DRIVER POLICY AND SAFETY MANUAL

 

  

Introduction

 This manual is designed to provide drivers, employees, and all other concerned parties with information regarding the operational policies, safety policies, and general practices of this company. A wide scope of information is provided herein. However, it is not the intent of the company to list all of its programs, policies and or procedures in this manual. It is also understood that the information contained herein is subject to change at the discretion of the company. Additional policies and directives may be issued at any time. It is the intent of this company to operate safely and in accordance with the regulations set forth by the Department of Transportation and all other applicable agencies. Nothing in this manual is designed to supersede these regulations. All drivers are expected to operate safely and courteously on the highways. Evidence that this requirement is not being honored will result in the immediate revocation of the safety clearance of the offending driver.

General Policies

 1. All drivers are expected to operate within the limits set forth in the federal regulations, and local, municipal and state laws of all jurisdictions operated in. This is inclusive of logging regulations, weight limitations, speed limits, and physical requirements. Drivers who violate these laws will be subject to disciplinary action by the company.

2. Drugs and alcohol are strictly prohibited in any vehicle operating on behalf of the company.

3. Firearms are strictly prohibited in all vehicles operating on behalf of the company

4. Pets/animals of any kind are expressly forbidden from being in any vehicle operating on behalf of the company.

5. Passengers are not allowed.

6. All customers, employees and members of the general public are to be treated with respect and courtesy.

7. Paperwork is to be turned in at the end of each trip. If you do not return to the terminal, bills, logs, etc should be mailed to us in a timely manner.

8. Accidents must be reported to the company as soon after the accident as possible. Failure to report accidents will result in the revocation of the driver's safety clearance.

9. All drivers are expected to check call daily and to stay in touch with the company as requested by dispatch. This may require several phone calls per day in some instances.

10. C.B.s are a valuable tool for drivers. Please use yours with respect for the motoring public. We do not expect our drivers and representatives to use profanity or vulgarities on the radio.

11. It is expressly forbidden for any employee or agent of the company to come onto company property under the influence of any illegal drug or alcohol.

12. All trucks are expected to use the shortest practical routes. Out of route miles will be charged back to the driver at the current fuel costs. If a direct route is unsafe due to mountains, narrow highways, or other reasons, please advise your dispatcher and obtain approval for alternate routing.

13. Deliveries are to be made in a timely fashion. This company will not ask any driver to violate state or federal laws in order to make an on-time delivery. However, so long as the scheduling allows for on-time deliveries, drivers are expected to meet their appointment times.

14. If, for any reason, a driver foresees that an appointment time cannot be met, dispatch must be notified as soon as possible so that they can coordinate with the customer.

15. Fuel should be purchased only at authorized fuel stops. If such stops have not been designated, it is the responsibility of the driver to help control fuel costs by buying fuel at the lowest prices available.

 

 

What to do at the Scene of an Accident

Although we strive to operate accident free, we know that an accident can occur at any time. If you are involved in an accident, please follow these guidelines.

1)Secure the scene. This may consist of putting out triangles, activating the 4- ways on all vehicles, setting out flares, (If there is no spill or volatile chemicals such as gas, diesel fuel, etc) and using other persons for traffic control. In the case of minor accidents it may be advisable to move the damaged vehicles from the roadway. However, if doing so, please photograph or otherwise verify the location of both vehicles prior to moving them.

2) Render first aid and/or comfort to injured parties, if necessary. If you do not feel capable of performing this function, try to find someone who can assist.

3) Notify the police as quickly as possible

4) Notify the company as quickly as possible

5) Get out your accident kit and begin obtaining all information that is asked for on the accident report.

6) If the other party is willing to accept the blame, ask them to fill out the driver exoneration form.

7) Obtain the names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses. If people refuse to provide the above information, record their license plate number and provide that information to the insurance company representative.

8) Make no statements to anyone other than the police, and then only respond to questions that they ask.

9) If you have a camera, take photographs of all aspects of the accident scene.

10) Photograph all four sides of all vehicles involved.

11) Photograph skid marks, gouge marks, and debris that is in the road as a result of the accident. In these photographs, try to get some landmarks in the background to help identify the location of the items.

12) Photograph any temporary situations such as illegally parked vehicles, obscured signs, etc that were contributory to the accident.

13) Photograph the other parties involved. In particular, if they seem healthy and are leaning over, or otherwise showing back and leg mobility, photograph those actions to verify the limits of their injuries.

14) Photograph the license plates of all vehicles stopped at the accident scene. These might very well be witnesses that could not otherwise be discovered.

15) Comply with the drug and alcohol testing requirements if necessary. Remember, you must drug and alcohol test if; 1) it is a fatal accident, 2) it is a damage accident that results in one or more of the vehicles being towed and you received a citation or 3) it is a property damage accident that results in one or more of the vehicles being towed and you received a citation

All accidents will be evaluated by the company for preventability. Any driver who has 2 preventable accidents in a 3 year period will lose their safety clearance.

