Steve Rush was stumped.<\/p>\n
He founded Carbon Express back in 1983, after 19 years as an owner-operator, and still considers himself a \u201cblue-blooded\u201d truck driver at heart. So he wasn\u2019t sure how his company, which prioritizes taking care of its drivers\u2014clients are No. 1 and drivers are No. 1a\u2014failed to make the \u201cBest Fleets to Drive For<\/a>\u201d list after multiple attempts.<\/p>\n After all, Rush says he\u2019s always looking for ways to improve life for his entire team.<\/p>\n Carbon Express<\/a>\u00a0drivers are paid for every hour they work, the company exclusively runs daycabs, preferring to put drivers in hotels \u2014 and even fly them home on layovers \u2014 and Rush recently sent four drivers and operations director Sean McAllister to a mountain driving training school in British Columbia, Canada, in an effort to improve safety for his people and the motoring public.<\/p>\n The Wharton, N.J.-based carrier also sent 16 drivers on the \u201ctrip of a lifetime\u201d in 2019, hauling petroleum-based drilling fluids from Illinois and Texas to Alaska on a memorable journey that featured a weekend stay at a hotel with log cabins in Fairbanks. And more recently, he sent 25 drivers and members of his maintenance team to a remote cabin in Maine to build camaraderie and discuss best practices.<\/p>\n So instead of worrying about \u201cthe list\u201d for 2020, he stayed focused on improving operations and bettering employees\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n Then a friend at\u00a0Boyle Transportation<\/a>, a regular among the Best Fleets to Drive For\u2014which is co-produced by\u00a0CarriersEdge<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Truckload Carriers Association<\/a>\u2014since 2015, said they experienced similar frustrations early on, and encouraged him not to give up; so Rush, wanting his voice heard, redoubled his efforts for 2021.<\/p>\n And this time he hit the mark, with Carbon Express landing among the five \u201cFleets to Watch\u201d that garnered honorable mentions.<\/p>\n \u201cThat put a huge smile on my face,\u201d Rush said.<\/p>\n Now the 56-year trucking veteran is using the occasion to again highlight the importance of treating drivers with respect; and emphasize how critical it is for all employees to work together to take care of the equipment and each other, to ensure everyone goes homes safe and happy\u2014and the industry flourishes post-pandemic.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are all connected,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re one big family.\u201d<\/p>\n Carbon Express is one of only two liquid tank haulers highlighted in this year’s Best Fleets to Drive For program. The other,\u00a0Western Dairy Transport<\/a>\u00a0in Cabool, Missouri, also landed in the Fleets to Watch.<\/p>\n Together, they\u2019re the first bulk-focused fleets to make the prestigious grouping since\u00a0Trimac Transportation<\/a>\u00a0was a Fleet to Watch in 2016. And only Trimac and\u00a0Grammer Logistics<\/a>\u00a0have made the top 20\u2014Grammer in 2014, and Trimac four consecutive years from 2011 to 2014.<\/p>\n No bulk transporter has been named the overall winner in the large- or small-fleet categories.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of tank truck people in there for some reason, but I think that will change,\u201d Rush said.<\/p>\n The Carbon Express founder and president helped change his company\u2019s status by becoming more involved in TCA\u2019s benchmarking efforts, which he says helped draw more attention to their benefits and low turnover. Bill McNamee, one of the\u00a0American Trucking Association<\/a>\u2019s 2019-2020 America\u2019s Road Team Captains, never questioned their credentials.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a well-rounded company that walks the walk, and doesn\u2019t (mislead) the driver,\u201d McNamee said. \u201cThis is my 30th year, so I know talk is exactly that. You can advertise and promote your company, but if you\u2019re not living up to what you\u2019re saying to people around you, you\u2019re not doing the best you can for your people.<\/p>\n \u201c(Rush) is a little strange. He actually cares. I feel like I work for an uncle.\u201d<\/p>\n The driver\u2019s voice is a critical component to the competition.<\/p>\n All for-hire fleets operating at least 10 trucks in the U.S. or Canada are eligible, but they must be nominated by a driver or independent contractor. Then, after completing an extensive corporate questionnaire and follow-up interviews with CarriersEdge representatives\u2014in which they\u2019re judged on driver compensation, benefits, operating strategy, career development, work\/life balance and more\u2014a minimum number of drivers, depending on the fleet\u2019s size, must complete a survey about their experiences with the company.<\/p>\n \u201cThat part is critical,\u201d Rush said. \u201cYou can tell them anything you want, but that driver might tell them something totally different. So that was key for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Rush said they have separate surveys for company and owner-operator drivers. The Carbon Express fleet includes 57 company drivers, two independent contractors, and one small fleet operator with five trucks.