Did you know that litigation of truck accidents has increased significantly?
Whether you have a transportation company or a trucking fleet, managing insurance may be a daunting task. We say this because legal settlements are on the rise and premiums are increasing. Plus, the equipment has become more costly. The new legislation has drastically changed the way people measure and understand safety.
With the insurance landscape shifting, drivers are opting for new technologies to keep themselves safe and lower their insurance. Technology plays a key role in enabling technology adapters to decrease risks in the driver’s seat. Also, many auto insurance companies offer discounts to their policyholders for installing vehicle safety devices or demonstrating safe driving.
Earning as a truck driver means long working hours and unwavering commitment and responsibility towards the job. Most truck drivers are fatigued and stressed due to the overwhelming pressure to stay secure while hauling heavy loads within the deadline.
Keep in mind that happy truck drivers are not only satisfied, but also more productive. If you run a logistics company, keeping your truck drivers happy should be your top priority. After all, without a happy or productive driver, there is no way you can deliver things to your destination.
From keeping your safety scores clean and offering rewards, you need to do everything to keep your truck driver happy. Meeting your DOT inspection requirements and safety scores are two primary ways you can retain a driver who drives safely, is familiar with the routes, and works well with dispatch for the long term.
Here are some top-tier ways you can keep your truck driver happy and retain them.
If you own a truck or a trucking business, you understand how frustrating it can be to buy truck insurance. You may believe it’s an exercise in futility to get multiple quotes, but there are quite a few compelling reasons to do exactly that. Comparing costs can help you drive a harder bargain and take control of your truck insurance needs in many ways. Including the five listed below.
Trucking is an ever-changing business with standards and regulations that seem to update faster than you can keep up with them. Whether you have just started your career as a long-haul driver or have been at it for a while, you can always learn something new. Sure, you have training sessions you must complete and materials you must read. However, we would like to suggest an additional resource for when you just have a single question or want to connect with others in the industry: Trucking MBA on YouTube.
The trucking business might be a highly competitive niche, but you can still meet all your operational goals if you are informed. Among some of the most critical operations would be in the marketing department. The challenge is that the options in this category are many, and some are not suitable for your business. Plus, these methods evolve every day, and you have to stay updated.
For any business that has a fleet to maintain, federal Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance is essential. When fleet vehicles fall out of compliance, that can lead to costly fixes, changes and penalties, and truck insurance cost increases, all of which bite into the bottom line and reduce the profitability of the company involved. While compliance is a form of government regulation, it also provides various benefits, road safety among them.
Like much in the federal government, DOT compliance has become a very complicated matter. Much of this is due to the fact that so many rules, regulations, guidelines and directives have now been issued and continued to be modified, it literally takes a library to keep up with everything. Worse, companies are still responsible to make sure their fleets are kept in compliance with all the new changes on top of everything they already have.
Technology is the fleet manager’s friend. With automation and fast-searching, fleet managers can easily pinpoint the various DOT regulations and rules that apply to them specifically. This produces the ability to stop wasting time and focus energy on just what really matters for staying in compliance. It also saves money that has to be spent on inspections as well as equipment changes or add-ons. And staying on top of the changes that apply also saves from legal risks down the road that otherwise occur without all the above attention being applied. No surprise, most fleet managers with experience rely heavily on technology library tools, both for tracking existing DOT rules as well as gaining the advantage of updates to track new changes as well.
With MVRCheck tools, fleet managers have both online and technology tools at their disposal. MVR has advanced the ability to stay on top of compliance by leveraging both powerful databases as well as the Internet. This makes DOT compliance information useful instead of being a challenge or frustration. First, MVR technology tools start with a centralized approach to saving fleet information and making it manageable for a fleet manager. Second, MVR tools then take that information and compare it automatically against all the applicable requirements that would be eligible. The results are powerful, accurate and immediate. MVR tools then allow the fleet manager to keep these results in accessible form that can be translated and applied real time to their fleet, updating what is needed when changes also apply as well. Because MVR takes a pay-as-you-go approach, fleet managers don’t have to face a big investment to get the benefits of automation. With a far lower cost, fleet managers can keep their fleets functional and regulated without breaking the bank.
MVRCheck makes it so easy to manage fleet compliance, folks always wonder why they didn’t get started soon once they put MVR into action. Find out for yourself how easy DOT-mandated compliance can be with MVRCheck and similar tools.
If your company is subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), it’s likely that sooner or later you’ll deal with a DOT compliance audit. You don’t have to be a trucking company. Any outfit that operates vehicles over 10,000 pounds can be audited. This can include landscaping businesses, concrete companies and towing companies.
When you receive an audit notice, there’s reason to be concerned. In 2019 only six percent of firms escaped an inspection or audit without a violation. But if you follow a few best practices, you can get through a DOT audit with minimal hardship.
Sometimes audits are random, and sometimes they’re triggered. Accidents attract the attention of auditors, especially accidents resulting in injury and death. Compliance, safety and accountability (CSA) points from accidents and roadside inspections can add up and lead to an audit.
The best way to survive an audit is to be prepared before the DOT calls on you. That means keeping your records up to date. Have your documentation secure, centralized and backed up.
A big source of audit violations is the driver qualification file. Common problems include missing inquiries into employment records, lack of medical certificates and not having a file on every driver.
It’s also important to maintain vehicle files, accident reports and records of drug and alcohol testing.
Surprise audits are unusual. Normally you will receive a notice in the form of a letter, which will direct you to provide information and/or call for next steps.
Respond promptly. If you suspect the audit might not be random, it’s fine to ask. Usually, they’ll tell you. Be thorough but don’t volunteer documentation. Give them what they ask for.
Requested files might include tax information, truck insurance documentation, fiscal information, employee lists, vehicle lists and alcohol and drug forms. If they request information beyond the scope of FMCSA, it may be in your best interest to provide it anyway.
If there’s documentation you think might be relevant but hasn’t been requested, gather it but don’t give it to them at this point.
If your documentation doesn’t look right, don’t change it or make anything up. If you’re caught at this the DOT will not only severely penalize you but will never stop auditing you.
Have a quiet, private space to meet with auditors. Don’t offer food; they’re not allowed to accept it. Arrange your schedule to avoid interruptions. Don’t volunteer information or provide more documentation than was requested.
If your files include irrelevant details, remove them. If you’ve gathered unrequested documents that could be relevant, keep them in a nearby room and retrieve them if necessary. You don’t want auditors fishing through files they haven’t asked to see.
After the audit you’ll receive a rating of Satisfactory, Conditional or Unsatisfactory. If you’re rated Satisfactory, great! Keep it up with the safety practices and record-keeping that got you where you are.
A Conditional rating means there’s at least one item to be corrected. The good news is that you haven’t failed, and the DOT doesn’t see you as a safety risk. There are likely to be fines, and you’ll have to create and submit a Safety Management Plan to correct any infractions.
An Unsatisfactory Rating is what no one wants. You could be shut down. At the very least, you’ll have to devise and carry out a program to reverse that rating.
