Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Who is responsible for your company's success?

Of course - it's you. However, you may not be acting like it. If you purchased a service or product (even LoadTrek.net) thinking that it can transform your company with no fundamental change in behavior - you are shifting responsibility away from yourself to this product or service.

You can buy the best hoping to simplify your office, organize your dispatch, help your drivers be accountable, fill in the blank with anything. But, it takes more. Some ideas that have helped me are:
  1. Nothing good happens without effort. Work, learn, and be rock-solid consistent.
  2. Once isn't enough. Don't turn your attention to your newly-purchased product or service only when things go bad and you need answers.
  3. Keep a journal. Make notes, keep a spreadsheet, write a document. Make your own learning ledger of training notes and good ideas.
  4. Find a partner, someone using the same product or service you can share ideas with.
If you have other ideas, I would like to hear them - let me know.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

ATRI Operational Costs of Trucking - 2011 Update

ATRI's study found that the average marginal cost for common/contract carriers is $1.49/mile as of Q1 2010 -based on responses from ATRI participants.
  • Fuel and Oil = $0.465
  • Truck/Trailer lease or Purchase Payments = $0.235
  • Repairs/Maintenance = $0.12
  • Truck Insurance = $0.052
  • Permits and Licenses = $0.023
  • Tires = $0.026
  • Tolls = $0.024
  • Driver Wages = $0.404
  • Driver Benefits = $0.142

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

FMCSA To Publish New HOS Rule October 28

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says it will not meet a court-imposed deadline to issue new hours-of-service rules for drivers of property-carrying vehicles.

According to a status report filed on May 20, 2011, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the FMCSA now intends to publish a final rule by October 28, 2011, about three months later than originally scheduled.

The original deadline for a final rule — July 26, 2011 — was part of a 2009 settlement agreement with Public Citizen and other petitioners. The FMCSA published a proposed version of the rule on December 29, 2010.

Roadcheck eyeing buses, movers, hours-of-service

Roadcheck eyeing buses, movers, hours-of-service

Thursday, June 2, 2011

70% of HOS Violations are Clerical, Only 30% are Rules Violations

Roadcheck 2011 is June 7-9, and the CVSA has announced that they will be focusing on hours of Service violations this year. 70% of all HOS violations are "form and manner", which means they are completely avoidable. When you run paperless logs - these issues go away.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

New HOS rule expected by October

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne Ferro said the agency expects to complete work on hours-of-service rule revisions by late October. FMCSA asked for additional time so it could consider four new research studies that were entered into the docket in early May. Fleets are facing the possible reduction of one driving hour from the current 11 to 10, as well as strict new limits on rest periods, both during work and between assignments.