OTA Dispatch Issue 2, 2021

18 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Overall, tire costs have dropped for the company, as compared to others running the same miles. “Every tire gets visually inspected each week. We perform a failed tire analysis. It may seem time consuming, but it’s an important step for on-the-road safety, as well as managing tire costs,” Bob explained. Because maintenance is such a high priority at Bettendorf, it’s also a consideration when it comes to spec’ing new truck purchases. As maintenance director, Bob knows that maintaining any new equipment—safety related or otherwise—will be his responsibility. All new trucks have active safety systems, including stability control, collision avoidance, and cameras. While Bob prepares his maintenance team to work with the new equipment, he also wants to make sure drivers are fully aware of these new safety features. “We’ve already had some teachable moments thanks to adoption of newer equipment, including ELDs,” he admitted, “We’ve also been able to defend drivers using information gathered by various safety systems.” Bob has also been closely involved with OTA’s Technology & Maintenance Council. Aside from the networking aspect, Bob feels that OTA workshops and events attract a higher caliber of presenters. He looks at OTA as an important resource that connects him to vendors and other shops that may have the answers he’s looking for. “Always be open to learning. Our industry has seen change happening at an accelerated pace. You have to learn something new every day to keep up.” BOB’S ADVICE Maintaining Safety Standards, cont. MARIO RIVERA Safety Manager—Charlie’s Produce Mario has been working in transportation for 25 years, with the last five dedicated to safety, which he feels is one of the top five reasons for the company’s success. In an industry that is always moving fast with a “need it now” mentality, Mario’s belief in safety as a top priority has led to a creative twist on the concept of ASAP. In Mario’s world, that stands for “Always Safe. Always Prepared.” “If you think safety 24/7, 365, we will be successful day in and day out,” Mario said. Charlie’s Produce encourages a collaborative safety environment. As an employee-owned business, costs affect the bottom line—and their retirement program. Charlie’s Produce benefits from long-tenured employees at the company who understand and support their commitment to safety. “When it comes to safety, we’re all in this together,” offered Mario, “What we all do individually, and as a team, impacts the health of the company and the health and well-being of other team members.” Mario has also made constant and in- depth training a large part of the safety program at Charlie’s Produce. Monthly online sessions and quarterly driver meetings are supplemented by weekly handouts on a specific topic. For example, the recent topic of sweeping out trucks seems simple enough. Keeping things clean is always a good goal, but as Mario points out, it’s also a matter of prevention by avoiding tripping and slipping hazards. Cleanliness and prevention took on additional importance in the last year as the pandemic opened eyes to different aspects of safety. Mario and his team implemented new safety protocols, increasing sanitation in the warehouse with additional sanitation stations. New policies for drivers upped handwashing and sanitizing hands before entering and when exiting their trucks. They also increased the sanitizing cycle for trucks and invested in a “fog machine” for office and truck sanitation “We’re a food company, so hygiene has always been important,” Mario explained, “With COVID and then the fires, we had to adjust and enhance our normal safety routines, just like many other trucking companies.” Mario applauds OTA’s catalog of training and especially the increase in online offerings. “We couldn’t meet in person, but we still needed to maintain our safety training and OTA’s virtual sessions made that possible.” Another impact of the pandemic was increased unpredictability with schedules. For Mario and his team, it was easier to attend an online session in the office than to figure in the added travel time needed for traditional classroom training. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There is so much knowledge out there. There is value in networking with other safety professionals within the industry, as well as outside the industry. Brainstorming on a problem or idea helps come up with better solutions.” MARIO’S ADVICE