The end of a calendar year marks a time to reflect and appreciate what has been. Each year Trinity Logistics takes the time to show some appreciation to our Top 100 carriers. These are carriers in good standing that have continuously hauled the most shipments with us in the past year. Each one of these carriers receives an acrylic award recognizing them as a Top 100 carrier with Trinity. Additionally, some of these carriers will be visited by our own Darrel Banning, Vice President of Carrier Development.


Our top 100 carriers mapped out.

Outside of the Top 100 Carrier Award, Trinity takes the time to appreciate our contracted carriers with several other unique benefits and awards. To find out more about our great customer service and benefits to carriers,

Click Here

To join our network of over 70,000 strong,

Click Here

Capacity will always be something that we talk about. The driver shortage hasn’t gone away. In 2018, the industry saw a shortage of roughly 60,800 drivers. According to American Trucking Association, if current trends hold, the shortage could increase to over 160,000 drivers by 2028. And it’s not just truckload. A major LTL carrier recently filed bankruptcy, which will cause drastic capacity issues in the LTL market.

As an experienced 3PL broker, there are several things that we do to combat the capacity issues. Here are three:

1.  We build and maintain relationships with carriers.

This has never been more important! Trinity Logistics uses an entire Carrier Development Team to assist our agents with cutting edge practices that yield incredible results. Are you an asset to your carrier? Are you educating them with all of the latest changes in the market? Remember, you cannot always rely on the SPOT market. It creates uncertainty. 

2.  We utilize software to match current shipments in our system with carriers who have available equipment.

How? We take thousands of   carriers incoming lists of availability and match it with shipments already in our system. The Carrier gets an email and makes on click to submit a quote to the Freight Agent/Broker.

3.  We use an internal Carrier Sharing tool.

We currently use 6 years of lane history within the Trinity network to match the best carrier for your shipment. There are options of searching this by multiple data points-

All shipment history date is built into our proprietary system which feeds the Capacity tool. Don’t get left behind by not having the right partner or the right strategy to combat the changes in the industry. Call or email today. Rich Clark – (302)253-1180 or rich.clark@trinitylogistics.com.

The opportunity to drive a truck for a living has many benefits; a sense of freedom and independence, good pay, and the chance to see some parts of the world that you may not have had the opportunity to see otherwise. However, if you are not careful about your well-being, it could lead to unwanted health problems, hospitalization and, in worse cases, premature death.
The average truck driver travels about 500 miles a day. That is a lot of time stuck behind the wheel. A sedentary lifestyle has been shown to lead to problems such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other major health issues. Add in the easy access to quick and unhealthy food, the heavy reliance on copious amounts of caffeine to stay awake, and lack of a quality and sound sleep routine, and you can have a recipe for disaster. It sure makes one think whether those benefits mentioned earlier are worth it. Thankfully, you can develop good and healthy habits to combat the sedentary lifestyle and make good choices for your life and body that can make the truck driving career a great choice for a long time.

Food is Fuel for the Body

Driving over the road for long hours of the day can make choosing healthy choices for snacks and meals seem impossible. Fast food, chips, soda, candy bars, and other quick, easy, and unhealthy options are endless and everywhere. Here are some ideas on how to make healthier choices for those long days:

  1. Drink A LOT of water. Sodas and other drinks are just empty calories. Keep a water bottle or a gallon jug of water to drink throughout the day and refill it at stops.
  2. Stay away from chips, candy, and other processed food for snacks. Good ideas for healthier snack options could be pre-washed and cut fruit or vegetables, whole pieces of fruit that are easy to eat such as apples or bananas, granola bars, popcorn, whole grain crackers, or mixed nuts.
  3. Stay away from most fast food, or at least pick the healthier options on those menus. Make use of your cab’s refrigerator to pack your meals ahead of time and invest in a portable oven or portable grill to heat or cook your own meals. If choosing fast food, look at the nutritional information and choose options that have higher protein and lower calories, fat, and carbs. Check out websites such as Eat This, Not That to help make healthier choices at restaurants.
  4. Plan meals and snacks accordingly. A trucker’s schedule can be all over the place, but it is still important to eat when you are hungry and before you get “hangry”! Waiting too long to eat can make cravings skyrocket, which makes it harder to choose healthier options, and easier for you to binge. Making sure you eat or snack about every 4 hours keeps you from going over the edge.
  5. Track what you eat. Use free applications such as MyFitnessPal to keep track of what you are eating. Over time you can see what choices may be unhealthy for you and swap them out for something more nutritious.