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re opposite of a lot of carriers, especially in truckload, which employs a lot of owner-operators,\u201d Rush maintained. That distinction is why he\u2019s more determined than ever to make the top 20, and prove to the larger industry his approach works.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re absolutely determined,\u201d he insisted.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen my competitors hear we have no sleepers, we use company drivers and we pay by the hour, you wouldn\u2019t believe the negative responses we receive. They say \u2018Are you out of your mind? Paying a motel bill? What, are you crazy? You pay them by the hour? Don\u2019t you know they\u2019re going to steal time from you? Don\u2019t you know you lose productivity when you pay them by the hour?\u2019 And I just look at them and shake my head.\u201d<\/p>\n Productivity always is top of mind for Rush, which is why their doubts bewilder him.<\/p>\n To further foster a more productive fleet environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, he instituted weekly group calls that include drivers, mechanics and dispatchers. Initially, he wanted to utilize a newly installed phone system to stay in touch with drivers about health concerns and risks, and reach remote workers. But everyone quickly realized their value in keeping the shop and drivers on the same page, and making sure dispatch allowed time for equipment upkeep, to keep loads moving and avoid unnecessary downtime.<\/p>\n The regular meetings now are a permanent feature of Carbon Express operations.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been a real big find for us, and really, it brings the drivers into the office for the first time,\u201d Rush said. \u201cWe get great feedback out of that.\u201d<\/p>\n McNamee deemed the calls \u201cvital,\u201d saying they encourage team building\u2014and discourage finger-pointing when it comes to maintenance.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a good relationship with your shop, and they\u2019re not reachable, because they\u2019re too busy, it\u2019s tough,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s a big thing right there. Usually, mechanics stay so doggone busy with fixing equipment and coordinating appointments, and the foreman\u2019s always ordering parts, so you\u2019ve got to leave a voice mail.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we don\u2019t have to do that at Carbon. We\u2019re always on those calls, so there\u2019s never a gap in communication. If I\u2019ve got something I need to bring up, I bring it up. If they\u2019re seeing a trend with a trailer issue, or a tank issue, or something like a warranty issue or a recall, there\u2019s no delay addressing it. We\u2019re all on the call talking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Frequent and more candid conversations also build trust between mechanics and drivers.<\/p>\n Chris Peck, shop foreman for Carbon Express, says when a driver who he trusts reports something as simple as a new noise, he believes them, and takes the potential problem seriously. \u201cThat\u2019s a big key to our daily routine,\u201d Peck said.<\/p>\n Peck has been in his current position since October. But he\u2019s been with Carbon Express since August 2019, and he previously spent 12 years working on trucks and tank trailers at Prospect Transportation in Carlstadt, New Jersey, where his dad, Donald Peck, has worked for 35 years and currently serves as safety manager.<\/p>\n So Peck grew up in a shop, and understands the importance of connecting with drivers who see the equipment every day. He also knows routine maintenance is critical in keeping them safe\u2014and saving the shop money.<\/p>\n According to a\u00a0recent FleetNet Benchmarkit report<\/a>, the average cost of mechanical repairs for commercial trucks reached a record high of $542 during the third quarter of 2020. And while tank fleets fared better, averaging $420 per repair, they also saw the largest number of roadside repairs due to tires and exhaust systems.<\/p>\n To avoid costly roadside breakdowns in a fleet of 64 trucks and 150 liquid cargo tank trailers predominantly used for hauling oils, Peck makes sure all vehicles are regularly inspected and serviced. Every unit receives an oil services at 25,000 miles, and tractors receive a grease service every 12,500 miles. And routine maintenance is more important than ever because Carbon Express didn\u2019t add any equipment last year, due to the uncertainty created by COVID-19, and Rush isn\u2019t planning on ordering any this year.<\/p>\n \u201cFleet maintenance is absolutely critical,\u201d Rush said. \u201cGoing into COVID, we were two-and-a-half years on average on tractors, but we did not make any purchases last year because it was so volatile.\u201d<\/p>\n Carbon Express prefers to handle mechanical repairs at its only \u201cbrick-and-mortar\u201d terminal in Wharton, which features two full-length bays. If the vehicle is too far from home to bring back\u2014typically more than a day\u2019s drive\u2014it\u2019s serviced at a nearby\u00a0Polar Service Center<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Heil Trailer<\/a>-certified facility, or even by the driver, before visiting a customer.