Every fleet manager knows that safety can make or break a successful trucking company. Problems with vehicle inspections, driver behaviors, or other overlooked areas can swiftly render a once-thriving company impotent with violations, fines, and out-of-service notices. Of course, improving safety is almost always a multipronged undertaking, and many may not be sure where to [...]
Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) holds an International Roadcheck to inspect commercial vehicles and ensure maximum safety on the highways. This year’s inspection ran from June 4-6 and CVSA released the results of the 72-hour event at the end of August this year. Compared to the previous year, the results were mostly [...]
An ATRI study has determined how trucking violations impact the likelihood that a driver will be involved in a future crash. Some of the highest results predictably include reckless driving violations (114% increased chance to be involved in a future crash), involvement in a past crash (74%), and speeding violations at 45%. But one figure [...]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been going through previous rulings at the behest of numerous industry insiders. The rise of electronic logging devices (ELDs) helped shore up arguments about making changes to hours of service (HOS) regulations as well as overhauling the Compliance, Safety, Accountability initiative. While FMCSA is considering changes to [...]
Proper fleet management relies on driver accountability. Prior to GPS tracking solutions, fleets had limited visibility into how drivers operated their vehicles. Without this insight, there was no way to target safety initiatives or prove drivers completed deliveries. Accountability is a multifaceted issue and GPS tracking solutions can address this unique challenge. Improve ETAs and [...]
Maintenance is an unavoidable expense in the trucking industry. However, taking a proactive, smart approach to maintenance can keep costs down and help improve the longevity of fleet vehicles. Trucks are made of moving parts and all that friction causes degradation. The following tips can help fleets keep their trucks in good shape: Prepare for [...]
When GPS first hit the market, it was little more than dots on a map of questionable accuracy. Over the years, upgrades have refined the technology to a critical tool for fleet safety, cost savings, and efficiency. Time and competition have driven down the cost of this useful device. Fleets that are still on the [...]
There are several costs associated with commercial vehicles and fuel is easily one of the leading expenses. Thankfully, fleets can do a lot to reduce how much fuel they consume, driving down costs and bolstering the fleet’s bottom line. Idling is one of the top fuel draining activities that has numerous hidden expenses. When the [...]
When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) first release the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate, trucking companies sat up and took notice. It signaled a massive shift away from paper records of duty status (RODS) to electronic record keeping. While safety regulations remained the same, ELDs faced a great deal of scrutiny and resistance. [...]
Experts within the industry have been raising the red flag to warn fleets about the driver shortage for years. However, as the freight economy continues to surge, the shortage will only worsen. In 2017, there were approximately 50,700 too few drivers to meet the existing supply demand. These numbers soared in 2018, increasing this shortage [...]