Getting Physical, Physical..

Aside from good nutrition, movement is the next biggest thing to combat a sedentary career. Even while on the road, truck drivers can find many ways to sneak in a good heart pumping workout!

  1. Invest in a good pair of running or walking shoes. While at a truck stop, fit in 30-45 minutes of power walking or running. Maybe stop at a local state park and enjoy the new scenery while walking or running one of their trails.
  2. Purchase a folding bicycle. Some people don’t like to run and choose to bike instead. Folding bicycles can be stowed in a sleeper berth compartment or tossed in the passenger seat.
  3. Get a jump rope. They are easy to store and very easy to get your heart rate going. See if you can jump for 5 minutes straight, then 10, and so on until you can go on for a long time. Maybe find another truck driver and play some Double Dutch! (KIDDING)
  4. Bodyweight workouts, no equipment necessary. Squats, push-ups, burpees, lunges. There are so many exercises you can put together that require nothing more than your commitment to getting them done.
  5. Buy a fitness tracker. These can be used to track your steps and movement, and even track your sleep. You can set up notifications to remind you to move. Using these to track your physical progress can play a huge part in motivation.

Ultimately, the biggest take away from this section is to MOVE THAT BODY. Truck stops have showers, so getting a little sweaty is no excuse!

Zzzzzz…..

Sleep is also such an important wellness factor in our lives. Too little sleep can cause us to feel drained and unfocused, as well as amp up our unhealthy food cravings.

  1. Invest in a good quality berth mattress to get a good night’s sleep.
  2. Make sure you have a portable fan and heater. If your truck breaks down and you choose to sleep while you wait for the repair, then you will need something portable to keep you warm or cool, depending upon the weather.
  3. Get a white noise machine. These are great to block outside noise and ensure you can relax and rest up.

Mental Wellness

Truck driving can be boring, especially on long stretches of road with nothing but trees and signs, mile after mile after mile. It can become monotonous. And being far away from home for long periods of time can become lonely.

  1. Purchase or rent audiobooks. Long hours can give you the opportunity to hear a new story and learn something new.
  2. Listen to a podcast. These are episodes of a program available through your smartphone. Podcasts are a great way to listen to information based around your interests. Whether you’re a history buff, a dog lover, a car enthusiast, and everything in between, there’s a podcast just for you.
  3. Learn a new language with some language tapes. Has there ever been a better time? And if you’re alone, no one can hear you sound silly as you try to figure out how to say something.
  4. Keep your family involved. Take pictures of places you get to see to show them when you come home. Tell your children where you are going ahead of time and have them look up interesting facts about it or find places you should see. Get an audiobook and have your spouse get the same book so you can share and talk about your thoughts on it. Video chat as often as possible. Plan a small special family day when you return from home.

A healthy lifestyle for a truck driver IS possible. Be willing to make improvements and make those changes at your own pace. It can take time to break old and bad habits. Try changing one or two things at time. Once you feel you are making progress with those, then work on a new lifestyle improvement.
Good health, regardless of the career, is ultimately a choice. It is a choice to take care of ourselves and our wellness; to choose to be here for the long-haul (get the pun?!).

Interested in joining our carrier network? Click here.

 

AUTHOR: Christine Griffith

A day in the life of logistics has a loose framework and cycle, with each shipment navigating its way from creation, shipment, billing, and payment. Each day is different and exciting for shippers, carriers, and third-party logistics companies alike.

