Trucking Archives - Truck Insurance Quotes

How the CSA website can be helpful for your business

August 10, 2020 by Kate Betts

Trucking is complicated. There are a lot of regulations you have to follow, and there’s a lot of safety-related data about your business that you need to keep track of. The FMCSA takes safety very seriously, so as a trucking business you need to be sure you’re playing by the rules. One resource that can help is the CSA website (Compliance, Safety, Accountability). What exactly can you find on the CSA website? We’ll explain eight things the CSA website can help you with.

Why can a carrier with a satisfactory rating exceed an intervention threshold?

August 4, 2020 by Kate Betts

If you’re part of the trucking world, there are a lot of considerations concerning regulations to be aware of. Some of the different rankings and scores can get complicated, especially when you’re trying to figure out how all of these things relate to each other. It can be extremely difficult to make sense of the different terms used to describe your business, especially if they seem to contradict each other. For example – how can a carrier that earned a “satisfactory rating” still exceed an intervention threshold in the BASICs? We’ll explain.

What’s a percentile in the SMS?

July 28, 2020 by Kate Betts

If you’re in the trucking world, there are a lot of terms and numbers used by the SMS (Safety Measurement System) when it comes to talking about a carrier. Especially when it comes to safety records. Interpreting these things can be a struggle. For example, one major component of these safety scores is the percentiles. What exactly is a percentile and what does it mean? Understanding the BASICs means being able to make sense of these numbers. We’ll go over what a “percentile” is and what it tells you.

What restrictions can be placed on a CDL?

July 22, 2020July 21, 2020 by Kate Betts

If you are a commercial motor vehicle driver, you know all about the CDL. The licensing requirements are pretty strict. You know that you can get endorsements added to your CDL. But what about the opposite situation – what about the restrictions that can be placed on your license? Here are some of the restrictions that can be placed on a CDL.

Why are bridge strikes and GPS connected?

July 14, 2020 by Kate Betts

Truck drivers are on the roads a lot, of course, and they use GPS (as we all do) to get around. There are also stories about trucks hitting bridges if they don’t have enough clearance. So, how are the two related? At first glance, they might not seem to be connected. However, there could be a connection. Here’s how that works and some tips for avoiding bridge strikes.

5 things to know about the CDL test

July 7, 2020 by Kate Betts

Trucking is a serious field, which is why a lot of training and a lot of practice is required. There is also a serious test that the prospective truck driver has to pass, and it consists of the knowledge test and the skills test. These are both very important. It’s best to be prepared before you go to take the tests. Here are five things you need to know about the CDL test.

What is Our Roads, Our Safety?

June 30, 2020 by Kate Betts

The roads and highways are shared by a lot of different vehicles – passenger cars, motorcycles, large trucks, buses. And city streets can also feature pedestrians and cyclists. There are so many people using the roads to get where they need to go. According to the FMCSA, over 12 million commercial motor vehicles are registered to operate on the roads. Naturally, trucks and buses are an essential part of keeping the nation running as far as transporting goods and people. But it’s important to keep the roads safe for everyone, and that’s what the FMCSA’s Our Roads, Our Safety campaign is all about. We’ll explain how that works.

4 things to know about the Motor Carrier Safety Planner

June 23, 2020 by Kate Betts

In the trucking world, there are a lot of regulations you need to follow. The FMCSA is a big deal, and it’s important to know all about the regulations you need to follow. It’s definitely in your best interest to keep your business in compliance. But as we mentioned, there are a lot of regulations that need to be followed…as in a lot. So, how are you supposed to keep them all straight? The FMCSA has a tool called the Motor Carrier Safety Planner, which can help – we’ll go over four things you need to know about it.

6 tips for driving a truck in work zones

June 16, 2020 by Kate Betts

If you drive a truck for a living, being safe on the road is crucial. You need to be constantly paying attention and taking care while operating a CMV. Your truck is just so much bigger than a passenger car. And work zones can be particularly hazardous. If there’s road work going on, that requires even more caution and care. Here are a few tips for navigating work zones and avoiding a disaster.

How do I see Safety Measurement System data?

June 10, 2020June 9, 2020 by Kate Betts

It’s important for motor carriers to keep up with their SMS information (Safety Measurement System). The SMS is how the FMCSA ranks motor carriers’ safety performance. You need to keep up with your data, but how can you as a user access your SMS data so you can keep an eye with what’s going on with your business? The FMCSA is a big deal in the trucking world. Here’s how to look at Safety Measurement System data.