Any driver applicant who is found to be under the influence of an illegal drug or un-prescribed controlled substance shall be eliminated from consideration for employment. Any driver who is found to be in possession of, or under the influence of any illegal drug or controlled substance shall, without recourse, be terminated. Any driver who is found to be operating a company vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or who is found to be In possession of alcohol while ona company vehicle shall, without recourse, be terminated.

Any driver who commits an act of dishonesty while in the scope of employment shall, without recourse, be immediately terminated, and shall not be eligible for rehire. Acts of dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to the following:

1. Theft of company equipment.

2. Criminal conversion of company property.

3. Illegal use or possession of drugs or controlled substances.

4. Operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

5. Making false statements or statements that are materially incorrect with the intent of misleading the company regarding any action that might jeopardize the well being of the company.

6. Any act of violence against an employee, customer, or any member of the general public while acting as a representative of this company.

7. Any act of a malicious or destructive nature that affects the well-being of the company or its employees.

8. Conviction of a felony while in the scope of employment. The above rules shall apply to all employees, independent contractors, and representatives of this company.

 

 

HOURS of SERVICE and DRIVER's DAILY LOG

All drivers are expected to operate within the laws set forth by the DOT. A brief explanation of those laws is set forth below.

14 Hour Rule: This rule requires drivers to stop 14 hours after beginning their duty tour. Regardless of how the time is spent, the driver must take a 10-hour break at the end of 14 hours. The 14 hour period begins once the driver ends his 10-hour break by making an entry line 4, on duty, or line 3,driving.

11 Hour Rule: Within the 14 hours allowed to the driver, only 11 of those hours may be spent on line 3, driving. Once the driver has had 11 hours of driving time, he must take a 10-hour break before driving, even if he has time left in his 14-hour period.

70 Hour Rule: This rule states that once you have been working for 70 hours in any 8- day period, you may not drive. In order to comply with this regulation, you need to keep track of your hours. Each day, before you begin driving, you need to add up your total hours on lines 3 and 4 for the past 7 days and subtract the answer from 70. Whatever is left is what you can drive that day. The 70 hours of accumulated time may be eliminated by taking 34 consecutive hours off duty. If the driver has 34 consecutive hours off, his 70 hour total is reduced to 0 and he begins the cycle again.

10 Hour Break: Breaks must be taken in the sleeper berth or off duty. If sleeping in a sleeper berth equipped truck, the time should be logged on line 2, Sleeper berth. Off duty time spent outside of the sleeper should be logged on line 1, Off Duty. If the 10 hour break is uninterrupted by any on duty or driving time, you may combine line 1 and line 2 to achieve your 10 hours.

Speed: DOT requires that all trucks abide by the speed limits of the states that they are operating in. They also state that in their opinion, if a truck obeys the law, it cannot average more than 5mph less than the speed limit. In the case of 2 lane highways with a 55mph speed limit, DOT believes that the maximum that a truck can average is 45mph. Be sure that your average speeds for the trip do not exceed these maximums.

On Duty Time: All fuel stops, DOT inspections, random drug tests, time spent loading/unloading, breakdowns, vehicle inspections, and accidents must be unloading time should reflect only the time that is spent actually working. Time spent waiting, etc, may be logged off duty or in the sleeper berth

Timely submission: Logs should be turned in as soon after completion as possible. Ideally, all logs should be turned in every time that the truck returns to the terminal. At the very most, DOT requires that the logs be turned in not more than 13 days from the date of completion.

Falsification: Logs must match all timed and dated documents including fuel stops, road side inspections, toll tickets, Kat Scale tickets, and freight bills. Mileage must be at least the miles listed by PC Miler or Household movers guide. Point to point miles should match as well as total miles for the trip.

 

Safety

All drivers are expected to operate in a safe and defensive manner at all times. More than one at fault accident in a three-year period will result in the driver's safety clearance being revoked.

Speed: It is expected that all drivers operate within the posted speed limits for the states that they are operating in. Excessive tickets will result in the driver being put on probation or terminated.

Following distances: All drivers are expected to use the National Safety Council's following rule. This requires a minimum of 7 seconds of following distance at highway speeds and 6 seconds at speeds under 40mph. These following distances should be increased by at least 1 second if the roads are wet or slick.

Reduced Traction: Adverse weather conditions can result in reduced traction. In the event of rain, reduce your speed by 25-30% and increase your following distance by at least 1 second. If the rain is heavy enough to require your wipers to be operated on high, or if your visibility is reduced by tire spray, speeds may need to be decreased even further and following distances increased. When operating on snow covered highways, speeds should be decreased by at least 50% and following distances should be increased by at least 2 seconds.

