Fifth Wheel Maintence

OK, so how many of you are thinking about your fifth wheel right now? Probably not many, right? Well like everything else on your truck, it needs maintenance. Which means you also probably need a checklist to do it right. Everyone loves a checklist, and we've got you covered. 1)      First, you're going to need to clean the gunk off that fifth wheel. Some folks go so far as to steam clean it; others simply scrape and clean it with a brush and solvent. You should know that it is recommended that you steam clean not only the top plate, but the jaws and legs, as well. 2)      Next you're going to inspect the upper area and edges for any damage. This can simply be wear and tear, or something more excessive - like missing parts or cracks. You're going to need to find a straight edge, too, because you've got to check the flatness of the fifth wheel. Cracks are obviously bad, as well. Finding them can be tricky if you're not steam cleaning the fifth wheel, but if you check underneath it, you can see any grease making its way through a crack. 3)      Look at the jaw area. Is there any damage, or excessive wear? You should have a test pin from your manufacturer. You're going to use this to engage the locking mechanism. Check the release handle, as well. This needs to be straight and secure. Look for any missing parts. Adjust the locking mechanism. 4)      You'll want to examine the bracket pins and legs for any type of damage (slack, wear or cracks). 5)      Check those Zerks. Obviously, grease fittings should be intact and unclogged. 6)      This is the point where you're going to need the square. Review the flatness of the bolster plate, as well as the kingpin. You're looking for any deformities in either one. No one likes it, but when you find damage in either one, you're going to need to replace it. 7)      Check your kingpin for wear, as well. You're going to need a kingpin gauge for this. 8)      Now that you've made it through the inspection, hopefully without needing to replace anything, it's time to look at the necessary maintenance. First, lubricate the jaw and locking mechanism. You're going to do this with a silicone based spray lube, or some other light oil. 9)      Let's give the zerks something to do now. You're going to use the grease gun for the bracket pin zerks to lube the surfaces above the pin. 10)   Now for the top plate. While many drivers and mechanics apply high quality grease all over the fifth wheel, you only need to grease the rear part, as the action of connecting a trailer will apply the grease to the rest of the fifth wheel. Note: Not all of these steps apply if you have a fifth wheel with a Teflon disc. The disc is the lubricant.

Height sticks and GPS

You’ve seen the videos and pictures on the web. You know it happens – just not to you. And this is exactly how it starts. 

Every day we see a video of a truck carrying a large load hitting a bridge, underpass or some other object of civil engineering. In fact, over 60 percent of states say that over-height accidents are considered a significant problem. The problem is so bad in the empire state that New York is installing “Over-Height Vehicle Detection Systems” to alleviate it. (You have to wait for troopers to guide you to another route if you’re over height, and that can’t be an enjoyable process.)

So, how do these strikes happen so frequently when we all know to measure twice and plan the route accordingly? It’s all about safety culture and technology. Just like larger companies, small operations need to instill their safety processes and procedures – especially if they’re currently not in place. 

It’s all about knowing everything about the load you’re carrying. Just as you know when you’re overweight, you also need to know when you’re over height. The only way to know that is to measure for it. If you don’t have a height stick; get one. Today.

Now that you know the height of the load, it’s time to plan the route to the destination. In doing so, there’s one piece of equipment you want to avoid; a noncommercial GPS system. If you’re relying on a GPS system, make sure it’s one used for the trucking industry. Consumer GPS doesn’t show low bridges or hazmat routing. They don’t need to. You, however, need to know. 

Most commercial systems available will adjust your route according to the measurements, axle weights and whether you’re carrying haz-mat. Even the government wants to make sure truckers are aware of the benefits of commercial GPS. FMCSA recently published a visor insert to make sure everyone knows about it when purchasing a truck.

These are just a couple of ways to improve the safety of your organization. There are many more coming your way.

    

Recognizing Truck Driver’s Contributions

How do you pay 35 billion dollars in taxes each year, have over three million members and still remain under the radar when it comes to recognition for your contributions to the economy? You work as a truck driver.

It seems hard to imagine, but people don’t seem to be aware of how most products move across the country, or how much effort it takes to get freight from point A to point B without damage, spoilage or theft. To give it a number, over 83% of freight is moved across the country by truck drivers.

Here’s a couple of secrets most people also don’t know about trucking:
1) There’s a driver shortage happening, as we speak.
2) The trucking industry is probably going to grow by over 20% in the next 10 years.

Why is there a shortage? Imagine working 14-hour days, and being away from your friends and family for weeks at a time. Also realize that sitting 10 hours a day is a requirement, and terrible meal quality is the normal practice in the industry. Now you have a small insight into some of the reasons for fewer people entering the business. However, it goes beyond just the reasons.

So how do we convince new career seekers that truck driving might be their ticket? While there is no single answer for that question, there are a number of things we can bring to their attention.

