Greetings!
Summer is winding down now, and the children are going back to school. In your travels, please watch out for the little ones and their caregivers. As always, please continue to check the predicted weather for the areas where you will be traveling...rainstorms and flooding are possible in many areas; so, always be sure to plan ahead!
Also, we ask you to please take a few minutes to look over our newsletter each month. This is our way of trying to keep you informed about all of the latest information and happenings, which are occurring here at TTI. Please scan through it for new and helpful info!
Safe travels,
Your Newsletter Editor
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Owner Operator Of The Month |
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We wish to announce that our July Owner Operator of the Month is Nancy, Unit #3697. Congratulations!
Nancy was selected by the office staff at TTI among many candidates on our fleet, and she passed all the requirements set out in each of our departments in order to become the Owner Operator of the Month.
Nancy has been with us since March of 2014, when she leased Unit #3184 with Trailer Transit. She also drove #3343, and she currently drives Unit #3697, a 2019 International.
Congratulations! Keep up the great work! We are glad to have you with us here at TTI!
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Believe it or not, one of the most common claims submitted by motor carriers are crashes or incidents involving parked vehicles. These losses are usually preventable and when a motor carrier investigates the cause of such incidents, often times it can be traced back to the driver's decision on where he/she decided to park.
Here are some tips to share with drivers on selecting a safe location to park:
1) Never park on the shoulder of a highway for non-emergency reasons, such as tire checks, cargo checks, and nature breaks.
2) If parked on the shoulder for an emergency, activate the emergency flashers right away. Drivers should also place their emergency warning devices, such as triangles, within 10 minutes of stopping, per F.M.C.S.A. regulations.
3) Be aware of hazardous ground around the truck. Soft and/or icy shoulders are parking traps that can cause the unit to lean or tip over. It can also sink and get stuck requiring the added expense of being towed. Also, be mindful of ice on the shoulder. Trailers have been known to slide off the shoulder and into a ditch. These conditions are also a hazard to the driver, so encourage the use of proper footwear, 3-point contact getting in/out of the vehicle, and wearing a reflective vest to alert traffic of their presence.
4) Be mindful of parking on/near grass, weeds, and leaves. In extremely dry conditions, the hot undercarriage and exhaust components on the truck can spark a fire and jeopardize the entire unit and its cargo.
5) Never leave units unattended in unsecure parking areas, especially if hauling hazardous materials. Lock the truck whenever parked, even for short stops, and never discuss routes or cargo with strangers.
6) Before dropping a trailer, always ensure the ground below will support the trailer's landing gear, especially if the trailer is loaded. Use dunnage, if necessary.
7) Clear the truck of accumulated snow and ice after being parked for an extended period. This will make the vehicle more visible to others and give the driver more visibility of the traffic conditions outside.
8) To avoid getting hit by other vehicles in a truck stop or rest area, avoid parking on the end of the row or in the front.
9) Always set the parking brakes on both units when parking, even for short stops.
10) Look for any signs nearby that indicate no parking for commercial vehicles. Avoiding towing costs is another form of loss prevention.
By: Leo Hughes, Senior Safety Representative, Great West Casualty Co.
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Hope everyone is having a great and safe summer! "BLO", as the police say--be on the lookout for the little people! It's back-to-school time once again.
There are so many "start" times at schools today. You don't know at what times you will see children waiting for their buses. They could be there at 6:15 am and all the way to 9:00 am. It's just as wide-spread in the afternoon and early evening. You may also see activity buses as late as 9 pm after ball games.
Always keep your cool--slow down and let them have the right-of-way. Also, remember that TTI drivers are the very best drivers there are on the road. Let's do our best to keep it that way!
Till next time - be safe, stay legal, and stay cool!
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THANK YOU and ATTABOYS/ATTAGIRLS GO OUT TO:
The Owner Operators who treated us to lunch this past month: Billie F. & Jerry H. #3631, Leonard M. #3672, and Gil & Melissa O. #3160. We truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness! From: The TTI Office Staff.
Jim B. #3834 for the great customer service on the PA to AR move. We appreciate you helping the customer with the lowboy trailer. Your extra help and knowledge at pick up and delivery made our customer very happy and thankful for your skills. Thank you! From: Nick (Operations/Recruiting).
Venny V. #3829 for your professionalism and expertise in moving their trailer into Dallas. They said the hall you took the trailer to was very hard to get into, and you did a perfect job! They appreciated your work and would like to have you move a trailer for them anytime you are in the area! Thank you! From: Cheryl (Operations).
Jan K. (Office) for 40 years of dedicated service to Trailer Transit. Congratulations and thank you! From: TTI's owners.
Cabot S. #3620, Foxe C. #3782, Anthony C. #3709, David P. #3743, Gil O. #3160, Calvin J. #3817, Anthony B. #3821, Richard M. #3586, Robert D. #3826, and Venny V. #3829 for receiving violation-free inspections during the previous month. We appreciate your hard work and professionalism in keeping your equipment in top shape, and I would like to personally thank all the TTI drivers for their hard work! Keeping your equipment in shape and all your hard work is definitely impacting our CSA scores and making them better! From: Carl and the entire Safety/Recruiting Department, along with All of Us at Trailer Transit.
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Trailer Transit always strives to keep the safest and most professional drivers on the road. In each monthly newsletter, we will be acknowledging drivers who have received their annual safety awards for having no preventable claims and 40,000 or more loaded miles for the previous year.
The employees of Trailer Transit would like to recognize the following drivers who received their annual safety awards:
JULY:
3 yrs.: George G. #3635
4 yrs.: Kevin J. #3543
7 yrs.: Gabriel M. #3210 & Adriana M. #3210
CONGRATULATIONS!