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of drivers here with experience, so them doing small repairs on the road is not uncommon,\u201d Peck said. \u201cIf they\u2019ve got a taillight out, most of them don\u2019t want to wait in line for hours at a shop. So if I can walk them through the process, and have them check if a wire is broken or it\u2019s just a bad bulb, I do what I can to save money.\u201d<\/p>\n The Carbon Express shop doesn\u2019t have R-stamp certification from the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, so barrel replacement and repair work is outsourced to a third-party facility. Everything else is handled by Peck and his four-man team, including suspension swaps\u2014they recently put a new suspension on a 1977 Fruehauf trailer returning to service\u2014and HM-183 cargo tank inspections and tests.<\/p>\n Peck and his three full-time mechanics received their HM-183 training at\u00a0North American Transport Consultants<\/a>\u00a0in New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to keep costs down, and no one examines a trailer more closely than the owner,\u201d said Peck, who sees each trailer every 60 days, but treats every inspection like it\u2019s the last one he\u2019ll perform that year, preferring not to second guess a maintenance decision, like not replacing a brake chamber that\u2019s approaching the end of its service life. \u201cEvery time we see a trailer in here, we treat it like it\u2019s going to get a federal inspection.\u201d<\/p>\n Trailer tires are monitored by the\u00a0Meritor Tire Inflation System<\/a>. \u201cWe don\u2019t usually have service calls for tires on the road, unless it\u2019s a blowout,\u201d Peck maintained. \u201cEvery single one of our trailers is outfitted with an auto-inflate system, so \u2026 those tires are going to maintain proper pressure\u2014even with a significant hole in a tire.\u201d<\/p>\n The shop uses Premium Tech Tool, a Windows-based diagnostic application specially designed to test, calibrate, and program engine parameters, for identifying issues in its Mack and Volvo trucks. \u201cThat Tech Tool program is pretty good at helping you pinpoint the problem,\u201d Peck said. \u201cAnd then once you start working through a code, it gives you the steps to follow. So as long as you follow the steps to a T, it won\u2019t let you down.\u201d<\/p>\n Peck said switching to automated manual transmissions has been a boon for the shop as well. In addition to making average drivers better, they\u2019re less costly to maintain, and now backed by a more robust warranty package. \u201cThat\u2019s very cost-effective for us\u2014not having to replace clutches, not having to replace a rear differential from a driver slamming in the gear, trying to get a tractor unstuck from the mud,\u201d Peck said.<\/p>\n Carbon Express also is outfitting trucks with pumps that boast reverse capability after a mechanic discovered a versatile coupling system at a tank truck expo. \u201cPT Coupling<\/a>\u00a0put out a coupler system that allows the driver to reverse the flow at the pump, but they\u2019re expensive. So what we do is, every time we buy a new tractor, we\u2019ll put one of those pumps on. We\u2019re about two-thirds through the fleet now, and they\u2019ve made our drivers that much better. These systems impress our customer, give our drivers all the confidence in the world in what they\u2019re doing, and help eliminate spills.\u201d<\/p>\n Driver responsibilities include pre- and post-trip truck and trailer inspections, which, for a tank truck driver, also means doublechecking trailer equipment, like latches, pumps and hoses. \u201cWe inspect our tank every time it\u2019s washed,\u201d McNamee said. \u201cAnd we don\u2019t swap hoses, so my hoses on my truck are my responsibility. We\u2019re all required to maintain our hoses and inspect them when we get them washed.\u201d<\/p>\n They\u2019re also required to report any damage that may have occurred. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to be sitting at the inspection station with a violation when all you have to do is inspect it, call, get it fixed, and then roll down the road,\u201d McNamee said.<\/p>\n \u201cThen you\u2019re going to stay out of that danger zone with violations.\u201d<\/p>\n Rush contends paying by the hour and running all daycabs also helps keep them out of danger.<\/p>\n Drivers who don\u2019t feel rushed are more likely to conduct thorough inspections, and less likely to push equipment beyond safe operating limits. \u201cBy paying by the hour, I\u2019m paying my drivers to go safe,\u201d Rush said. \u201cIf you pay by percentage, or by the mile, you\u2019re paying them to go fast, which isn\u2019t necessarily safe.\u201d<\/p>\n By avoiding sleeper trucks, Rush says Carbon Express also is reducing equipment expenses\u2014he maintains the cost of using hotels is roughly equivalent to the cost of purchasing and maintaining pricier sleepers when amortized over an extended period\u2014improving drivers\u2019 quality of life, and keeping them more alert on the road.<\/p>\n And an alert driver is more likely to detect a problem before it\u2019s catastrophic.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019ve learned is sleep patterns are critical to keeping that driver safe and healthy,\u201d Rush said.