Category: Business

Categories
Carriers

Applying for Interstate Trucking Authority

Decide whom you want to work for. A common authority lets you work with the public with a moving company, for instance. To do interstate trucking for businesses, you’ll need contract authority.

Determine what goods you want to transport. You need household goods authority to work as a mover. General commodities is appropriate for work with trucking companies. To arrange transport between states without taking responsibility for the cargo, get a broker authority.

File for a USDOT number. This is issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). They regulate safety measures for commercial transportation activities.

Fill out the OP-1 form with the FMCSA for obtaining interstate operating authority. This shows you’ve got adequate insurance to cover property loss or damage and personal injuries.

File the BOC-3 form. This designates you have a process agent in all 50 states who’s willing to receive and forward legal documents to you.

File the BOC-3 form. This designates you have a process agent in all 50 states who’s willing to receive and forward legal documents to you.

Expect the interstate trucking authority registration process to take at least 30 days. Once you get your license, you must register it with the Single State Registration System. This is something you’ll have to do yearly.

http://rightnowloads.com/

Categories
Carriers

Trucker’s Safety

Truck driving can be a very demanding profession. Drivers are required to pick up and drop off loads at designated times that sometimes do not allow for much rest. Since truck drivers are primarily paid by how many miles they drive, it is important for them to get their loads delivered as quickly as possible, so that they can move on to the next job. While fast delivery is important, truck drivers should also consider safety the No. 1 when on the road.

Trucker Fatigue

A large safety concern for truckers is suffering trucker fatigue. This is when a driver becomes very tired while driving due to lack of sleep, resulting in a possible loss of coordination and response time. While it is very important for drivers to deliver their loads on time, it is also important that the driver factor in enough time to sleep. When a driver feels tired, he should pull over and either take a nap or rest. Do not try to push through or supplement little sleep with energy drinks or pills that could cause you to experience a sugar crash, thus making the fatigue worse.

Inclement Weather

Truck drivers are very often required to drive deliveries through ice, storms or other inclement weather. Before departing for your delivery destination, check the weather for your chosen route so that you will be aware of any potential weather hazards. Do not try to drive through heavy rain or bad road conditions as this could cause an accident. Pull over and wait for the bad weather to pass or choose a less hazardous route. If the hazard cannot be avoided, make sure that all safety equipment on your truck, such as snow tires or chains, radios and windshield wiper blades, are in good working order.

Radios

Because many truck drivers work alone, it is important that they have and use a CB radio. This radio will allow the driver to communicate with other drivers as well as receive emergency dispatches. Emergency frequencies can be used to contact local authorities in case of an accident or to receive important weather alerts. You can use the radio to talk with other drivers to help alleviate some of the symptoms of fatigue, as well as to warn them of any hazards or accidents that you may have already encountered on your route.

http://rightnowloads.com/

Categories
Business

Best Trucking Safety Plan

Trucking can be an exciting yet dangerous profession. Your key to long-term success in the trucking industry is to have an up to-date and effective trucking safety plan. This plan should be updated constantly and required for all of your truckers. How to reduce the likelihood of crashes and basic truck safety procedures are a good place to begin. A safety orientation should be required for all new drivers and yearly update courses must also be required for your experienced truckers. Train everyone and keep on training.
Safety Orientation

A trucking safety plan should contain a robust safety orientation for all drivers. This section covers road safety and defensive driving techniques. How to prevent accidents as well as preventive maintenance for your vehicle should also be covered. Avoiding distractions and maintaining the proper rest is also vital for the safety orientation section of your trucking safety plan. All new drivers should be required to complete this program before driving, and veteran truckers should receive an update every year, with mandatory attendance required.

Hazardous Weather

Bad weather affects us all, and it causes a great deal of trouble for truckers. From ice and snow to wind and rain, drivers encounter difficult weather on almost every trip. Techniques for handling skids and maintaining a safe distance in bad weather are important modules for your safety training program. Handling high winds, rain and flooding on the road are also essential and should be taught to every trucker. Sessions should be filled with practice and ample time for discussion.

Preventive Maintenance

Inspecting your vehicle prior to driving is also an important section in your trucking safety plan. Learning how to properly check tires for wear is often overlooked, yet it is one of the most important topics to discuss in your safety plan. Fluid levels and mirrors must always be checked before hitting the highway. Frequent inspections of brakes and other systems that can wear easily go a long way toward preventing issues before they occur. A solid preventive maintenance program is essential for a successful safety plan.

