Diabetes and the Motor Carrier industry

Diabetes seems to be a growing issue with many of my clients, as it continues to be a growing concern with our entire country.  Knowing this to potentially cause some drivers and their employer to be in violation with the safety regulations I have sought out articles on the matter, and have found one specific to both the illness and what the regulations say about it.

For most of the country, Winter is almost over.  Though this sounds fantastic as we get rid of ice, snow, slush, dangerous driving conditions, etc., it brings on the next phase of potential issues.

What comes next?  Well, for many it is ALLERGIES.   As spring jumps in bringing warmer and nicer weather, trees and plants begin to bloom, bringing that problem-posing pollen.

If you are looking for DOT compliance help, you may actually be looking for various types of assistance.

Perhaps you just became aware that your company has vehicles that are considered a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV), and your management needs specific training to determine what steps they need to take in order to be in compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) and to prepare for an upcoming audit.

We all think of the holiday season as a time of family get-togethers, parties, food and fun.  The fact is, even though this is a time just for that, our national records show that thousands of people die on our streets and highways every holiday season.  That's right, while we drive down the road to visit Grandma, our cousins, parents or good friends, many times our minds are on what we will do once we get together, rather than on the road and traffic around us.

You've asked for it, and now you have it.  Vogel Safety now has two segments of online training available through our website.

The required training on "Supervisor's Drug & Alcohol, including Reasonable Suspicion" is one of the new topics, and Hours-of-Service/Log Book training is the other.

There will be more topics available soon, such as Defensive Driving, Driver Qualification Files, Maintenance Files, Surviving the DOT Audit, etc.

Big News:  I have seen an increase of the number of DOT Compliance Reviews lately, and nearly half of these end up with an Unsatisfactory safety rating, for no good reason. 

A Difference Between Satisfactory & Unsatisfactory

One of the main reasons companies are assigned an overall rating of Unsatisfactory is because Factor Six in the audit is unsatisfactory. 

Being in the Transportation Safety Industry for over 15 years, I still do not fully understand why some companies allow violations to safety regulations and best practices, which, in turn, allows people to die.

Everyone knows that being able to see where you are on the road, where you are going, and what is around you while driving is important to your safety.  What many people may fail to recognize as equally important is the fact that in addition to you being able to see...you must also be seen by others.  It is extremely important for others to know that we are present and what our intentions are.  This is why we have brake lights, clearance lights, back-up lights, turn signals, horns, etc.