Tag: truck driver

Categories
Carriers CDL Owner Operators

Driving Tips for Beginner

A driving school will help you improve your driving skills but it takes time to get lots of experience under your belt. So what can you do in the interim to make sure you’re on the right track? If you continue to implement these tips into your driving routine, you will become a skilled individual behind the wheel of a car.

New drivers acquiring their license are eager to grab the keys and hit the road for their first legal cruise. Often these drivers are teenagers with minimal first-hand experience with the rules of the road. While driver’s safety courses are a great help to beginning motorists, remembering a few tips for driving a car will help keep these novices safe as well as protect their passengers and those who share the road with them.

Prepare Before Starting
Some drivers are in such a hurry that putting on a seat belt and adjusting the various settings on the car doesn’t happen until they are driving down the street.
Once seated in the car, the next step should be to put on the seatbelt, adjust mirrors, seats, steering wheel tilt and other personalized settings within the car, according to the Unofficial DMV Guide website. Preferably, these actions should be completed prior to starting the engine.

Learn the Signs
Most likely a beginning driver has learned many of the basic traffic signs and the meanings associated with them. However, there are many of these signs that are regularly encountered on the roads and highways that may not be clear for beginners. Take the time to memorize what these symbols mean and how they can affect everyday driving.

Signals
Turn signals should be used on all occasions in which the driver’s intentions may not be clear. Just because the driver knows where he is going doesn’t necessarily mean anyone else does. Turn signals should also be used to indicate lane changes. In addition, beginning drivers should become accustomed to checking over their shoulders to make sure people are out of the way for turns and lane changes. Remember that other drivers may not be paying attention and it is up to you to keep yourself safe from a collision.

Passengers and Seatbelts
Beginning drivers often like to take friends on a ride to show off their newly found freedom. Count the available seat belts in the car, and do not allow more people in the car than there are belts, according to Teen Driving. It is illegal to drive or ride in a car without seat belts fastened. It is also unsafe.

Volume Level
Teenagers tend to love listening to music. Often they listen to music at louder volumes than other people do, especially when driving. This is a bad idea that can lead to dangerous situations. Cars have horns and emergency vehicles have sirens to warn other drivers of imminent danger or to alert them to move out of the way. If a radio is set at a high volume, it may drown out the horns or sirens and the driver may be caught unaware

Looking for loads to haul? click here

Categories
Business Freight Loads

Elevated Methods of Moving freight

Several different types of equipment move freight from one location to another. Depending on whether you are moving freight inside a building or outside in a storage area, you should use the best equipment to stack the freight.

Elevated freight equipment uses chains and hooks to pneumatically lift the freight high off the ground. Workers should engage in safety practices and have the required training concerning the equipment they plan to operate to elevate the freight for movement.

Move freight inside the warehouse with hoisting equipment. This hoisting equipment consists of a mechanical crane elevated above the warehouse floor that can be moved by a hoist operator. Attach the freight to the hoist with lifting cables and hooks.

Push the button on the pendant control to hoist the equipment off the warehouse floor. Guide the hoist with the freight by using the pendant control, which is a control box on a long cord that operates the hoist above. Lower the hoist and freight once you have moved it to a new location in the warehouse.

Move the freight from the warehouse with a telescoping boom attached to a forklift. Slide the lifting cables around the freight and hook the chain to the telescoping boom at the rear of the forklift. Ensure the freight is stable and centered on the forklift to prevent the machine from tipping over by the sheer weight.

Drive the freight to the necessary area. Lift the freight to the required height and stack it. Detach the chain and lower the telescoping boom to a normal height.

Categories
Carriers Trucker News

What Is an Intrastate DOT Number For?

If you run a business that involves moving people or goods, you probably need to apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation, or USDOT, for an identification number. Transportation firms also need to register with the USDOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The USDOT uses this information to keep track of a firm’s safety records.