As a 3PL, we spend our days receiving shipments and working with carriers to arrange transportation via truck, rail, air, and sea.

So, want to know what a day in the life of a third-party logistics company is like? We’ll give you a front row, 3D tour (okay, not 3D…we don’t have a Virtual Reality tour just yet).

Shipments

Every day, our Logistics Specialists, Logistics Assistants, and Account Managers for each Team come in, get their morning coffee, tea, etc., say hello to their colleagues and sit down to their computers.

On average, there are about 90-100 shipments waiting to be covered when the day begins. Some have already been handled by our 24/7 Team (the night crew, if you will) and some will be easier to find a carrier for than others.

Our Operations Department at each Regional Service Center (five offices around the United States) is made up of individual teams that each handle certain customer accounts. These teams will be responsible for checking what shipments have been sent in by our customers, what is already loaded into the system, and calling to check up on other customers to see if they have any shipments that need to be taken care of.

As soon as the day begins, these teams spend the next 8 or so hours making the magic happen. Talk about hard workers with dynamic personalities!

Cycle of a shipment: finding a carrier

When a customer has a shipment that needs to be covered that day, it is listed as pending in our freight management software. It can make its way to us through a phone call, fax, email, or our Transportation Management System (TMS). At this point, our job is to find a carrier who can pick up and deliver that shipment in the necessary time frame. This is where the fun and unique form of matchmaking begins.

We have a network of more than 32,000 carriers who are currently vetted in our system and checked for operating authority, insurance information, and safety ratings. These carriers are checked on a daily basis for compliance and before every shipment.

When choosing a carrier for a particular shipment, we either work with what we call “relationship carriers”- carriers that we’ve developed a relationship with over time, or a carrier that is newer to us, in terms of tenure with us or number of shipments handled. The idea is to develop relationships with all of our carriers to not only build rapport but to help our customers receive the best rates and service possible.

Once we’ve found a carrier for that shipment, we call the carrier or driver directly to dispatch them on this particular shipment.

Logistics and Relationship Carriers

It seems impossible– a network of 32,000 carriers, you can’t possibly get to know them, right? Walking through the operations floor, you’ll hear the conversations and know that building relationships with our carriers is a part of what we do.

Two of our Logistics Specialists, Nicole Hastings and Carrie Harman, booked more than 300 shipments each in April 2017. Carrie says working with relationship carriers is a huge part of hitting that number, but so is coming in early to cover hot shipments, putting in extra effort to find carriers to haul harder to move or less desirable freight, and staying on the phones day in and day out.

Cycle of a shipment: Carrier Relations

Before a carrier is dispatched for a shipment, our busy bees in Carrier Relations get to work. This team makes sure that everything needed for compliance is on file. If anything needs to be updated, someone from the Carrier Relations team will contact the Carrier and make sure it happens so the driver can get on the road. This team stays in contact with the Logistics Specialists to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Driver is on the move

After we dispatch one of the drivers in our network, they begin heading to pick up the shipment and get it to its destination. Whether it’s a truckload of tomatoes, a few pallets of paint, a container of radios to go over the rail, or an expedited shipment of emergency response equipment that has to ship fast, our logistics team is contacting carriers and getting tracking updates on all shipments for our customers.

If there’s any factor that could create a delay in a shipment, our team is working around the clock to troubleshoot and problem solve.

If a truck were to break down “after hours,” which has happened before, our 24/7 Team is able to find another driver who could get there, load the shipment onto his/her truck and be back on the road, without a single hiccup in the delivery window. The customer knows there was a change in trucks, but there was no interruption in service.

Driver arrives at destination

Once the driver arrives at the freight’s destination, he or she either backs up to a loading dock or uses a forklift or liftgate, etc., to unload the shipment. The receiver (the location/person receiving the shipment) verifies that everything came off the truck as it should, and our team confirms.

At this point, the driver can then be released to head out to the destination, and the “behind the scenes” work on that particular shipment can begin.

