| Dear {FName}, |
October 15 , 2011 |
As promised, we are back with more Trucktober news, so start reading now!
Kristen Belcher Awarded
Trucker Buddy Teacher of the Month
June 2011
Kristen Belcher, a third grade teacher at Kaufman Elementary School in Spring, Texas, has been named the June 2011 Trucker Buddy Teacher of the Month thanks to the glowing nomination from Russell James, driver for Titan Express and Belcher’s class Trucker Buddy.
“Mrs. Belcher has a great command of many things trucking, and conveys this knowledge to her students regularly,” says James. “Additionally she hosts visits from me, as often as I can get to them as long as she and her students are not interrupted in their school activities and studies. As I have often said to her, school comes first.”
James and Belcher work as a team to teach the students about the trucking industry and learn the fundamental skills needed to succeed. They have regular conversations about where James has been travelling, what kind of products he hauled, and what fun things he does while trucking as well as safety issues for truckers on the job, his favorite places and so on.
Belcher emphasizes to the students that truckers are a great and valuable asset to our country's needs. “While in this program, Mrs. Belcher is very good at promoting letter writing from the students,” says James. “As I give updates via e-mail and post cards, she prints the e-mails and pictures out and reads them to the students so they have real time information about my trucking activities.”
James says that when he has the opportunity to bring his rig to visits with the students, “Mrs. Belcher has complete command and control of the students while they ‘tour’ my rig, always making sure that each and every student has the opportunity to see the truck and its features, making sure they see everything safely.” They both anticipate a Trucker Buddy partnership long into the future. Belcher is a great asset for the trucking industry, as James’s message of the value of truckers is distributed through her to the students and their families and beyond.
The Recession and Dealing With it as a Driver
Derek Hinton - www.dotjobhistory.com
I first began working in the commercial driver screening and employment industry in the mid-1980s and have been through a few business cycles. The recession we are in feels different than previous cycles. For one thing, some are doing better than ever and some haven’t had this bad a time in decades.
In late 2008, when things headed south, the Department of Transportation had one employee earning more than $170,000 per year. Eighteen months later there were 1690 making over $170,000. And not to pick on the Department of Transportation, during the same period when over seven million Americans lost their jobs, the number of federal employees earning $100,000 or more went up from 14% to 19%--that is before overtime pay and bonuses are counted. So, about one of every 5 federal employees is making better than $100,000 per year.
Did you throw the magazine across the truck or are you still with me? It’s not just that public employees are doing well and private employees are all doing badly. In my business I talk with a many drivers who are doing very well and some who have shot their driving career in the foot. I hear a lot of advice about what drivers should not do or what behaviors to avoid. In talking and working with drivers who are doing well, they all seem to do some common things.
They don’t have a current job, they have a career. Their current job may not be the one they want—but they understand future employment depends on their track record. They are choosy in picking companies. If the company does not have a strong safety effort, they understand with CSA that they will be affected.
If they get a ticket, they challenge it. Tickets are a little like concrete—you can often work with it before it sets—but once set, it’s really hard to work with. If you get a ticket, don’t wait until it is set.
If they’re not happy with their current employer, they do not do anything rash or half-cocked, but prepare. Sometimes opportunity knocks and if you’re not prepared, someone else answers the door first. The drivers I talk with making some bucks have a file with their employment history listed and a copy of their MVR from the past year. They know what’s on their DAC Report and PSP report and have disputed/corrected any information before it bit them. Some of the drivers use DOTJobHistory.com, some of them have printed the information and put it in a file—but they can get to it when they need it.
They have a plan and their plan may be to stay with the company they’re at—but move into a preferred route, pay scale or other position. Some of the drivers I talk with have been with a company for 5 or more years and when they have that kind of longevity with a single company, they have many employment choices with other companies—but have decided to work within the company rather than leave for the unknown.
If you are one of those who is not doing so great in this recession, it’s time to prepare. There are some good jobs out there.
TruckDriver.com
Carrier of the Month
Trimac Transportation
From its inception in 1945, Trimac Transportation has consistently sought and achieved industry leadership, and has a proven reputation for safe and reliable service. Trimac provides highway transportation of dry, gaseous and liquid bulk commodities to industrial customers throughout North America, with an extensive branch network of over 120 terminals.
With over sixty-five (65) years of continued internal growth and expansion, Trimac is the premier bulk transportation and logistics provider in North America. Trimac is in the business of providing truck transportation as well as related distribution and management services throughout North America.
As North America's premier provider of services in highway transportation of bulk commodities, Trimac is looking for people with a commitment to excellence and a focus on their corporate vision.
Trimac selects only the best candidates to join their team and challenges every team member to perform at their best. Their training programs ensure everyone has the tools they need to be successful. They are committed to helping their workforce through a long-term career plan with many benefits, educational opportunities, projects, and adventures. Trimac has a policy to internally promote staff to other positions such as Safety Managers, Traffic Supervisors, Shop and Wash rack Managers, Branch Managers, Head Office Support all the way to executive positions. You may never have to work for another company to get promoted to your dream job!
If you think you have what it takes to be part of Trimac Team please give them a call!
Canada: 866-487-4622 canrecruiting@trimac.com
United States 888-799-4374 usrecruiting@trimac.com
Well, we sure picked the right name for the TruckDriver.com I’m Not Telling Survey. Due to some technical issues, we have been unable to access the survey results file. Kind of makes us wonder if all that talk about radar detectors got somebody’s attention. It’s not paranoia if you really are being watched!
We’ll see you in November until then, keep on truckin’ and please drive safely!
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