Drugs and Alcohol

Modules on the dangers of drugs and alcohol must also be included in your safety plan. Ample evidence indicates that even small amounts of alcohol and drugs can impair driving ability, and the effects of both need to be included in your safety plan. The dangers of using alcohol and drugs are great and all truckers must understand the consequences of using them. Your safety training plan does not need to scare anyone, but it must include the results of using drugs and alcohol while driving.


http://rightnowloads.com/

Categories
Carriers

Car Carrier Jobs

The car carrier industry is a booming business, with high growth due to Internet sales of vehicles. These transactions between sellers and buyers all around the United States mean a higher demand for vehicle transport than ever before. Car carrier companies are hiring truck drivers, dispatch operators and customer service representatives.

Function
There are many opportunities in the car carrier industry for truck drivers because these long-haul jobs can require being on the road for two weeks at a time, and many drivers do not prefer that sort of schedule. Car carrier companies nearly always hire drivers with previous truck driving experience because of the complex nature of this work. The drivers typically follow complicated routes around the country, picking up and delivering cars and other vehicles at numerous locations. They are also responsible for the actual loading and unloading of all the vehicles. Some drivers put in nearly 3,800 miles a week.

Considerations
Car carrier drivers must have a Class A commercial driver’s license, or CDL, which requires drivers to pass a written test and a driving skills test with a commercial truck. People interested in becoming a truck driver can obtain training from a truck driving school, and many commercial trucking companies offer paid training for their new hires. Since car carrier companies nearly always hire experienced drivers, acquiring training and some experience at a commercial trucking company is an excellent option.

Types
Other car carrier jobs include dispatch and customer service. Customer service representatives respond to emails and phone calls from potential customers asking for quotes, then take customer orders. They explain the system to people who are unfamiliar with how it works, and also answer questions from current customers about shipping dates. CSRs must be friendly and polite, with good communication skills to impart information about vehicle transport. Dispatchers schedule the shipping orders, creating the most efficient route possible, often arranging pick-ups and deliveries for one driver across the entire country. Because the work is so complicated, dispatchers must be well-organized and have a solid familiarity with U.S. geography.

Benefits
Average annual earnings for auto transport drivers in 2008 was about $31,000, with the highest salaries topping out at about $41,000. The median hourly rate for customer service representatives in the transportation industry was about $12.50, and for dispatchers about $14.50. Most positions are full time, although some part-time dispatch opportunities are available, and some employers allow dispatchers to work from home. Full-time positions provide health insurance, paid vacations and holidays, and a 401k plan.

Warning
Because companies vary in reputation, potential applicants should investigate customer reviews of the companies they are interested in before applying. At least one car carrier company has been convicted of fraud and forced to pay nearly $100,000 for reimbursement to customers, while several have only 1 1/2 or 2 stars out of 5 possible in numerous reviews. See the Resources section below for a link to car carrier reviews.

Categories
Freight Brokers Lifestyle

Brokers Life and Health Insurance

Life and health insurance brokers, also called agents or producers, are in a competitive business that is dependent upon a consumer planning for the future. Health insurance policies help individuals pay for medical bills. Life insurance policies give money to the beneficiary listed on the policy in the event the insured dies.

What Life & Health Insurance Brokers Do
Life and health insurance policies help individuals plan for the unthinkable, and it is a life and health insurance broker’s job to make planning for these events less stressful. Brokers specialize in selling health insurance policies to business owners who want to offer health insurance coverage to their employees and to individuals who do not receive health benefits through an employer. While life and health insurance brokers may offer life insurance to a company as an employee benefit, many agents encourage an individual to purchase his own separate life insurance policy in the event the he loses his job. In addition to selling life and health insurance policies, brokers may also sell dental insurance, annuities and long- or short-term disability policies. Brokers also assist clients with filing and settling claims.

Training
Every life and health insurance broker must have a state-issued license to sell life and health insurance. The license to become a life and health insurance broker is typically awarded, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, to licensed insurance agents who have completed pre-licensing training and passed the test to become a broker in these specific lines of insurance. While a college degree in finance, economics or business is not necessary to become a broker, insurance companies prefer to have brokers with degrees in higher education because they tend to have a better understanding of the insurance industry and how the industry is influenced by social and economic conditions. Additionally, courses in public speaking, marketing and sociology can help a broker have better sales techniques.

Where to Work as a Life & Health Insurance Broker
Many health and life insurance brokers work in insurance agencies, as the owner of the agency or as an employee licensed to issue life and health insurance policies. Many independent life and health insurance brokers learn their job duties by working for another agent while taking continuing professional education courses to remain up to date on current laws, insurance trends and products, before opening their own agencies.