Billing Cycle

Once the shipment is delivered, the billing and payment cycle begins. The drivers can either email or fax their paperwork to our billing team. Then, the carrier gets paid and the customer is billed for the shipment.

In April 2017 alone, our billing team processed tens of thousands of bills – and our Customer Service team fields any questions that may come through about payments.

This entire process cycles again for every shipment that is booked through Trinity Logistics. This process happens hundreds of times a day on our operations floor – a converted bowling alley with Teams of Logistics experts in a “bull pen” –solving issues, covering freight, and finding solutions for the most challenging shipments.

Why work with a 3PL?

In the cycle of arranging shipments, there are only three real pieces of the puzzle that involve our customers. First, our customers contact us with their shipment details. Later in the cycle, we provide them with tracking updates. Then, they receive a bill for the shipments, and only have to pay Trinity for the shipments, instead of each individual carrier.

We work with customers who are looking to cut down on the amount of time spent finding trucks to cover their shipments and are looking to expand their capacity. Some of our customers take advantage of our Transportation Management Systems to completely outsource their logistics operations with Trinity’s account management and carrier base.

We take the time to update our customers on industry news that could affect their core business and find solutions together. Our main goal is to help save our customers time, money, and headaches.

We also offer:

– Single source for all shipment arrangement
– Innovative solutions
– Integrity and personal relationships
– A full team ready to make your shipments flow quickly and smooothly

Get a Quote Today!

Give us a call or fill out our form.

Our Logistics Experts are always a phone call or click of a button away. Fill out our simple form and we will reach out to you with a quote on your shipment. It’s that easy!

Request a quote!

Editor’s note: This post has been updated to reflect the current weather predictions of the 2019-20 winter season. 

The Postal Service has no official motto, but there’s a phrase that has become a tribute to the job that works through all conditions. It states “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”  This can also be said of those in the trucking industry, since a severe weather day doesn’t necessarily mean a day off from work. While it’s not exactly an episode of “Ice Road Truckers” every time bad weather strikes; fog, rain, wind, snow, and ice can still have major impacts on the way you get the job done.

This Winter’s Outlook

Whether you go by the Farmer’s Almanac, or you look to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s outlook, parts of the United States are expected to experience colder and wetter temperatures for the 2019-20 winter season.

NOAA’s outlook shows an absence of El Niño or La Niña conditions; this is when the Arctic Oscillation drives winter weather and can result in large swings of temperature and precipitation. Overall, this winter looks to have warmer-than-normal conditions, with wetter-than-average conditions predicted in northern and eastern regions of the United States, and drier-than-average conditions in southwestern parts of the country. The Farmer’s Almanac shows an exceptionally cold winter season in the Pacific, Desert Southwest, Pacific Southwest, and Hawaii, but above normal winter temperatures elsewhere. Some parts of the country are predicted to have a long-lasting winter well into spring. It is predicted to have strong storms of rain, sleet, and frequent snow storms. Northwest could see a repeat of record-breaking extremes, while the middle of the country and New England area can look forward to snow and slush, freezing during the overnights.

Drivers: Check Before you Leave

Before we dive into ways that extreme weather can impact transportation, we just want to remind you of the importance of being prepared before you hit the road. Take time to check the weather forecasts along your route, plan for extra transit time if you believe there could be some hazardous conditions, and make sure you have any emergency equipment that you could possibly need.

Always complete your pre-trip inspection before hitting the road, even if you don’t expect any extreme weather.

Severe Weather Impacts

Whether it’s dense fog, rain, thunderstorms, wind, snow, or ice, severe weather can have significant impacts on commercial motor vehicles and the infrastructure they travel on. From the first few drops of rain, to when the mercury dips below 32 degrees, weather can cause decreased visibility, make it harder to handle your truck, or cause a travel time delay.  We’ll go over some of the most common severe weather instances and how they can impact transportation.

Even if you feel that you are skilled in driving in bad weather situations, you could be indirectly affected by passenger cars stopping in breakdown lanes or driving hazardously around your vehicle.