The federal government requires all companies that move goods across state lines, and all companies that transport hazardous material within state lines, to file for a USDOT number. Many states require all companies that operate commercial motor vehicles to get a USDOT number. Each company has a unique USDOT number covering its vehicles.

Interstate vs. Intrastate USDOT Numbers

Intrastate business occurs within one state’s boundaries. Interstate commerce involves moving goods or passengers across at least one state line. When registering for a USDOT number, businesses must report whether they will be operating within (intrastate) or across (interstate) state lines.
An intrastate USDOT number classifies the business as operating within one state.

Changes from Intrastate to Interstate Status

Firms can change the status of their USDOT numbers to interstate from intrastate by filing an update with the Department of Transportation. A business retains the same registration number when it changes status, but its classification changes. Companies do not need to file separately with the USDOT for intrastate or interstate registration, so an intrastate USDOT number is not wholly distinct from an interstate USDOT number.

Purpose of Intrastate DOT Number

The federal government has an interest in keeping safety records regarding companies that transport hazardous materials. Some states require registration with the USDOT to help with their own record-keeping, and because some automated registration systems use the federal USDOT number as the standard means of identification.

States That Require USDOT Registration

These states require all commercial vehicle operators to register with the USDOT: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Categories
Carriers Trucker News

How to Make Money With a Dump Truck

If you’re looking to make money with a dump truck, building contractors, landscaping companies and homeowners are your target clients. Get a commercial driver’s license (CDL), set up your business and spread the word.
1

Prepare for business. Get your CDL, which will enable you to legally operate a dump truck. Check your local ordinances for any additional training or licensing requirements for operating an independent dump truck business before you can begin to solicit jobs.
Contact the IRS to obtain a tax ID number for your business and open a business bank account. Have business cards and letterhead printed for your company that you can mail or leave with building contractors, landscape supply managers and homeowners. You will make a more professional impression if you leave your contacts with relevant pricing and contact information, along with a copy of your credentials. Better business impressions translate into more money for your business.
2

Contact landscape suppliers in your area, advising them that you are available to move dirt, mulch and other landscaping materials on a contract basis. Talk to the store managers in person, leaving them a packet with your business card, rate information and certification documents for owning and operating the dump truck.

3

Run an ad in several local papers and in the yellow pages describing the types of work you are available to do with your dump truck. Homeowners who enjoy do-it-yourself landscaping or renovation projects need your services to haul in or remove materials as they excavate or remodel. Advertise on Craigslist and other online sources for free exposure.
4

Make money with your dump truck by working with local builders as an independent contractor. New construction projects always need the services of a dump truck to move debris to the landfill as well as moving dirt and other landscaping materials. Contact the builders personally by phone or at a job site. Follow up with the same printed materials you left with the landscape supplier.
5

Contact your local city transportation services to inquire about winter snow removal jobs or other contract positions it may have available. You can also contact other snow removal companies to let them know you’re available for their overflow.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

How to Repair a Truck Tarp

You can repair a worn and torn truck tarp to secure and protect your load while in transit. Truck tarps are available in a wide variety of sizes and designs to fit the beds of large and small trucks. The majority of truck tarps are made of a woven canvas or plastic polymer blend that is lightweight and durable. Extensive exposure to high speed winds may cause damage to the connection system or the truck tarp itself.

Instructions

1

Trim the frayed edges of any torn sections of the truck tarp so they are clean and flat.
2

Hold torn edges together and apply a strip of tarp tape that is four inches longer than the tear to both sides of the truck tarp damage. Press the tarp tape to the truck tarp surface so it completely adheres.
3

Punch new holes in the edges of the tarp with the grommet tool in an undamaged location near where other grommets have failed. Crimp a new grommet onto the newly created hole using the grommet tool.
4

Secure the repaired tarp by hooking a few bungee cords into the newly placed grommets and attaching them to the truck bed.
5

Look in the rear view mirror to see the way the truck tarp is moving at high speeds. Add more bungee cords to secure the tarp down onto the load so snugly that it barely moves to avoid further damage.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

How to Start a Transportation Company

Transportation companies transport goods or people via taxis, shuttles, ferries, limousines, buses or freight companies. If you’re interested in starting a transportation company, you will first need to define a structure for your business. Start with a business plan to help you identify a need and any competition.

