In our last installment of this Two-Part series, we looked at an important measure of truck driver success: Coaching. To ensure new truck drivers are up-to-speed on how they should operate commercial motor vehicles, fleets must put time and effort into taking care that they are properly coached.

While technology and matching up truck drivers are important, there is more that goes into coaching. This week we will move on from cost and technical requirements and look at the real red meat of coaching. How long does coaching take and what really matters? What should a motor carrier expect to gain out of an effective truck driver coaching program?

Evaluating the Time Required

To provide truly effective coaching as part of a comprehensive truck driver safety program, some time needs to be put into the process. You simply can’t sit two people together for a half-hour on a one-time basis and expect them to achieve a true level of training or behavior modification.

Of course, the amount of time spent on individual coaching sessions depends a lot on the fleet. How many vehicles is the fleet running? Where is the fleet located? How many new truck drivers are on the payroll? By addressing these questions, a fleet can properly determine how much time (and of course, the cost) required to get the necessary result.

Technology also plays a role, as we discussed in last week’s post. If a fleet is utilizing video elements to their coaching program, they must consider how long it will take to compile the video, watch the video, and coach to the outcomes. Ensuring a coaching solution includes a portal accessible through the web or mobile device can help fleet managers and coaches stay on top of coaching tasks and truck driver development.

Measuring Success

An effective coaching program does more than just sit two people together and hope for a positive outcome. Safety managers must come up with a scorecard by which both truck driver, and even their coaches, can be evaluated by. It is critical to measure what works, who is an effective coach, and whether the truck drivers being coached are absorbing the information being provided.

Did you know that nearly 80% of a fleet’s risk level comes from less than 20% of their driving force? Without a measurable coaching program that is tracked and evaluated, it is nearly impossible for a fleet to determine who those 20% are, outside of waiting for a collision to occur.

Coaches must be assigned a specific workflow. An effective program will help a fleet go from managing claims to preventing claims. Key performance indicators, surveys, benchmarks, and recognition for a job well done all go a long way to getting coaching buy-in and achieving real results.

Many fleets use a 4-step process to manage coaching:

1. Watch the event twice using video. An understanding must be made regarding the particular behavior being witnessed on the video.
2. Watch the event at least once with the truck driver so that they can walk you through what was going on in their mind when a particular event happens.
3. Properly explain the risk associated with the particular behavior. Ensure the truck driver understands the risk and what could happen if the behavior continues.
4. Properly document the coaching session, take notes, and log any metrics or performance indicators used in the coaching session.

Coaching is about making a lasting behavioral change. Fleets should be building their coaching program around effective coaching, but also effective follow-up. Coaching should never be a one-off situation, but rather an ongoing education session. Only by practicing these principles can motor carriers ensure their truck drivers are staying safe on the road and avoiding risky behaviors.

When it comes to increasing a fleet’s level of overall safety, coaching is key. Yet, far too few transportation companies handle coaching properly. Fleet managers must understand that to maintain a top-notch level of truck driver safety, they must take a comprehensive and proactive approach to safety coaching.

Essentially, transportation companies must combine all the cutting-edge tools at their disposal with an effective “human element” to ensure their truck drivers are getting the message. Programs exist that provide fleet managers and supervisors with the data they need to improve coaching opportunities and truck driver performance.

By investing in coaching, motor carriers can better manage driver risk by predicting which truck drivers and behaviors are most likely to result in a collision. This allows a fleet manager to focus his or her coaching efforts on those who need the most help.

There are three critical factors associated with effective coaching:

• Reduction of truck driver turnover;
• Cost cutting, and;
• Morale boosting;

In addition to this, there are more than a few ways in which a fleet can measure the success of their coaching efforts:

• How much time it takes to coach;
• The overall cost of coaching;
• Measuring behavioral change, and;
• Seeing improved safety scores across the fleet.

Let’s look at one of the most important parts of any coaching program: The truck driver.

From an Employment Perspective

It is no great secret that employees thrive when they are recognized for a job well done and improved performance. They also appreciate it when their fleet actively spends time, money, and effort in ensuring they can safely operate their vehicles and can succeed.

While some employees may initially balk at measures taken to improve coaching, such as in-cab video, telematics, or other methods, once they realize that these systems can help exonerate them from false claims and help them become better truck drivers, it isn’t long before they buy into the concept.

When truck drivers know that their fleet is actively investing in making them better, it increases overall morale. As morale increases, truck drivers are less likely to jump ship to another fleet. Research shows that coaching has a net positive effect on how employees view their job.

From a Cost Perspective

Effective coaching also goes a long way in improving your company’s bottom line. When truck drivers are better at what they do, it helps to realize greater cost savings through fewer accidents and claims. Fleets also realize less vehicle wear-and-tear and increased fuel efficiency.

Furthermore, when truck drivers are less likely to quit and go elsewhere, this decreases the costs associated with turnover, recruiting, and retaining truck drivers. When the coaching is effective, the bottom line sees better days.

Using Technology to Coach

The fact is this: Watching video footage is an extremely effective way to train new or inexperienced truck drivers. It also allows a coach to get a clear look at how well a truck driver is doing and what their learning curve is. How quickly does the truck driver respond upon seeing the footage?

Telematics allow coaches to dig into the raw data associated with how the truck driver is driving. From sensing speed to braking and more, sensors and other advanced telematics solutions provide hard data that coaches, and truck drivers, can swiftly act upon.

The fact is, no cost is too high when it comes to ensuring safe operation of fleet equipment. Trucking companies should ensure they are investing wisely into coaching efforts. With so many new truck drivers entering the work force, a guiding hand could be the only thing preventing a disaster out on the road.