<\/p>\n Well-maintained equipment also helps keep turnover down.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Professional Driver Agency<\/a>\u00a0(PDA) said equipment and compensation issues again were the\u00a0most mentioned concerns in the fourth quarter of 2020<\/a>. \u201cEquipment and compensation issues have been the top two issues for drivers for all four quarters of 2020,\u201d said Scott Dismuke, PDA\u2019s director of operations.\u00a0\u201cEquipment issues, especially repeat issues, cause frustration and usually compensation issues.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen in 2020 that equipment issues, both for tractors and trailers, are causing drivers to leave, so the condition and maintenance of equipment is important to driver retention.\u201d<\/p>\n Bob Costello, chief economist for American Trucking Associations, said in his most recent comments about the driver shortage that the trucking industry was short 60,800 drivers in 2018, and could be down 105,000 drivers by 2023 and 160,000 by 2028\u2014and that was before the pandemic reached the U.S.<\/p>\n The driver shortage topped the American Transportation Research Institute\u2019s\u00a0Top Industry Issues list<\/a>, released in October 2020, for the fourth consecutive year. Experts agree the shortage was worsened by pandemic-induced closures of driver training schools and commercial driver\u2019s license testing sites, stricter drug and alcohol testing mandates, and an older demographic of drivers who are retiring from the industry.<\/p>\n Rush believes older drivers also are leaving because they don\u2019t want to risk getting sick.<\/p>\n A recent analysis by Cottingham & Butler in its\u00a02020 Trucking Benchmark Driver Compensation & Benefits Survey<\/a>\u00a0showed the tank and bulk segments fared better than the overall trucking industry in driver turnover, due in part to more home time and more experienced drivers, but Rush says tank truck carriers are feeling the shortage, too.<\/p>\n At its height, the Carbon Express fleet included 72 drivers. They\u2019re down to 57, mostly due to retirement, and with most of the attrition during the pandemic.<\/p>\n To stop the bleeding, the industry needs to find younger drivers\u2014and stop abusing the ones who already are here.<\/p>\n \u201cThey want a life, and they want to get paid,\u201d Rush said.<\/p>\n One of the greatest culprits contributing to turnover today, Rush says, is the lease-purchase program, which he argues is designed to pass off the expense of operating a transportation firm to its drivers, who are left with used trucks they never wanted. All they desire is an open road\u2014and a well-maintained company vehicle to drive.<\/p>\n \u201cLease purchase, in my opinion\u2014after 56 years in trucking\u2014is corrupt, and it must be addressed,\u201d Rush said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf all your variable expenses are passed off to a second party, where is your incentive to raise your rates and take care of those people?<\/p>\n \u201cI am so concerned about our country, and our industry almost mirrors our country. The greed at the top has put us in this terrible position. There\u2019s nothing wrong with driving a truck. There\u2019s nothing wrong with that. People who drive a truck generally love driving trucks, especially the over-the-road guys. They love it. I know. I used to do it. You couldn\u2019t send me far enough, and you couldn\u2019t send me to enough new places.\u201d<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on Bulk Transporter<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n By Jason McDaniel<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Source: https:\/\/www.fleetowner.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The audit is a key tool to know the overall status and provide the analysis, the assessment, the advice, the suggestions and the actions to take in order to cut costs and increase the efficiency and efficacy of the fleet. We propose the following fleet management audit.<\/p>\n Commitment to drivers, equipment upkeep, effective communication make Carbon Express one of 2021\u2019s \u2018Fleets to Watch\u2019. Steve Rush was stumped. He founded Carbon Express back in 1983, after 19 years as an owner-operator, and still considers himself a \u201cblue-blooded\u201d truck driver at heart. So he wasn\u2019t sure how his company, which prioritizes taking care of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10324,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[231],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10323"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10323"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10325,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10323\/revisions\/10325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Elite company<\/h3>\n
Productive meetings<\/h3>\n
Equipment upkeep<\/h3>\n
Staying safe<\/h3>\n
Dwindling pool<\/h3>\n
\nCUT COTS OF THE FLEET WITH OUR AUDIT PROGRAM<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/04\/nueva-ley-auditoria.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFLEET MANAGEMENT AUDIT<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"