Great West Casualty Company Blog

  HOW CAN I GET BETTER AT RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM OTHERS?   Recognizing the need to gather feedback from employees, peers, and customers is your first step to improving communications. The most important thing you can do is be approachable. If someone offers feedback, he or she is doing so for a reason.   Do not assume what the person will say. Listen carefully and focus on what is being said. Do not get defensive or interrupt. Be mindful of your responses and watch your body language; both will tell the other person if you are genuinely interested or tuning out.

HOW CAN I MAKE MY SAFETY MEETINGS MORE EFFECTIVE? Gathering drivers, dispatchers, and other members of the operations team together for a safety meeting is an opportunity that cannot be squandered. The cost and logistics of getting everyone together is formidable, so using this time wisely is essential. Three keys to make your safety meetings more effective are preparation, engagement, and enthusiasm.

Pandemic or not, we live in a VUCA world. VUCA is an acronym that stands for volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. This term is used to describe a situation or condition of constant, unpredictable change, and certainly those working in the transportation industry can relate. Adapting to change is a daily occurrence, so here are some strategic leadership tips to help you lead your company in today’s VUCA world.

Railroad crossing incidents have steadily declined in the United States since the early 1980’s, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. This is great news. Efforts to decrease the number of incidents, fatalities, and injuries involving trains and vehicles or trains and pedestrians have had a positive impact, but unfortunately, preventable incidents continue to occur.

Many trucking companies have a shop on the premises, where they repair trucks they own and provide repair services for others. When equipment that is not owned by the trucking company is damaged on the premises, who is responsible?

The transportation industry has seen a significant increase in technological advances over the past decade. From electronic logging devices and collision mitigation systems to trailer tracking and driver scorecards, technology now plays a key role in a motor carrier’s risk management strategies. One device becoming more prevalent in the trucking industry is the video event recorder.

HOW WILL MOTOR CARRIERS BE AFFECTED BY THE NEW ENTRY-LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING (ELDT) REGULATIONS? The new ELDT rule goes into effect on Feb. 7, 2022, and all motor carriers should be aware of the changes. First, the rule is not retroactive, meaning it does not apply to individuals who currently hold a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL) or have a passenger (P), school bus (S) or hazardous material (H) endorsement issued prior to Feb. 7, 2022.

Successful motor carriers who are subject to federal safety regulations embrace compliance as part of their overall risk management strategy. Failure to do so may result in unnecessary business interruptions (i.e., roadside inspections); preventable violations, which can damage a company’s reputation; and possibly monetary fines and penalties. Each of these outcomes has the potential to decrease revenue, increase expenses, or both, negatively impacting your bottom line and long-term sustainability. For those who are new to the regulations or are looking to self-assess their compliance efforts, Great West Casualty Company designed the Safety Road Map to help. In the “Regulatory Compliance” section are three tasks designed to aid your compliance efforts. If you have already completed these tasks, that’s great! Keep at it and look for other ways to improve. However, if you identify any gaps, consider these resources as you take corrective action.

Improper lifting is a common cause of serious back injuries and could potentially lead to a lifetime of discomfort. 

HAS THE DEFINITION OF AN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY CHANGED? Yes: On November 24, 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a notice in the Federal Register clarifying the meaning of three terms used in the definition of “agricultural commodity” for the purposes of the agency’s Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. The three terms that were revised include “any agricultural commodity,” “livestock,” and “non-processed food.” The revised meanings of these terms went into effect on December 9, 2020; the revisions ensure that the HOS exemptions are utilized as Congress intended.