Did you know that almost 1,600 commercial motor vehicles were put out of service during Brake Safety Day this past April? Out of the over 11,000 inspections completed in North America, over 13 percent of inspected vehicles got an out-of-service violation because of substandard brake maintenance. It is critical that trucking companies pay close attention to the condition of their air brakes, and not just because they are worried about a violation. Brakes play a critical role in the overall safe operation of commercial motor vehicles.

Chamber Size

That’s why we wanted to devote this week’s blog post to ensuring your air brakes are in proper order. Are you aware of all the steps required to ensure the functionality of your braking system?

First, make sure that brake adjustments and checks are completed before the brakes are in use. When the brakes are heated up, stroke measurements can be far longer. Why? Because the brake drum itself expands when in use. Cold brake check measurements are key to getting a proper reading.

The brake chamber size must be determined while in this state. First, technicians will want to locate the size markings on both the clamp and chamber body. Are those markings easily readable? If not, special calipers can help technicians ascertain the proper chamber measurement size.

Ranges for brake chambers generally fall between 6 and 36. Steer axle brakes will be smaller due to the nature of the steer axle. Expect those measurements to fall somewhere between 12 and 20. Heavier axles, by their nature, rely on larger chamber sizes.

Pushrod Stroke

What method will you use to determine a brake’s applied pushrod stroke? There are a couple to choose from. First, you can mark the pushrod with a reference point. This will allow you to operate the brake then go back and see where the measure met up with actual performance.

Second, you can measure the released position of the pushrod. Make sure to take account of the distance from a single point on the pushrod body to a fixed point near the brake chamber. If that measurement is off at all, you may of a problem.

Wherever your measurement comes out at, you will want to lower the vehicle’s air pressure through either running the engine or pumping the brake pedal. It will be important to ensure you have reached between 90 and 100 psi on both the primary and secondary tanks. With the correct air pressure indicated, make sure you apply and hold pressure to the brake pedal to get a true reading.

Fortunately, many brake OEMs already make their products with marked pushrods. This allows technicians to quickly determine whether a brake is out of adjustment or not without having to go through the manual checkmark process. Brakes that are within alignment will show the marking as being inside the body of the brake chamber. Conversely, if any part of the indicator is visible, the brakes either need to be flushed or are out of alignment.

Checking Adjustments

To get a good idea of whether brakes are adjusted properly or not without a fully-fledged inspection is another option. Ensure the vehicle is properly secured, then grab a prybar and pull back the push bar from the brake chamber. What is the push bar’s range of motion? If you are nearly an inch within stroke-free distance, your brake may be out of adjustment.

Without brakes, there is no safe operation of any vehicle, commercial or otherwise. Always ensure your technicians are up-to-date on how to check a rig’s air brakes and you can rest assured that your fleet is operating safely, day-in and day-out!

There is one constant in the trucking industry today: Advanced safety technologies are dramatically reducing serious crashes, injuries, and fatalities on our nation’s roads and highways. Yet, far too many trucking companies have their eyes set firmly on their insurance costs. Is there a disconnect between road safety and insurance costs? There is, but the reason isn’t as obvious as it may at first seem.

The fact is, fleets have access to a wealth of safety technologies and data related to efficient truck driving, yet they are not utilizing these technologies to their fullest advantage. Motor carriers need to figure out how to implement the technologies and utilize the data provided by their use to increase overall safety measures.

Drowning in Safety

There is a phenomenon in trucking called “tech fatigue.” With the ELD mandate and advanced fleet management and safety systems coming at fleet managers from all angles, it can become easy to get overwhelmed and find yourself “drowning in safety.” While many motor carriers have plans in place to mitigate these problems, there are often disconnects between management and the truck drivers themselves.

Are truck drivers aware of specific alerts, beeps, and communications delivered by advanced safety systems? Furthermore, do fleet managers know when to act on said alerts or communications? There may be a solid plan in place to deal with such things, but without firm communication and a plan in place to manage these systems and train truck drivers and others within the organization on how to use them, the message can get lost in the noise.

It is critical that fleet managers ensure their truck drivers are not only trained on newly installed safety systems, but have buy-in that their truck drivers know how to and, even more, want to use them. The equipment being installed should be properly vetted and key decision-makers within the organization should understand how they will have an impact on the organization as a whole.

There are also problems with fleet managers focusing only on poor truck drivers. Even if an operator has a safe million-mile record, mistakes happen. Professional, experienced truck drivers should not be ignored for the sake of focusing on newer, less-experienced truck drivers with a minimal driving record.

When an adverse event occurs, do you have a corrective action plan in place to address the problem? How are you using the available data to influence the decision you make in regards to your truck drivers? Only through proper training and follow through can these questions be answered.

Technology is not a Curse

The problem is that as motor carriers add more and more technologies to their vehicles, it can become difficult to not only keep everyone on board, but figure out the most optimal ways to utilize these technologies. Advanced safety and fleet management systems do not just suddenly make themselves known to operators.

It is important to never assume that those operating your commercial motor vehicles will know exactly how a piece of technology works, especially if the only experience they previously had was with putting a pen to paper.

Fleets must invest real time and effort into ensuring those who are utilizing an advanced technological solution are aware that it is going to be installed, how to use it, and how to utilize the data it provides. Many of these software and hardware systems are not inexpensive. Why should a motor carrier sink a ton of their well-earned money into implementing a system without the follow-through required to ensure they are getting the most out of it?