This rule applies even If the snow cover on the highway is intermittent. Remember, there may well be icy conditions as a result of snow being compressed by traffic. When operating on icy roads, the best recommendation is "don't." When conditions become icy, find a safe haven and get off the road. Until you can do this, reduce your speed to a crawl, use your 4-ways, and increase your following distances by at least 2-3 seconds. Remember, ice at 32 degrees can be up to 10 times as slick as ice at 0 degrees. This means that your stopping distances can increase by a factor of 10. (As a example, on wet ice, stopping distances at 30 miles per hour can increase from a normal distance of 100 ft to as much as 800-900 1 ft)

Reduced visibility: Conditions such as snow, fog, heavy rain, dust, and smoke can result in reduced visibility. The rule for such conditions is to reduce your speed so that you can stop within your window of visibility. If such a speed reduction creates a hazard of being rear ended, use your 4-way flashers, stay to the right, and find a safe place to exit the highway and park as soon as possible. As a rule of thumb, make sure that you can see at least 8-10 seconds ahead of your vehicle. This gives you the opportunity to see hazards, process the information, and react without an emergency lock-up that increases the risk someone rear-ending you.

Courtesy: All drivers are expected to operate in a safe and courteous manner at all times. This is the key to defensive driving, and it doesn't cost you anything to be courteous to other traffic.

Time management: One of the biggest problems that drivers have is time management. Too often, drivers wait until the last minute to leave home or the terminal. Or, a driver who does leave in a timely manner will spend too much time at the truck stop drinking coffee or playing video games instead of heading down the road. In either case, the driver is now on a tight schedule. Any minor delay along the route will cause a late delivery or will cause the driver to feel "pushed for time". This usually results in speeding, discourtesy, and excessive fatigue on the part of the driver. Schedule yourself properly and watch your time. Don't create emergencies through poor time management.

Backing: Backing represents less than 10% of our driving, but represents more than 25% of our accidents. Before backing, get out and look. Be sure that the area is clear of obstacles before you back. Begin your back from as close to the dock as you can so that things don't have a chance to change before you get there. If backing across a highway or busy street, be sure to get someone to stop traffic for you before you begin backing. If the shipper/receiver won't help you, call the safety department for assistance. DO NOT BACK ACROSS A HIGHWAY OR STREET AFTER DARK WITHOUT SOMEONE TO STOP TRAFFIC FOR YOU.

 

 

Inspections: Don't wait until the truck breaks down to find the problem. DOT and the company both require that you do a thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspection on your vehicle. As you do your walk around, be sure to take a rag with you and wipe off your reflective striping, reflectors, lights, and mirrors.

Emergency breakdowns: If for some reason, you are required to stop on the they are far enough behind your truck to warn oncoming motorists and to meet the requirements found in part 392 of motor carrier regulations.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Roadside Inspections: All roadside inspections must be turned into the company as soon as possible. If you or your truck are placed out of service, call your dispatcher immediately. Remember, it is your responsibility to inspect your equipment and notify the company of any defects. If you receive a citation for faulty equipment, you are responsible for paying the ticket.

Overweight: It is the policy of the company to operate in a legal manner, unless we have ordered an overweight and/or oversize permit. You must weigh your load at the first convenient location and immediately report any overweight load. You will then be directed to return the load to the shipper for adjustment. If you fail to weigh your load and receive an overweight ticket, you are responsible for the payment of that ticket.

Fueling: All fueling should be done at designated stops. If no stops are designated, we expect the driver to try to find the least expensive fuel in an area and use that stop. We also understand that the cheapest fuel may not be at a station that provides clean showers. If you incur extra shower costs as a result of fuel savings for the company, turn In your shower ticket with your

Paperwork: All paperwork must be turned in as soon after delivery as possible. Paperwork should include the signed bill of loading, scale tickets, fuel receipts, the completed trip report, your logs, any toll tickets, and any other expenses that you need to be reimbursed for. You will not be paid for a load unless all the paperwork is turned in.

Freight Claims: If you are responsible for load and count, you will also be responsible for all shortages or damages. Check your load as it is going onto the truck and as it is coming off. If it is a sealed load or a SLC load, verify the unload count. Immediately call dispatch if there are any damages or shortages. Do not sign for damages or shortages until you have talked to dispatch.

Check Calls: Check calls should be made every day before 10am unless have any other Enroute problem, immediately call dispatch. Remember, communication is important. We need to hear from you so that we can tell our customers what to expect.

 

Breakdowns: In the event of a breakdown, call the shop immediately. Do not attempt to repair the truck unless it is a minor problem that you feel comfortable repairing. Remember to put out your triangles as necessary. 

 

RECEIPT FOR SAFETY MANUAL

I hereby certify that I have received the company safety manual and that I have read and understand all the information contained therein. I further agree to abide by the provisions that are set forth in the manual.