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IRS 2290 & Base Plate Order Forms: The deadline is August 31st! The Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax returns are due between July 1st and August 31st. Base Plate Order forms have been emailed and can be downloaded here: 2023 Base Plate Order Form If you pay your 2290 tax after August 31st, the IRS will charge you a late filing fee which includes penalties and interest; therefore, it can cost you more to pay it late. The fee for this tax is $550 per year. If you'd like to pay through Express Truck Tax, the updated instructions are here--the correct price for a single vehicle is $14.90: Express Truck Tax - TTI Step-by-Step Guide 2022 (updated) Click on the trailertrans2290.com in the flyer and it will take you to our page with them. If you have any questions, need any help, or need paper forms, please contact Tina in Licensing or stop by the office.
ONTARIO: The Ontario CVOR Certificate has been renewed and is effective from now until August 23, 2023. If you travel Ontario, you may download a copy here to print: Ontario CVOR Certificate, expires 8.23.23 OR visit or phone Tina in the Licensing Department for your copy, which you will need to update your permit book if you travel Ontario.
TRANSPORT PLATES: When using your transport plate on a customer's trailer, please remember to remove your plate from the trailer at delivery time. If the plates are lost, the cost for another set is $35. Please try to contact the customer and have them send the plate to our office, Attention: Tina Kelly. Also, Tina has emailed everyone on the new instructions for Idaho trip permits when you are using your transport plates (only). Here's the website: https://crs.idaho.celtic-host.com/IDEnterprise . Here are the instructions in pdf format: Idaho Transport Plate Permit Instructions .
LOADED CALLS: When you leave a message at TTI that you've loaded, please remember to let us know: (1) Time of Pick Up, (2) Trailer Number, and (3) Bill of Lading Number.
ACCOUNTING REMINDERS: Please make sure you make your empty calls BEFORE emailing paperwork in. We cannot process your pay until the empty calls are made and then, your paperwork should be sent in. Also, we thank everyone for putting in Pick Up dates; however, we need you to remember to put Delivery dates on your delivery receipts, as well.
TIRE DISCOUNT PROGRAM: This is to let you know that you should only call Goodyear for tire road service. Bridgestone does NOT handle tire road service calls in the tire program.
OVERNIGHT OR 2-DAY MAIL: When requesting overnight or 2-day mail delivery, please know that it is NOT guaranteed! Weather and other mailing issues can and sometimes do cause delays. Please plan ahead in order to get your mail delivered far enough ahead of your trip to keep you from waiting on the mail delivery. Also, please plan ahead because overnight mail is extremely expensive, and in most cases, the charges will be passed along to the owner operator who requests expedited mail.
DETENTION: Please be advised that in order to have the chance of being compensated for detention, the owner operator MUST have it documented on the delivery receipt. Calling in and adding detention notes to an order is NOT sufficient for you to be paid.
COMCHECKS: Effective immediately, if you need paper Comchecks, we have to buy them from Comdata, and we will be passing the cost on to you. It will be $2 per Comcheck.
COMDATA CARD FUEL TRANSACTIONS: After you get your fuel, please remember to check your account to make sure they properly took your fuel transaction off your Comdata Card.
TA DISCOUNTS: The following service discounts can be enjoyed automatically for all Trailer Transit drivers, beginning January 1, 2022. These discounts have been uploaded into the TA/Petro System; so, therefore, there is no need for you to do anything except make the shop aware that you are a Trailer Transit driver:
Ultimate PM = $18 savings, Premium PM = $9 savings, Rapid Oil Change = $4.50 savings, Trailer PM Service = $7.50 savings, DOT Inspections (Tractor, Trailer, Tractor & Trailer) = $7.50 savings, New Tires (Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, Yokohama, Firestone, BF Goodrich, Kelly & Roadmaster) = $35 off retail price.
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Scan Your Paperwork:
If you would like to scan your paperwork to email it in:
Settlement Paperwork:
settlements@trailertransit.com
Fuel Receipts/Trip Sheets:
fueltax@trailertransit.com
Logs:
logs@trailertransit.com
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Unit #'s on Paperwork:
Please remember that it is very important that you put your Unit Number on all paperwork and correspondence which is sent in to the office: Mail, Fax, or in the subject line of an Email.
Thank you!
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Phone Numbers:
Owner Operators: please program your cell phones and use our Automated Attendant Phone No.: 219-926-3746.
Customers and all other Callers: please phone our Switchboard:
219-926-2111 or our toll-free line: 800-423-3647. Our Recruiting No.: 800-922-7448. Our Fax No.: 877-859-1191.
After Hours-Emergency No.: 844-291-5407.
Thank you!
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Trading Trucks?
If you are thinking of trading trucks, please keep in mind that you should stay in contact with the Licensing and Safety Departments, as well as with your Dispatchers. This will be in your better interest, enabling us to minimize your processing time and get you moving down the road once again. Thank you for your cooperation!
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Referral Bonus:
The $1,500 driver referral bonus is available to every Owner Operator at TTI and also to the TTI employees!
Who doesn't want "free" money? Let's contact our Recruiter, Audrey, with some potential Owner Operators!
Phone: 800-922-7448.
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Accounting Reminders:
Delivery Receipts - Need Signatures or note: "Dropped After Hours". Pick up and Delivery dates are always required.
Trailer Repairs - Must send in receipts to Accounting with your paperwork. Even if you email Dispatch, you need to mail Accounting your receipts to be reimbursed.
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“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
– Dale Carnegie
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