Wages
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual salary for a life and health insurance broker in 2008 was $45,430, with the middle 50 percent earning $33,070 to $68,730. Many brokers only receive commission payments, but brokers who met sales goals often received a bonus. Brokers who do not own an agency may receive group insurance benefits, paid continuing education courses, transportation expenses and office space. Brokers who own an agency may not receive as many benefits, but may receive higher commission payments to help pay for office and marketing expenses.

Categories
Freight Brokers

Becoming Certified Business Broker

Business brokers, also called business transfer agents, or intermediaries, assist buyers and sellers of privately held small business in the buying and selling process. They typically estimate the value of the business; advertise it for sale with or without disclosing its identity; handle the initial potential buyer interviews, discussions, and negotiations with prospective buyers; facilitate the progress of the due diligence investigation and generally assist with the business sale.

A business broker is someone paid to buy and sell businesses. Unlike a Realtor, who lists and sells real estate, a business broker specializes in buying and selling business entities. Becoming a business broker doesn’t require a considerable amount of advanced education; however, you must have a significant amount of industry experience. Some states require business brokers to be certified and licensed. To become a certified broker, you must also complete broker training. The following information will help you take the necessary steps to get certified and licensed in your state.

Find a business broker school. Although a business or finance degree isn’t a must to become a business broker, you must have considerable knowledge in the field of finance, economics, large-scale negotiations, corporate takeovers and commercial real estate. Certification status is important in many industry circles. It is also a requirement in many states. Business broker training courses can be completed online through in-class formats. Contact the International Association of Business Brokers and obtain a list of training centers. By completing a training program, you will be recognized as a certified broker. In addition to your degrees, if you’ve earned them, being certified is proof you have extensive knowledge of the business. Find a business broker school that fits your needs.

Apply for a state license. In some states, you must obtain a license to operate as a business broker. State business broker licensees are commonly regulated by the same departments that oversee real estate or insurance agents, or the Department of Revenue. Contact your Secretary of State or Department of Revenue to find out if a business broker must obtain a business license to operate in your state. For example, the Alabama Department of Revenue provides a list of businesses, by industry, required to obtain a state license. Download a copy of the license application or have one sent to you. Complete each form and send it the proper state office. Expect to pay an application fee of $50 to $200. When your application is approved, you will be required to pass a state test. You may be asked to produce proof that you’ve passed a certification class prior to taking the state examination. Complete your broker training course before applying for your state license.

If your state does not require business brokers to be licensed, proof that you have completed an official business broker training program is all you need to be certified.

Gain experience. Especially if you are new to the industry, it is a good idea to work for an established brokerage firm for a minimum of two years. This will allow you to work alongside veterans and receive the on-the-job training necessary to succeed on your own.

Categories
Freight Brokers Trucker News

Load Broker Info

A freight broker is an individual or company that serves as a liaison between another individual or company that needs shipping services and an authorized motor carrier. Though a freight broker plays an important role in the movement of cargo, the broker doesn’t function as a shipper or a carrier. Instead, a freight broker works to determine the needs of a shipper and connects that shipper with a carrier willing to transport the items at an acceptable price.

Work in the cargo and freight business. Find work with a shipping, trucking or freight brokering company in any position available and begin learning how the freight business operates. First-hand knowledge about the actual job a load broker performs can be learned as an apprentice to a transportation broker or agent. A load broker should have comprehensive knowledge about the ins and outs of the freight business.

Choose a freight specialization. There are many types of freight that require transportation. Specializing in a particular freight type puts the agent in the role of expert and the go-to person for transportation companies handling that particular type of freight. Freight specialties include livestock, over-size loads, hazardous materials and perishable food.

Develop networking skills and build a business network. Load brokers are the contact point for drivers and transportation companies. The load brokers contact list becomes an asset to the broker, without it they have no way to conduct business. Daily conversation with transportation companies and drivers is required of the broker to initiate and successfully complete a shipment.

Obtain a freight brokers license from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Brokers must be licensed whether they are working as an employee of a brokering company or as an independent broker. The Federal Carrier Safety Administration known as the FMCSA is the DOT department that oversees the licensing of load brokers. Call the FMCSA at 800-832-5660 or visit the website to find out more about the licensing process. The license fee is $300 and requires proof of the purchase of a surety bond in the amount of $10,000 before the application is approved.

Categories
Carriers

Carrier Technical Training

The Carrier Corporation, Technical Training is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation. Carrier Technical Training was established in the early part of the 20th century by William Carrier to find innovative solutions to heating, ventilation and air conditioning problems.

