Summer Safety Tips for Truck Drivers & Memorial Day Wishes from Veltri

In fact, AAA predicts they will assist nearly eight million drivers roadside this year, “with the top reasons being flat tires, lockouts and dead batteries.” It’s important for all drivers, not just truck drivers, to do regular maintenance checks and prepare for travel conditions throughout May and the rest of the summer. While it is tempting to turn up the music and let the wind blow through our windows, we all benefit from more vigilance, not less.

Here are our summer safety tips for truck drivers:

Prepare for rain, storms & flooding

According to the Federal Highway Administration, “75 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on wet pavement and 47 percent happen during rainfall.” Hydroplaning and the danger of wet slick roads are a possibility during summer thunderstorms. Make sure your brakes are in top condition and always give yourself plenty of time to come to a stop.

Keep an eye out for animals

With growing vegetation, animals are less visible on roadsides and can move closer to the highway during the summer to forage. Keep an eye out as you drive and make sure you are vigilant about areas with higher instances of wildlife especially during dusk and dawn when most animals are more active. This also includes our four legged friends like dogs and cats if you happen to be in more populated areas.

Watch out for cyclists and people

Summer brings with it lots of outdoor activities, cycling being one of the biggest. Remember to share the road and be mindful as some cyclists may not be familiar with the correct rules of the road or signaling. In more populated areas keep a watchful eye for children and families - especially during times of high traffic like holiday weekends. Drive with patience as cars full of people can have other drivers distracted.

Additional Safety Tips

There are more summer safety tips for truck drivers. Roads can have damage from harsh winter weather or hail. Keep an eye out for potholes, or infrastructure damage. Road construction is also common during the summer months so be mindful of road crews and posted speed limits.

Make sure your truck has regular maintenance such as checking your lights, turn signals, brake lights, new wiper blades, and good tire pressure.

Safety isn’t just about truck maintenance. Make sure you are taking care of yourself first. That includes managing your stress and making sure you are drawing enough attention to yourself if you have to pull over.

Memorial Day is also an important holiday that we want to take the time to recognize. From everyone at Veltri, we want to thank our service members who protect this great country and who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect us. We also want to recognize our incredible military families and their dedication and sacrifice as well. Is there a special soldier in your life?

Connect with us on social media and share their story!

Equality in the Workforce – Women in the Trucking Industry

Bureau of Labor Statistics, currently only 6.2 percent of truck drivers in the workforce are female. Long hours, travelling far from home, and safety concerns all present a challenge to women in the trucking industry. As this number continues to increase and organizations like the non-profit organization Women in Trucking Association continue to work for equality, more employment opportunities are presented to women. One crucial benefit for women who are thinking of driving or who are already employed by a trucking company is fair pay. According to the Ellen Voie, founder of  Women in Trucking Association, "Women and men are paid the same as drivers…A carrier sets the pay based on mileage, hours or percentage of the load. It is not related to age, ethnicity or gender." The mean wage for a commercial driver is $42,500 (WITA) and women have more opportunity for advancement into management positions within the trucking industry than others. It’s true that in this day and age driver retention is a struggle for trucking companies, and female truck drivers face challenges male drivers may not. Skepticism or harassment from male workers, an issue in any male dominated industry, as well as safety issues when long haul drivers are forced to choose truck stops or rest areas that can have drugs or prostitution in the area are on the list of concerns. Still, the benefits of fair salary, health insurance, 401k, and steady income far outweigh the negatives. There are also cases where grants and scholarships even cover the cost of school tuition for drivers, an education that can cost anywhere from three to seven thousand dollars. Veltri realizes how important truck drivers are to the industry – without them fleets could not move, and we value our employees that allow us to run a successful growing business. We pride ourselves in driver retention as well as equality in the workforce. We recognize the value that women bring to our organization and to the industry. The average Veltri driver has been with us for at least 6 years and we require our employees to have at least 2 years of previous driving experience and clean records upon their hire. Veltri’s reputation enables us to choose the best drivers, both men and women. Our fair treatment and respect for our employees enables us to retain them for NJ trucking, PA trucking, and DE trucking. The drivers we hire are seasoned and need minimal training. However, our drivers meet quarterly for safety training. Veltri drivers know that management is accessible and receptive to their concerns and we are proud to offer equal opportunities for management and growth to both male and female employees. Employee feedback is encouraged and valued as our drivers are on the front lines and can give us valuable insight to improve our operations. Our compensation and benefit package are also above the standard. Employees receive a strong base pay, enjoy a generous 401K and a quality health care plan. Since we are local and regional, all our drivers spend their downtime at their own homes reducing the issue of safety concerns for long haul drivers and allowing our employees to focus on family and work life balance. You can learn more about becoming a driver with Veltri here, and we look forward to discussing the future with you. Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/13/heres-what-its-like-to-be-a-woman-truck-driver.htmlhttps://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm http://www.womenintrucking.org/ https://www.womenintrucking.org/diversity-facts-in-transportation

A Rubric For the Road

HOW VELTRI EXPECTS THE BEST FROM ITS DRIVERS The trucking industry has been busy this past year and a half—and busy is good. Nationwide volume increases have freight shipment schedules packed. This means that carrier companies can be a bit more discerning when taking on new business. And part of being discerning means asking for a higher fee from customers. That being said, we recognize how important it is to never lose sight of the fact that our customers are our partners. Even when economics force us to charge more—especially when economics force us to charge more—it’s crucial to provide these partners with the superior service they deserve. Here’s what that looks like to us at Veltri. NO ROUGH PATCHES Our living is made behind the wheel. As such, Veltri takes driving records incredibly seriously. Our customers can expect “clean” to mean spotless—no accidents, moving violations or points. In addition, Veltri drivers have met strict criteria in terms of driving experience and background checks. BY THE BOOK A truck driver not being familiar with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) rules and regulations is a bit like a practicing doctor who hasn’t attended med school. They don’t exist. Veltri drivers keep track of consecutive driving hours so they can maintain the utmost safety for themselves, customer shipments and other drivers. TICK TOCK This is pretty basic stuff, but our experienced drivers know that arriving on time isn’t an option—it’s a promise. We proudly serve the Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, metro and rural areas with twenty-four-hour dispatch and GPP equipped vehicles. KNOW THY TRUCK The road is ever changing by nature. Our drivers can rely on their trucks as a constant no matter what lies beyond the windshield. Customers can be confident that their shipments will travel safe and sound through twisty on-ramps and summer storms. Veltri drivers are also equipped to complete small fix-up jobs if a mechanical issue should arise. This means they can get back on the road—and on schedule—as soon as possible. TALK TO ME Making customers happy starts with drivers who feel supported along their journey. Sometimes federal road regulations or a slow-loading shipper may force a driver off-schedule. Veltri’s drivers remain in constant communication with home base so delivery appointments can be amended if such circumstances arise. This enables us to keep our customers in the loop as well. One of our biggest points of pride at Veltri is that many of our drivers have been with us for over six years. That speaks to a relationship with trust at its core. Everything we do from there is imbued with that trust and our business is the better for it. Have any questions about a rubric for the road? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to a Veltri representative to get them answered. We look forward to hearing from you.