Some of the weather events we will go over include fog, strong winds, snow, and ice.

Fog

There’s a reason many schools decide to delay opening on a foggy morning. Even the slightest bit of fog can reduce visibility distance. With that, you can expect traffic speed to be affected and a higher accident risk.  Expect prolonged travel time when dealing with a foggy day.

Rain

Rain is the most common type of “bad” weather. Just a few rain drops on the road can cause issues with pavement friction, as water mixes with oils already on the roadways. As with fog, heavier rain can impact visibility distance, in turn slowing traffic speeds, and can increase travel time.

Water on the roadway could require increased braking distance. With water under your tires, there’s also an increased likelihood of wheel spinning and hydroplaning. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), wet roads can double stopping distances.

As heavy rains continue, roadways could flood, posing more dangerous driving conditions and detours due to road closures.

Wind

While hurricane-force winds can be a nightmare for big rigs, even the slightest gusts of wind could make it harder to control your truck. After 50 mph winds, maintaining control of your truck is a significant challenge, at 60 mph, it’s nearly impossible. Bridges and overpasses can become especially dangerous, and may even be closed, so take caution.

Mix any of the other weather conditions with wind and you could potentially have a recipe for disaster. Research forecasted wind speeds before you hit the road, or you may find yourself facing wind restrictions, or even waiting for conditions to improve.

Snow

When the temperatures start to drop, that’s when travel concerns begin about freezing rain, snow, and ice. The main impacts of freezing rain and snow are decreased visibility and traction. Further impacts can include delays, road closures, and other driver control problems as bridges and ramps freeze.

When driving in snow, make sure that you have working wipers and a windshield defroster. Use your low beams to help with visibility and increase your driving distance to allow for safe braking.

Ice

With snow, freezing rain, and dropping temperatures, ice becomes a major travel concern. Significant risks associated with ice on the roads include difficult traction and control. You could also run into potential obstructions along your route due to fallen trees, electrical wires, utility poles, or other vehicles. On the weekend of Dec.17 to 18, 2016, icy conditions in Baltimore and Washington D.C. caused huge pile-ups of vehicles, including tractor-trailers. Listen to reports and watch your speed when icy conditions are possible.

Bridges and overpasses tend to freeze before main roadways, so expect significant travel delays due to decreased speed in those areas.

If you must continue your trip in icy conditions, the Federal Highway Administration recommends dropping to a lower gear to improve traction, or slow to 10 or 15 miles per hour. Keep your eyes on the vehicles ahead of you for any potential black ice situations, where you can’t necessarily see the layer of ice on the road.

Recap

While many of you reading this are professional drivers, it’s always important to remember that most of the other drivers on the road along with you don’t have the same training under their belt.

Here are the most important things to remember about weather events and their impacts on transportation:

1. Check the forecast for your route before you leave and make a contingency plan for bad weather.
2. Be prepared to wait out severe storms or high winds.
3.Expect travel delays.
4. Be alert for the actions of other drivers on the road.

Make sure to follow us on LinkedIn so you can stay up-to-date on industry news and trends. Thanks for reading!

AUTHOR: Brittany Siegel

Lumper. It’s not a four-letter-word, but to many in logistics, a lumper fee is often times viewed in a negative light.  A lumper fee is charged to the carrier when a shipper utilizes third-party workers to help load or unload the trailer contents. Lumpers are often used at food warehousing companies and grocery distributors. These fees are often reimbursable to the driver by the shipper or the freight broker.

Why lumpers?

Some receivers outsource to lumping services that are independent of their core business, especially in the grocery distribution business. Lumpers allow for truck drivers to catch up on rest and save energy for their driving, and can sometimes save time for drivers.

Why the negative light?

The “can sometimes save time for drivers” is viewed just like that – sometimes. If you read any trucker forums, you may find many truckers state they have run into headaches when choosing to use lumpers because the lumpers often do their restacking on the trailers, which can be rather time-consuming. However, if the truck drivers decide against using lumpers, they could find themselves trying to unload with hand-jacks and possibly taking additional time to learn their way around a new warehouse.

