BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED
slick. So use THREE POINTS OF CONTACT, your health depends on it. In any type of inclement weather, you must slow down, avoid erratic movements, and increase your following distance by two or three times. Lastly, be prepared for the unexpected during the winter months. Pack extra clothing to keep yourself warm, blankets, water, and non- perishable foods. You never know when you may get stranded or shut down somewhere, and we want you to be prepared and have enough supplies to literally “weather the storm.” Remember the winter storm that shut down Atlanta in 2014? You never know when it could happen and you could be in the middle of it. Let’s never forget the basics folks. Following the basics are what largely got you to the place you are now! It is easy to develop short cuts or stop doing the basics because we think we know too much or are just simply in too big of a hurry. I am going to challenge you and tell you that you can’t afford to forget or stop following the basics. How much time do you lose and how much money will be lost if you have an accident? How much time do you lose if an officer stops you for speeding? That time and money lost is just not worth the risk. It will take you weeks or months to make that money back or to work yourself back to the level you were previously. Pay attention and run the speed limit, maintain a safe following distance, know what is going on around your truck, and pay attention to your surroundings. We want you to be safe, prosperous, successful, and able to spend time with your family and friends when
Greetings from the safety department! We all want to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and happy New Year’s. October was observed as Distracted Driving Month, which is something you must be aware of every time you get behind the wheel of a CMV or your personal vehicle. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, 80% of collisions and 65% of near collisions involve some type of driver distraction. Distracted driving can be manual (reaching to get something to drink, adjusting the air or heat), visual (taking your eyes off the road, something off the road catches your attention) and cognitive (mind focusing on something other than driving, such as a phone conversation). Your goal should be to greatly reduce or eliminate all forms of distraction while driving your CMV or your personal vehicle. As winter is rapidly approaching and some areas have already had some snow and ice, you have to slow down and be very deliberate in your actions and movements. First of all, if you don’t feel safe, don’t go! If you are not comfortable with the road conditions and you don’t feel you can operate safely, contact operations immediately and let them know you do not feel safe driving the conditions you are faced with. YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE IN THE TRUCK
on home time. You, as a driver, are the most important safety feature in the truck, and those who care for you are counting on you to be safe and do things the right way. Getting back to the basics can help you achieve this goal.
–Tim Clark VP Maintenance
Next, be careful when entering and exiting your truck. Those steps can and will get covered with snow and ice, which makes them extremely
WELCOMING JOHN FAIRCHILD TO THE TEAM
that they have received much needed recognition during the pandemic. COVID-19 has opened the eyes of the general public to the key role that our professional drivers play in keeping products moving across the country and, ultimately, in keeping our store shelves full. Second, I enjoy working with team members across the organization, helping them identify their strengths. Marcus Buckingham defines a strength as, “Something that draws you in, it makes time fly by while you’re doing it, and it makes you feel strong.” I truly believe that people are much happier in the workplace when they are able to apply their strengths directly to the work they do every day. As the definition says, when you are applying your own strengths to the work you do, “it makes time fly by.” It “draws you in” to the task at hand and makes you feel “strong” and confident in your work. Don’t we all want to feel that way while we work? –John Fairchild
It is our pleasure to announce that John Fairchild joined our team as vice president of human resources on Oct. 26. John will be working with our human resources, driver recruiting, and communications teams. He joins us with prior experience in the trucking, third-party logistics, and automotive manufacturing industries.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT HR?
Two things come to mind quickly. First, I appreciate the fact that I am able to work in a department that gets to support our professional drivers each day. I sincerely understand the sacrifices they make just to work in this industry. I am glad to see
2 WWW.BIGGEXPRESS.COM
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker