Truckers and Travelers
Trucking Information Resource
Archive for July, 2009
Trucking Resources – Increasing Your Client Base – Part 1
Monday, July 13, 2009
posted by 18 Wheeler 10:50 AM
Hello, Fellow Truckers! Let’s talk growing your trucking business. Your most valuable trucking resources are your customers. Here are some tips on how to increase this MVR (most valuable resource).
Take excellent care of existing customers. You have to take care of the customers you have now. You do this three ways:
1. Communicate regularly. You can always email, but personal contact is FAR superior. You know the “Golden Rule”? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Regular personal contact will go a long way in establishing customer loyalty.
2. Resolve any problems promptly. I recently spent three grueling hours in a popular electronics store to get my cell phone fixed. They attempted to give me an inferior phone while they sent mine off to get fixed. I refused to accept this type of service. I stayed calm and had to go all the way to the top store manager before getting a brand new phone at no charge. The whole time I was treated with rolling eyes and under-their-breath comments about my persistence. What’s my point? Even though I got a new phone, which is what I wanted, I was treated like a “problem”. Do you think this company will have my loyalty? Absolutely not.
3. Be honest with customers. Always be straightforward with your customers. You build their confidence and loyalty when you show them you care about what they are communicating to you. Learn to listen effectively. That means that you listen for the emotion in the story they are relating to you. This takes time to develop but once you let your customer know you really “hear” them, you automatically gain their confidence and they will want to continue doing business with you.
I think you get my point. Your customers make or break your business. Listen to your customers and know how to resolve any issues so that your customers get the desired result. It’s usually true that the customer is always right. Occasionally you will have the customer that can’t be satisfied. Read the book by Dale Carnegie called “How To Win Friends And Influence People”. In it you’ll learn how to even deal with hard cases and increase your customer loyalty.
For more trucking resources, visit my CD Books page. It’s loaded with audio books designed to increase your success. The information will teach you how to start a trucking business successfully and profitably and keep it that way. So Fellow Truckers, in this economy you have to educate yourself then practice the knowledge you gain. This will make your trucking business all the YOU dream it to be. You have to first dream it, then you become it. Tomorrow I’ll discuss customer calls and referrals. Be safe out there!
add comment | 0 Comments
Hello, Fellow Truckers! As you well know, having a successful trucking business or starting a successful trucking business doesn’t just have to do with a CDL, owning a truck, or making a living. It also has to include you taking care of your health. There are lots of stressors in the trucking industry, but your pocketbook depends on you being on top of your game both mentally and physically. Those sleepless nights and bad eating habits will catch up with you. So… let’s talk about one of the major complaints of truck drivers, pain the butt, literally! The doctors call it sciatica (sy-at-i-ca) nerve pain. What causes this is your butt muscle, or piriformis (peer-a-form-is) muscle is constricting your sciatica nerve that runs from the bottom of your spine to your ankles. This is caused by sitting on your back side and driving too long without getting out to move around. The blood supply to that part of your anatomy gets cut off and causes swelling to the piriformis muscle, which in turn causes nerve pain.
Would you like some relief? I got this from Debra Hull, a licensed massage therapist who practices at the Pink Papaya (479-521-7465) in the Fayetteville, AR area. She said to take a tennis ball and put it in a tube sock. Yes you can use one of your old gray ones that you can’t get white in the wash any longer! Put the ball and sock underneath one cheek about where you would carry your wallet and drive with it under your butt for two minutes. Then switch and put it under the other cheek for the same amount of time. Do this every two hours and it will release the tension from the piriformis muscle on your sciatica nerve. You can also put your tennis ball/sock combo behind one shoulder blade for two minutes and switch to the other side to relieve that pain in the shoulders from holding the steering wheel. Remeber to you keep your wallet out of your back pocket when you drive.
In my June 15, 2009 post, I discussed drinking water with electrolytes in it, such as Smart Water or Voss. You can buy these at some truck stops, quick marts and Wal-Marts. Remember to replace some of your tea, coffee, and soda drinking with this water to replenish your potassium & magnesium. You can also supplement with magnesium that you can buy at Wal-Mart. The importance of this is that this water keeps your muscles from spasming as much. It’s hot this time of year and when your loading or unloading or doing anything with a big rig, you sweat. This causes you to lose electrolytes. So, Fellow Truckers, your trucking business success begins with you taking time for good health and healthy dietary habits. Be safe out there!
Hello Fellow Truckers! We’ve put together a basic overview of the DOT requirements for drug testing. These are standards for the entire trucking industry. Read on!
We are approaching the 20 year anniversary of the federal mandate requiring substance testing and alcohol testing of all CDL drivers. The days when a company could say they didn’t know about the drug testing mandate are long gone – if you don’t have a testing program in place, you are on borrowed time.
Who needs a test? Anyone who operates a vehicle in commerce, which requires its operator to have a CDL, is required to participate in a company based substance and alcohol testing program. Required tests include pre-employment, random, post accident, reasonable suspicion, return to duty and follow-up.
Pre-employment: Required prior to operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Random: Must test 50% of driver positions annually for drugs and 10% for alcohol.
Post Crash: After a “DOT crash” in which the driver is cited for a moving violation and after any fatal crash.
Reasonable Suspicion: Due to observed conduct associated with potential use.
Return to Duty: Required after prohibited conduct and before returning to duty.
Follow-up: Required testing for at least 12 months after prohibited conduct.
Federal rules mandate that owner operators must participate in an outside testing program in order to be in compliance with the random testing requirements. (Also known as a consortium) The vast majority of companies utilize third parties to manage their testing program, which has become the industry norm. There are numerous substance testing Third Party Administrators around the country, but when picking one, be sure to ask about the level of service as they are not all the same.
During a DOT audit, a company’s substance testing program is very closely scrutinized so be in compliance.
Remember, Drivers, it’s about keeping DOT compliant that keeps you profitable and successful in your trucking business.
When I was out on tour, I found that driving all night, despite how many people you alternate with you, is still a big pain. While it’s imperative that we made it to each city and venue on time, resting and sleeping was still a major priority.
That being said, we found that truck stops are a good place to take it easy. Personally, I’ve found them far safer than a baseball field or school. Truck stops usually have state patrol cruising around the premises and there’s usually free coffee, albeit slightly terrible, I’d like to reiterate the fact that it’s free.
Best of all, you can sleep for four hours and feel a little bit more refreshed once you hit the open road.
Trucking Authority – 16 Deadly Sins For New Motor Carriers – Part 4 of 4
Monday, July 6, 2009
posted by 18 Wheeler 12:05 AM
Hello, Fellow Truckers! This is the fourth and final part of this series on the new FMCSA regulations that became effective 2/17/09. These last four regs, 13 thru 16, have to do with your truck equipment and record of duty status for your drivers. You must have your drivers keep log books if you have interstate authority. With intrastate, where you run in only one state, you need to check with your local state DOT office. In Florida, where I operate my trucking business, I am required to have my drivers keep time sheets. Examples of these are found on your state links on my website. Remember, Drivers, once you are found in violation of any of these regulations, you will not be able to operate your truck until you correct and submit the corrections to the DOT. That means loss of profits for you. I want to make sure you are given information that helps you stay informed and successful in your trucking business. Be safe out there!
13. Failing to require a driver to make a record of duty status.
14. Requiring or permitting the operation of a commercial motor vehicle declared “out-of-service” (OOS) before repairs are made.
15. Failing to correct out-of-service (OOS) defects listed by driver in a driver vehicle inspection report before the vehicle is operated again.
16. Using a commercial motor vehilce not periodically inspected.
Trucking Authority – 16 Deadly Sins For New Motor Carriers – Part 3 of 4
Friday, July 3, 2009
posted by 18 Wheeler 12:05 AM
Hello, Fellow Truckers! This blog continues the series on the 16 new regs put out by the FMCSA on 2/17/09. It’s important that as a profitable and successful trucking company that you stay abreast of the changes that affect your bottom line. Below are the new regs 9 – 12. These cover insurance coverage, and qualifying your truck drivers. Stay DOT compliant and you will stay loaded and financially sound. Be safe out there!
9. Operating a motor vehicle without having in effect the required minimum levels of financial responsibility coverage.
10. operating a passenger carrying vehicle without having in effect the required minimum levels of financial responsibility.
11. Knowingly using a disqualified driver.
12. Knowingly using a physically unqualified driver.
Trucking Authority – 16 Deadly Sins For New Motor Carriers – Part 2 of 4
Thursday, July 2, 2009
posted by 18 Wheeler 12:05 AM
Hello, Fellow Truckers! Here is the second part of this series on the new FMCSA regulations effective 2/17/09. It’s important to make sure you stay compliant in your trucking business. Drivers, the DOT can pull you over randomly, inspect your truck and paperwork and order a safety audit. Make sure you look over this list and get your drug and alcohol policies in place. Also make sure all your drivers are qualified CDL drivers. This is what is covered in this next four regs listed below. As a successful trucking company, you stay on top of the new requirements for trucking authority. Stay tuned for the third part of this series, and stay safe out there!
5. Failing to implement a random controlled substances and/or alcohol testing program.
6. Knowingly using a driver who does not possess a valid CDL.
7. Knowingly allowing, requiring, permitting, or authorizing an employee with a commercial driver’s license which is suspended, revoked, or canceled by a state or who is disqualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
8. Knowingly allowing, requiring, permitting, or authorizing a driver to drive who is disqualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle.
Trucking Authority – 16 Deadly Sins For New Motor Carriers – Part 1 of 4
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
posted by 18 Wheeler 8:56 AM
Hello, Fellow Truckers! On February 17, 2009, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) added 16 new regulations that you must comply with by December 16, 2009 or you will have your authority revoked if you violate any of these during a safety audit. The DOT is out checking these days. It’s just hoops, Drivers! Remember to get these taken care of so you can stay profitable. I will list these out in three blogs. The first four are below. I’m here to answer questions you may have about these new regs. Just visit my website. You can also visit the FMCSA website. I’m here to support you and help you stay successful! Be safe out there!
1. Failing to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substances testing program.
2. Using a driver known to have an alcohol content of 0.04 percent or greater to perform a safety-sensitive function.
3. Using a driver who has refused to submit to an alcohol or controlled substances test required under Part 382.
4. Using a driver known to have tested positive for a contolled substance.