Define your business. Freight companies move vehicles across the nation and overseas for commercial and individual clients, such as car dealers who may need to move a handful of cars to another locale or individuals whose jobs have moved them across the country. A freight company will have significantly higher start-up costs, insurance needs and manpower. Local transport companies may service hotels, restaurants, schools, and tourists. A school bus service may charter kids to school. Another option is to start a moving company for residents moving within the local area.

Get licensed, insured and registered. Select a relevant name for your business that includes the type of service you provide and then register your business and purchase liability insurance. Obtain the required license for your company. For example, if your company will include buses, trucks or vehicles designed to carry more than 16 people, you will need a commercial driving license. If operating a school bus company, contact your local motor vehicle department to learn the requirements for procuring a school bus driver’s license. Additionally, companies that move passengers or cargo across state lines may be required to obtain a USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) number.

Find a location for your business. A taxi or shuttle service should be situated near hotels, airports or downtown. If operating a school bus service or freight company, look to move into an old warehouse to eliminate construction costs and zoning concerns.

Procure your commercial vehicles. Find reliable mechanics who are skilled on your particular makes and models. When first starting, you may have a small fleet, which means that anytime a vehicle breaks down, you are literally losing money. Quick repairs are imperative. Purchase commercial auto insurance for your vehicles. Hire trained and licensed drivers with clean records. Purchase workers’ compensation for your employees.

Procure a website for your transport business. Then invest in reservation software that can help you organize and track your reservations. Look for software that can integrate with your site and will provide your customers with accurate quotes, assign staff and vehicles, and display trip routes, cancellations, baggage options, freight handling and accommodations. On your site, detail policies for pets, cancellations and reservations. Hire a dispatcher or receptionist to take calls.

Categories
Newbies

How to spot flood-damaged trucks

Used truck experts say flood-damaged passenger vehicles are much more common on the market than flood-damaged trucks, but truck customers still should use caution.

Although shoppers should consider if the truck is for sale in an area that’s sustained flood damage, the truck could easily have been taken to another region to sell. Wherever you’re shopping, choosing a reputable used truck dealer is a good first step, say market experts.

One obvious thing to check is if the truck has a salvage title, says Dan Jeske, vice president of purchasing and wholesale for Kansas City-based Arrow Truck Sales. Still, truck owners do not always turn in a flood-damage claim to insurance, he added, in which case it would not have a salvage title. Also, not every state requires vehicle titles to indicate flood damage, says Brittany Senary, a spokeswoman for Progressive Casualty Insurance Co.

“At Progressive, we have very strict guidelines on flood vehicles,” Senary says. “If water reaches the dash, or engine, the vehicle is considered a total loss and we would not repair that vehicle.”

Some existing consumer services attempt to trace records of vehicles damaged in floods and accidents, or those reported as stolen, but focus primarily on passenger vehicles. “A new service being introduced at the Great American Trucking Show will concentrate on commercial trucks,” says James Vogel, general manager of RigDig. RigDig will be the only service for used vehicle customers that’s for over-the-road trucks only. More information will be available at RigDig.com during GATS, which opens Aug. 25.

As for on-site inspections, buyers should look for a waterline on the truck, much like what you would see in a house with flooded drywall. That might be “caked mud high on the vehicle where water may have been pooled for some time and a mildew smell from the interior,” says Frank Scafidi, a former OTR owner-operator who’s now public affairs director for the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Categories
Newbies

Right Lane Trucking Safety Zone

Welcome to Right Lane LLC

In today’s environment, safety is simply good business. And no company offers trucking safety programs and services with the quality, depth, and proven performance.