Lumper Fees vs. Paying Driver

Many trucking companies do not want their drivers unloading freight unless it is part of their normal job duties. In order to keep their drivers well rested and ready for the road, trucking companies will choose to pay lumpers to unload freight rather than have their drivers expend energy or risk injury doing so. There’s no “industry standard” on this, some trucking companies won’t offer to pay their drivers additional money to unload freight to deter them from doing so, or others will offer to pay lumpers significantly more than they would their own drivers.

Service or Scam?

If there are truckers concerned when they go to unload their trailer, that lumper services will be focused upon them, there are protections under United States Law. Forcing a carrier to pay a service for unloading without reimbursement is illegal under Title 49 of the United States Code, § 14103. It says carriers should have the option to unload their own trucks, and if they are not given the option without being compensated for the lumper fee by the shipper or the receiver, then the law has been violated. If a driver is ever put in that particular situation, they should know that being coerced to pay out of pocket for lumper fees is prohibited.

3PLs

If you are a carrier working with a third-party logistics company, or looking to become a carrier for one, ask if they cover lumper fees. Most freight brokers include this in their carrier payment. Just make sure the covering of the lumper’s bill is submitted right away to prevent any delays.

Thanks for reading our blog! Make sure you subscribe to receive the latest updates. If you are a shipper and would like a freight quote, click here.

Being confined to a truck for long stretches of time can lead to a less-than-stellar lifestyle in regards to health for truckers. We decided to talk to some truck drivers and get their best tips on what drivers can do to help maintain and improve their physical and mental health while on the road.

1. A sleep routine is key.

We realize that having an exact sleep schedule might not always be doable week to week, or even day to day, depending on the shipments you might be hauling. However, there are still some simple steps you can take to prepare your body for a restful sleep.

Try these time-tested strategies before you get some shut eye:

Stop drinking caffeine at least 6 hours before bed
Stop eating, especially large meals, at least 2 hours before bed
Turn off all electronics and bright lights at least an hour before bed

2. Enjoy the area around you.

Some shipping lanes can bring you to and through some of the most beautiful places the U.S. has to offer. When your breaks come up, plan out some time to enjoy a walk or jog through the local towns or parks. Enjoying the natural beauty of the surrounding areas around you can help get you out of the cab and make your shipment feel more like a road trip.

3. Make friends or adopt a furry companion.

As some truck drivers told us, having friends on the road can be really crucial for mental health. If you make new trucker friends, or have friends that live somewhere along your route, schedule a time to meet up for a meal, or to just hang out. This can boost your mood and feel like a break from the long drive ahead of you.

If human friends aren’t your thing, consider adopting a dog or cat, if you are prepared for the responsibility. We’ve talked to plenty of truckers who have pets that ride shotgun with them. They keep them company, give them a reason to get outside, and just make the drive more enjoyable.

4. If you have to dine out, cruise the salad bar.

While preparing food yourself is the best option for healthy meals, it’s not always the most realistic option when you’re driving. Check out restaurants near your route that offer salad bars and fresh options.

Often, salad bars also include cold prepared salads and other sides, so you won’t just be stuck with a plate full of greens. Eating a burger and fries isn’t the obvious choice when trying to be healthier, but if you do have to go that route, try getting the smaller burger and swapping the fries for a salad.

5. Keep in contact with friends and family on a daily basis.

This tip came straight from a truck driver. It makes sense to stay connected to those at home, as it may help to feel like the distance between you is just a little less. This can also be your “something to look forward to” in the day and help you develop a routine.

Don’t forget you can still be involved in events going on at home with Skype and Facetime. Seeing your loved ones’ faces can make the time pass just a bit faster and boost your mood.

While these tips aren’t sure guarantees for healthy bodies and minds, they are a good start. Your physical and mental health should be number one while you’re on the road, especially on long hauls.

