truck drivers

There are certain risks that only a community of truck drivers are aware of. From road hazards, comfort, and safety, it’s important to know how to prepare for short trips and long hauls. There are also certain ins and outs about trucking regulations that drivers must know and keep up to date with. From BASICs to SAFER scores, commercial auto operators must remain compliant with tons of federal and state regulations. Drivers and fleet owners must also take into account their options for operating authority and insurance coverage/compliance so that their business can run smoothly.

Here’s where we talk about everything truck drivers need to know. We’ll go over truck ergonomics, regulations, event recorders, and even snacks! We’ll also break down the proper way to insure your truck drivers and keep them safe so that you can breathe easy every time they buckle up.

How to Retain Your Drivers

It’s no secret there’s a massive truck driver shortage. The American Transportation Research Institute ranked it as the number one issue in the trucking industry for the third year in a row.

Unfortunately, this issue worsened due to the coronavirus. Now there’s a shortage of over 63,000 drivers. To make matters worse, driver turnover can end up being pretty expensive for trucking companies.

This is because advertising a job opening, interviewing candidates, and training them requires both time and money. Instead of driving your costs up, focus on creating a culture where drivers are taken care of and valued.

Here are 5 ways to create an excellent company culture so you can retain qualified drivers.

The Top Driver Qualification Violations

As a motor carrier, you’re responsible for maintaining up-to-date files on all your drivers and implementing stringent procedures. Still, many trucking businesses find it challenging to manage the FMCSA requirements, leading to confusion, hefty fines, and penalties.

This problem is primarily due to clerical error, oversight, the driver withholding the information, or they aren’t aware of current FMCSA requirements. Unfortunately, failing to stay up-to-date on your driver qualification files (DQF) directly impacts your fleet’s safety rating.

Therefore, keeping complete DQFs can help you avoid common driver qualification violations. Here we’ll discuss the top four driver qualification violations and how to avoid them.

Safety Guide for Trucking in Snow

Trucking in the snow is more challenging since overall visibility and control over your vehicle are reduced. Driving a semi in the snow requires a certain set of skills, experience, and knowledge. This is because the chances of getting into an accident increase significantly in the winter.

Not to mention, truck drivers are having to operate large and heavy vehicles in these conditions, which makes it even more difficult. Being aware of the risks can help you avoid an accident while trucking in the winter.

In this article, we’re going to discuss some safety tips for truckers hauling goods in the winter.

Tips for Transporting Hazardous Materials

Statistics reveal that nearly 3 billion tons of hazardous material are transported in the US every year. Interestingly, most of these materials are transported with the help of trucks. Although these trucks are equipped to safely transport hazardous substances, there’s still a chance you can get into an accident.

Since many of these substances are toxic or flammable, you must ensure they’re safely transported. We will mention some of these tips for your guidance and help you maximize protection against any unwanted incidents.

Loading Dock Safety Tips

If you’re a truck driver, you’ll be spending at least some of your days at a loading dock either dropping off goods or picking them up. The loading dock can be a dangerous place as trucks, trailers, and forklifts are typically moving at the same time. There are risks for pinch point injuries from rolling doors, fall hazards from elevated docks and truck beds, and accidental collisions between equipment and workers—among other hazards.

Even if you aren’t the one doing the loading/unloading, it’s everyone’s job to make sure injuries and accidents are avoided. As a truck driver, you’re responsible for your safety and the safe transport of your load.

Therefore, in this article, we’ve provided some vital safety tips for truck drivers at the loading dock.

Night Driving Safety Tips

Night driving can be difficult due to driver fatigue, reduced vision, drunk drivers, and wildlife. Drivers are four times more likely to get in an accident at night, the majority of the time the main cause is driver fatigue.

However, for truck drivers, there are numerous benefits to driving at night. For instance, there’s less traffic and more parking options available. While some truckers may prefer driving at night for these reasons, that doesn’t mean there’s no risk involved. Fortunately, there are a few tips that can help you minimize these dangers and make your trips at night safer.

In this article, we’ll discuss ways truck drivers can stay safe during their night trips.

Sun Glare Reduction Tips for Truckers

Sun glare on the road is a big problem for almost every truck driver. This glare not only makes it harder to see the road but also causes severe headaches and tension around the eyes. This can also lead to driver fatigue. Unfortunately, even after the sun goes down headlights can reflect off road signs and affect your ability to see clearly.

Therefore, since it’s a constant problem, finding an optimal solution should be of top priority if you’re a commercial driver. In this article, we are going to discuss some sun glare reduction tips to make navigating your routes easier Let’s begin.

How to Avoid Driver Fatigue

Physical or mental exertion can cause driver fatigue in truck drivers. This fatigue is quite common because truckers travel all over the country working long odd hours. Therefore, they often get inadequate sleep or have an inconsistent sleep schedule.

The Large Truck Crash Causation Study revealed that around 13% of truck drivers were fatigued at the time of their crash. This statistic is alarming and presents a major issue in the trucking industry.

Although situations like these can’t be 100% avoided, there are some ways to stay well-rested and healthy during your trips.

6 Reefer Truck Safety Tips

Transporting perishable cargo requires extra care and consideration. Most of these products include: produce, frozen food, pharmaceuticals, meat, plants, etc. Therefore, to comply with FDA guidelines you’ll need a well-equipped reefer truck. A refrigerated truck can keep goods at their required temperature for the duration of the trip. Proper procedures and guidelines need to be followed to a tee.

Therefore, we have compiled some tips in this article for your guidance. These reefer truck safety tips will help you ensure that your perishable items are delivered to their designated location. Let’s begin.