Safety records have improved. Truck driving is now probably safer than it has ever been. Even though drivers have driven double the number of miles they drove 25 years ago, truck involved fatalities have dropped over 33%. Injuries have dropped 38% from their previous levels. In fact, the crash rate for large trucks is less than 50% of what others vehicles suffer. This really is a safer industry than what it was even a few years ago.

While there are a host of suggestions for gaining and retaining drivers, one of the best known ways always seems to be avoided in the discussion – simply pay better. In fact, most analysts blame the average pay for the truck driver shortage. Unless you’re just starting out in your career, $37,000 a year isn’t much to live on. Every industry in need of skilled labor seems to recognize this, except the trucking industry. Whether you need workers for the tar sands projects, or people in the IT industry, when there’s a shortage of workers, you have to compensate them to bring them into the field. Additionally, low pay has experienced drivers leaving the field, or retiring at an alarming rate, so there’s even less experience out there – which the industry now needs quite badly.

Retirees suggest that legislation and regulation are also big factors in their leaving. While we realize every aspect of this industry needs to be paid to make it work properly, most of the work is on the driver to get the load from one point to another. And let’s face it, between loading, offloading, securing and timely delivery; drivers do most of the work associated with the loads. The industry needs to recognize this.

If the industry seriously wants to overcome the struggle for drivers, it’s simply going to have to recognize the driver’s contributions, and pay better. 

Supreme Court Decision Now Protects Your Phone Information

Supreme Court Decision Now Protects Your Phone Information

We are a mobile society, and always have been. Moving about seems to be tied to our curiosity as a species. Moreover, when you travel as much as some of our readers, you're probably going to want to take as much of your information with you as possible. It's not only convenient, it now seems absolutely necessary. Previous to the Supreme Court's decision, this might have posed a problem - if you're a privacy advocate. With technology making huge amounts of information available, both the world's and yours, privacy has become a sticking point for numerous organizations. Warrantless searches of phones had been quite common. The contents could be downloaded by a device in an officer's car in a matter of moments - including calls, stored information and texts to everyone you interacted with throughout the life of the phone. Your fourth amendment right to privacy now just got a major clarification. Your phone's contents are now protected from prying eyes far better than it used to be. With the Supreme Court's ruling on Riley vs. California, several points about your continued privacy have been made quite clear. The court held that, "The police generally may not, without a warrant, search digital information on a cell phone seized from an individual who has been arrested." The court further concluded that, "the fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the Founders fought."

Authorities saw it as necessary because information could be gathered before it was able to be erased/destroyed. The Supreme Court sees it differently. "Digital data stored on a cell phone cannot itself be used as a weapon to harm an arresting officer or to effectuate the arrestee's escape. Officers may examine the phone's physical aspects to ensure that it will not be used as a weapon, but the data on the phone can endanger no one." Warrantless searches were permitted when it was to prevent harm to an arresting officer, and/or it was to secure evidence from destruction. The Supreme Court now says that neither applies with cell phone data, without exigent circumstances. It, however, does allow authorities to take reasonable steps to prevent erasure/destruction of that data, but not acquire it without a warrant. One concern of privacy advocates is the Supreme Court's still unresolved issue of data not stored on the phone, but in the "cloud." While easily accessed on the phone, the physical location of the data can be on any storage device in the world. Will there be another warrant needed to search data stored outside the phone? Time and the courts will tell. This article is only meant as a very brief overview on a particular part of the Supreme Court's legal opinion. To see the original opinion of the Supreme Court, please Use this link: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/13-132_8l9c.pdf

Your Best Sales Person Should Tell Your Story

You know your company has the very best product and/or service in the industry; however, no one seems to know this, but you. In this era of frenzied business competition, how do you make sure people know what you do for your customers? That's easy. Let other people tell the story for you. Of the many forms of advertising and marketing, only one can change how someone "feels" about your company. Only one speaks to people, because it's by a real person. One of the oldest, and best, forms of advertising is directly from your customers. In short, you need testimonials. Reviews. Recommendations. With these references, you are now the star, instead of simply another player on the field. There is no doubt that it can be difficult to get great reviews - if you simply sit back and wait for them. While customers may indeed love what you do for them, it's always hard to get someone to submit a great review on their own, and especially if you give them nowhere to do so. Negative reviews seem to be another story. More on those later.