Accreditation
Carrier is accredited by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET); to gain this accreditation Carrier showed it had met the good practice standards developed by IACET and the American National Standards Institute. Carrier is also an accredited trainer for North American Technical Excellence.

Classes
The classes provided by Carrier are available as classroom-based, online or self-learning courses, using materials such as DVDs and CDs often used as learning materials for non-classroom-based study. Courses available through Carrier include NATE core prep classes and HVAC mechanical troubleshooting.

Skills
Carrier teaches skills covering the majority of roles available in the HVAC industry, from HVAC technical skills through to sales and marketing classes. Carrier Technical Training offers some courses that carry college credit.

http://truckerhunt.com/
http://www.findfreightloads.com/

Categories
Business Lifestyle

Buying Freightliner Parts

Owner-operators and independent diesel mechanics need to have first hand knowledge of where to obtain parts for any make and model of truck. Time is money on the road, and having to wait because you can’t find parts can be very detrimental to one’s income, as well as business reputation. In this article we’ll take a look at how to find and buy parts for Freightliner trucks.

Develop a list of reliable parts resources to ensure that you will have the best chance of finding Freightliner parts when you need them. Start by gathering a list of dealers within the states that you normally run. If you run the same routes consistently, you can narrow your list down further by eliminating dealerships outside your routes. Use the “Freightliner Dealers by State” link in the Resource section of this article to start. You can also search for parts in Canada and Mexico, if you commonly travel into these two countries.

Use the Freightliner Strategic Supplier list (see Resource section for link) to research other vendors who carry Freightliner parts. This list of suppliers is approved by Freightliner, and their relationship with each supplier ensures that you can get the best prices and timely service that you need when searching for parts during a breakdown.

Conduct a search for Freightliner parts, using your favorite search engine, if you cannot locate vendors or dealerships that are located within your lanes of travel. This method is less reliable, as vendors not strategically aligned with Freightliner are under no obligation to uphold the manufacturer’s policies with regards to pricing, service and timely shipment of parts.

Create a spreadsheet or basic text document on your computer to store your list of parts suppliers, if you have a PC or laptop that you use while you are in transit. If you don’t have PC access, make a printed copy that you can store with your other reference materials in your truck.

Search for salvaged Freightliner parts by calling truck salvage yards in your area or by visiting websites such as Heavy Truck Parts, which provide a database of salvage yards where one can locate used Freightliner parts. Utilizing salvage yards is best for situations that do not require immediate attention, as it is a time consuming process. Save this option for times when your truck is off the road for normal maintenance and down time.

Use the services of truck stops that you frequent. Flying J, Love’s and independent truck stops can provide you with information about local vendors and repair shops that can assist you in getting your Freightliner parts. Travel Centers of America, LLC (TA) are partnered with Daimler Trucks North America LLC, Freightliner’s parent company, to provide parts and service for Freightliner and other makes. Even if you do your own repairs, having access to a TA center can help you get parts faster than having to order and wait for shipment.

Carry a sufficient cash or credit cushion with you to cover the expense of purchasing parts. For owner-operators, having a line of credit through a lender can help cover maintenance and repair costs. Setting up an emergency savings account is another way that you can make sure you have the money needed when you break down.

truckerhunt.com/
http://www.findfreightloads.com/

Categories
Business Lifestyle

Getting a Logistics Degree

There are generally two ways of getting a degree in logistics or supply chain management complete coursework at an accredited college or register for the distance learning program of a reputable university. Associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees are available. A distance learning program allows you to earn while you learn and boosts future career prospects. An undergraduate degree in logistics will enable you to get an entry level job, while graduate and post-graduate degrees will help you move to the upper echelons of management or pursue a career in consulting or academics.

Get a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED) to fulfill the minimum educational prerequisite for gaining entry into degree programs in logistics.

Appear for the SAT or American College Test (ACT) to test your readiness for college. Grade point average (GPA) in high school and SAT or ACT scores will be taken into account when you apply for admission to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in logistics. You will have to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to apply for a master’s degree program in logistics.

Choose a college offering an accredited degree program in logistics. You can visit the website of the United States Department of Education or Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to check whether the college or logistics degree program that you have chosen is accredited or not.

Get a job in a warehouse, store or manufacturing facility. You will gain hands-on experience by assisting the staff in checking invoices and monitoring inventory levels. This will help you to gain entry into universities that require prior work experience for enrolling in a post-graduate degree program in logistics, especially if you hold a bachelor’s degree in disciplines other than logistics, mathematics, physics or engineering.

truckerhunt.com/