Great West Casualty Company Blog

How to make sure your drivers and staff are ready From July 10-16, 2022, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will conduct its Operation Safe Driver campaign throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Motor carriers of all sizes must prepare for this event by educating themselves about what Operation Safe Driver Week means for their trucking operations.

Every motor carrier’s management team understands the challenge of steering the organization in the right direction and getting employees to buy into a shared vision. One area motor carriers find most challenging is loss prevention. Due to the risky nature of the trucking industry, the entire organization has a role to play in preventing losses. From avoiding regulatory violations and fines to preventing vehicle accidents and employee injuries, it takes a unified effort to achieve safety performance goals. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.

One mistake any person in a leadership role can make is to ignore or fail to realize the value each department brings to the organization. This can be especially true in siloed organizations where barriers exist that limit the effectiveness of communication between co-workers and departments. Barriers can be physical, cultural, or personal in nature. A physical barrier refers to being geographically separated, either across the country or even in the same building. Cultural barriers can include misunderstandings due to language or customs that may create communication breakdowns. However, this article speaks to company cultures that create barriers. As mentioned earlier, siloed organizations impede interdepartmental communication, whether intentionally or not. Finally, personal barriers involve individual attitudes and biases. A person may be reluctant to receive feedback or input from others for personal reasons. Whatever the case may be, a motor carrier’s leadership team cannot afford to make mission-critical decisions without input from every affected department. Whoever manages your safety and regulatory compliance efforts should have a seat at the table in every operational meeting involving department heads. Because transportation is a highly regulated, high-risk industry, who better to help department heads achieve their organizational objectives than safety? Preventing losses and managing risks should be top of mind in every business decision. If a motor carrier cannot operate safely, it is losing money. If it is losing money, the company cannot compete; and if the company cannot compete, it cannot survive. So, regardless of fleet size and organizational structure, senior management should view safety as one of the most important keys to the company’s long-term success. Here are two examples that show how safety can contribute to the discussion of trucking-related issues that motor carriers face on a daily basis.

Human error is a common cause of preventable work-related injuries and vehicle crashes. When an employer, who recognizes that employees are ultimately responsible for their behavior on the job, finds that the root cause of an incident involves an employee’s poor decision-making, the employer may be frustrated and feel powerless. Yet, despite these head-scratching incidents, employers must persevere and continue to manage this risk. One way to reduce the risk of human errors is by focusing on improving employee situational awareness.

Distractions are a high-risk exposure that motor carriers cannot overlook. Incidents like a distracted employee slipping in the shop or losing focus while driving and hitting another vehicle can have a lasting, negative impact on your company’s bottom line.

HOW CAN I CREATE AN EMPLOYEE SAFETY INCENTIVE PROGRAM? An employee safety incentive program, if part of a larger risk management strategy, can enhance your safety culture. On the other hand, if not designed, implemented, and managed properly, incentive programs can be a source of contention or irritation, and can lapse into oblivion very quickly. If your organization is considering implementing a safety incentive program, here are some points of discussion that you should consider:

Being safety minded has its benefits for any employer. For motor carriers, however, it is crucial to keeping your drivers on the road and your operation running smoothly. Putting a focus on driver and operational safety has many upsides. It can reduce expenses due to accidents or employee carelessness, it can help attract new business, and it can increase revenue for the company.

Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, Inc., was once asked if he played a musical instrument. He replied, “No, I don’t play an instrument. I conduct an orchestra.” The orchestra he referred to was his company, now the largest tech company in the world. A number of factors contributed to the success of Mr. Jobs and Apple, but one characteristic that stands out is teamwork. From senior leadership down to every line employee, it took a coordinated effort for Apple to achieve its performance goals, and, equally important, maintain them.

A boring driver meeting or orientation class is frustrating for both the trainer and the trainees. In truth, most mind-numbing classes are the trainer’s fault, often due in large part to the trainer’s lack of preparation or lack of interest, leading to audience disengagement.