To learn more about joining Trinity’s carrier network, click here.

Please note that Trinity Logistics is not authorized to provide medical advice. These tips are suggestions only.

As winter weather sets in for most of the country, you should take precautions to keep not only you and your truck safe, but also others on the road. We’ve put together ten useful tips to help you get your loads delivered safely this winter.

1. Monitor the weather

This one might seem really obvious, but knowing ahead of time that a storm is brewing is key to staying safe.  If a blizzard or wintery mix is predicted in your area, you can set into motion your plan of action for pickups and drop offs. Since weather predictions ahead of time can be faulty, don’t forget to stay tuned to the radio, radar maps, or the Weather Channel for information on real-time road conditions.

2. Plan your trip

Before getting on the road, take the time to plan and map out your route according to the weather. Take into consideration that some roads may be closed or too rough to navigate. If possible, plan the times you will be going over overpasses to be after the snow has melted, or at least, plowed. Calculate your driving speed for heavy snow weather to be about 25 mph and plan safe parking places and pick-up and delivery times accordingly. This way, you won’t be facing possible issues with your Hours of Service (HOS) before making it to a safe resting stop. Make sure to have a few alternate safe stops planned, just in case conditions get too bad in other places.

3. Check equipment pre-trip and mid-trip

It’s always vital to check your equipment before you hit the road, but especially so when winter weather strikes. Check that all lights are working properly, air is drained from the truck’s and trailer’s tanks to avoid frozen brake lines, and tire pressures to prevent a disastrous flat.

After hitting rough patches of snow or ice, make sure to make a safe stop to knock off tire flaps and undercarriages. This could prevent damage to your rig, but also other vehicles when the packed ice eventually comes off.

4. Have extra equipment on board

Be prepared for the iciest conditions by having some of the best snow gear on board. You should make sure to have:

5. Maintain as much space as possible

One of the most common factors in winter accidents is following too closely behind other vehicles. You may not be able to control the cars behind you, but you can do your best to make sure there is enough cushion space between you and the car ahead of you. This leaves you with options if your brakes aren’t working as quickly as they should.

6. Slow down

Put the posted speed limits into context. If roads are covered in snow or ice, it might not be safe or feasible to maintain that 50 mph speed limit. Going faster leaves more room for error with stopping the truck and trailer, as well as reduces your reaction time. Slow down and only go as fast as you are reasonably able to. Keep to the right and let other vehicles pass you if they want – don’t feel pressured to speed up if they are following too close behind. You are driving with everyone’s safety in mind when you go easy on the pedal. 

7. Know what to do if you lose traction

There’s no fool-proof method for not losing traction in bad weather. It’s important that you know what to do if it happens, since this lessens the severity of any possible accidents. The number one thing to remember: never use the clutch or engine brake when traction is lost, as this could make the situation worse. Just gently let your foot off the pedal and steer in the direction that the back end of the vehicle is going, which should allow you to then gain back control.

8. Be careful getting in and out of the truck

Again, this might seem obvious, but just remember that steps will most likely be slippery. It’s not unheard of for a driver to fall and seriously injure themselves by underestimating the condition of truck steps. Make sure to wear boots with good grip and take your time going up and down. Also, always keep in mind your surroundings. Take extra caution getting in and out of the tractor on roads with low visibility. Always wear an orange safety vest.

9. Hold your steeling wheel firmly and with confidence

Winter weather is not the time to be reaching for a snack or answering a text. Always keep your hands firmly on the wheel in case you hit a rough patch of snow, or need to react quickly to unforeseen conditions on the road. At the same time, be confident in your driving skills. Try to remain calm and avoid sporadic driving.

10. Know your and your vehicle’s limitations

There may come a point in which the weather simply makes the roads too unsafe to travel. Don’t push your luck if conditions are bad – yours and others’ lives are at the top of the priority list.  Take this time to make a safe stop and wait the storm out. Catch up on some rest to get back on the road as soon as possible.