Keep your reviews current. No one wants to see a review from 1984.      The truth is you have to ask for reviews. Somewhere you have an email list of people your company deals with. Write a personalized e-mail (no bulk e-mails) to your customers asking for their thoughts on your products/services. When you get a good review back; and you will, simply ask the customer if it would be OK to use their review. Happy customers will likely agree to this, as they already appreciate what you do for them, and probably wouldn't mind influencing others, as well. It's simply human nature to be an influencer. It makes us feel good about our purchasing decision when people act on what we tell them. With permission, use these reviews on your web pages, literature and anywhere people see your company in public. If you don't have time for this; find someone that does. Much as referrals carry weight for job interviewees, they are essential to your business for the same reason. Each customer interaction is an interview. You are "hired" or "fired" on the purchaser's review of your businesses' "resume." If it's filled with recommendations, chances are good you'll be getting the job. The beauty of this review system is that it also allows you the chance to correct any problems your company might also have. As much as we dislike getting negative feedback, it is a necessary part of business. Each one, however, should be viewed as an opportunity. If you get a negative review from a customer, and it truly was something that was your fault, and an area you can improve upon; do so. Then communicate the steps taken to your customer. You become a stronger company with every review - be it positive or negative. Your best customer is also your best sales person, if you ask. With that said, we would love to hear from you. Please email us and let us know about your experience and what we can do to improve our relationship with you. As stated above, our best sales person is a happy customer.

Difficult Operations Don't Always Require Complex Solutions!

Move vehicles with ease    Scenario 1 This one was supposed to be an easy tow. However, you get there to find that the car is not only tightly parallel parked between two other cars, but the customer is locked out of the vehicle. Scenario 2 It's a late-night repo. You need to get this car out of a "blocked" situation quickly and quietly. This is now even more difficult than what you planned for. Scenario 3 You're staring at one super-expensive antique vehicle. It needs to be safely moved from one side of the storage area to the other. You don't want to start this piece of history, let alone drive it. Solution Three situations with one easy solution. Break out the Go Jaks. This lightweight dolly system allows you to move blocked, locked or damaged vehicles into a proper hook-up configuration with tow trucks or car carriers. They also allow you to move an entire vehicle where you need it. Whether you need a vehicle moved eough to do a proper hook, or completely rotated into a new position, this is your go-to dolly system. You can use just 2 units on the drive wheels to move the car into position to be towed, or you can use four Go Jaks (one each wheel) to move the car into a position anywhere it needs to be moved, with minimal effort, and precise placement.

East Coast Truck and Trailer Sales 877.814.9468 Parts.ECTTS.Com

East Coast Truck and Trailer Sales 877.814.9468  Parts.ECTTS.Com

How Are Your Driving Skills At 100+ Miles Per Hour?

It’s cold and absurdly early on this Las Vegas morning, but 30+ people couldn’t be happier. Not just because it’s Vegas, but because East Coast Truck and Trailer Sales is hosting their Richard Petty Driving Experience again. If you’ve never been, the Richard Petty Driving Experience is a thrill ride you control - starting at 100+ mph!

Every year, the folks at ECTTS ask a number of their friends and customers to come out for the driving experience of a lifetime. This is a chance to drive a car as fast as you can – without any fear whatsoever of a ticket. In fact, the faster the better! So much so, we keep track of the stats. 

The day starts with a facility overview of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There’s roughly 1,500 acres to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, consisting of over 10 tracks.  There’s the 1/2 mile World of Outlaws dirt track, the quarter mile NHRA drag racing facility known as “The Strip” and the 3/8 mile “Bullring”, which is the home track of NASCAR superstars Kurt and Kyle Busch as well as Brendan Gaughan – just to name a few.

But before you’re allowed to put a 600+ HP car through its paces, you have to go through safety and instruction and in-car/on-track training. This isn’t just a formality if you’re driving these beasts, this is absolutely necessary. You need to know how the brute you’re going to be doing your best to control will handle in a curve, or “out of the groove.” You’ll hear from the instructors/drivers just what you’re going to feel, and at what speed. They know these finely-tuned monsters; they drive them every day.

Now it’s your turn at the wheel; right? Well, first you’ll be taken on a ride-along to get a feel for the track, and experience the car “at speed.” You get to see what it feels like to take a curve as fast as possible without slamming into a wall. Then you get to feel the acceleration push you into the seat – when you’re already doing over 100 mph! You’ll amusedly remember when you used to get a thrill punching the accelerator on the family sedan to pass a sluggish truck. And this is just the instructional phase.

“OK, this should be easy”, you convince yourself, as you climb into the driver’s seat. What you don’t understand – until you try it for yourself, is that the instructor made it look easy because of their experience. For you, getting this race car up to something even close to 130 mph is taking some work. Not that the car won’t do it, but because you’re having a tough time getting up the nerve to go much faster. Way too soon, this thrill ride is over, but you get a chance to see just how much bravado you had. After it’s all over, you get a packet that includes a time sheet with a breakdown of every lap you drove on the track.

Finally, at the end of the day, ECTTS holds a dinner for their customers, friends, and employees. The food’s good, but the stories and laughter are even better. Let’s face it, half the fun of this type of outing is comparing how you did with the rest of the guests. The only problem lies with the inevitable request to see the hard copy of your exploits, to confirm those “enhanced” tales of the track. Chris Kelly, one of our customers, posted this year’s top speed at 141 mph! We’ll keep the lowest speed to ourselves, so as to keep the embarrassment to a minimum.  As we said earlier, we do keep track of the stats.