Running a trucking business in today’s world is neither for the faint of heart nor the unprepared. Fundamental to that preparation is securing the professional resources you need to operate legally, effectively and economically.

The three principals of Right Lane Consulting draw on more than 80 years of combined experience in trucking, law enforcement, and the legal field. Such concentrated expertise and experience across key areas of safety training and compliance is difficult to come by from one resource.

It provides trucking agency owners and executives with the support they need to do their own jobs, without the massive time requirements of mastering these knowledge areas, the added weight of concern, and the added costs of liability and non-compliance.

Enhancing the safety of trucks and their drivers is the key to maintaining a cost-effective, customer-satisfying trucking operation. Failure to maintain high quality safety standards can do far more than damage your bottom line—it can also be catastrophic to the reputation and very survival of your company.

The professionals at Right Lane Consulting can help keep your operation fully compliant with all federal and state regulations. Remember, ignorance of the law and regulatory requirements is not an excuse for noncompliance. Your best defense against a host of potential problems is the kind of thorough operations review, education and preparation provided by Right Lane Consulting.

Right Lane Consulting LLC
1400 N. Dutton Ave.
Suite 21
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Tel. 707-573-1111
Fax 707-566-0290
[email protected]

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

Unemployment Rate Dips to 9.1% for Trucking Adds Jobs

Unemployment, as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively looked for work within the past four weeks. The unemployment rate is a measure of the prevalence of unemployment and it is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by all individuals currently in the labour force.

The U.S. unemployment rate declined a tenth of a point in July to 9.1%, while the economy added 117,000 jobs to payrolls, the Labor Department said Friday.Trucking added 1,300 workers, while the total transportation and warehousing sector grew by 1,100 jobs, Labor figures showed.

“I was very pleasantly surprised by the top-line figure of 117,000, said Bob Costello, chief economist for American Trucking Associations. “Based on other economic data, I thought the number would be closer to 75,000.”

Costello noted that for-hire trucking had its smallest job gain since January but said that number is often subject to significant revision later when the government reviews its initial reports.

“Trucking has been creating a decent amount of jobs this year, at a faster pace than the overall economy, so, if it does slow down a bit, that wouldn’t be surprising or alarming,” he said.

Economists had forecast the unemployment rate would hold steady at June’s level of 9.2%, Bloomberg reported.

The payrolls gain followed a revised 46,000 increase in June that was more than originally reported.

The payroll and unemployment figures are obtained by separate surveys, with payrolls from a survey of employers and the unemployment rate from a survey of households.

Categories
Lifestyle Trucker News

How Does a Catering Truck Driver Spend a Workday?

Starting the Day

The catering truck driver starts his day by filling up with fuel and cleaning the outside of the truck, especially if the truck has the shiny aluminum-type body. He will then check his inventory of food and drinks to be sure he has everything he needs. If he is low on his inventory, he will go purchase any food and non-food items he needs to stock the truck for the day. If he sells pre-made sandwiches, he will have them made or purchase them already pre-made at this time.

Working

Most catering truck drivers have a route they follow. They will drive to the first stop on their route and set up for business. They will prepare any food that is not prepared already, set out condiments if they sell hot dogs and hamburgers and make sure there is plenty of each type of drink in the coolers. They will spend a set amount of time at this stop, then move on to the next stop on their route. They will continue these steps until they reach the end of their route.

Ending the Day

At the end of the route, the catering truck driver checks the inventory and makes a list of items that will need to be purchased in the morning. He cleans the inside of the truck, including the grill and other cooking equipment, if the truck is so equipped. If he did not get gas in the morning, he may get gas at this time. He will wipe down the outside of the truck again, making sure that nothing is stuck to the aluminum finish, making it easier to shine in the morning.

Conclusion

Some catering truck drivers stay in one location all day, but most will go from office to office throughout the lunch hours. Because there is only so much space in these trucks, they must do inventory daily. They generally do not have employees, so all administrative tasks are done at the end of the day and usually include only income and expense reports.