LTL 101:Pick-ups and Deliveries

This week we are covering some of our top tips for easy, efficient, and cost-effective pick-up and delivery tips.

Pick-Ups:

  • Any pick-up (P/U) entered after 2:30 PM local time should be called into the carrier to insure availability, otherwise the request will roll over to the next day
  • Lift Gate P/Us must be called into the carriers because Lift Gates are not readily available at every terminal
  • All Container Freight Stations and Airline P/Us require Delivery Order and Entry paperwork (3416 document), these need to be sent 24 hours in advance because drivers will need these documents in hand prior to P/U
  • P/Us are not Guaranteed
  • All carriers require a 2 hour window for P/Us
  • P/Us are done in the afternoon because drivers have to deliver freight before they can start pickups
    • If your shipper needs an AM P/U it is best practice to call the carrier to set something up which will most likely incur additional charges
  • The shipper must have our system generated BOL to provide to the driver at the time of P/U or our rates will not apply
    • This is not something the carrier will have via our P/U requests in BTMS
  • If a LTL driver needs to reference a P/U number, it is best practice to put that number on the first line of the shipper name. Please see the example below:

ABC Distribution Co > Ref # 123456

4567 Main Street

Anywhere, NY 10014

 

Deliveries: 

  • Transit times and delivery dates are estimations and can be delayed for many reasons
    • Add an additional day if a shipment is interlined
    • Add 2-3 days if a shipment is traveling by rail
  • If the shipment must be delivered by a certain date and time, spend the extra money and have the shipment guaranteed
    • If “Guaranteed” is not on the BOL at time of P/U no adjustments can be made to the invoice
  • Volume Shipments cannot be Expedited or Guaranteed
  •  Re-delivery rates are based on weight and can get very pricey

 

It is imperative to make sure the consignee is ready to accept the freight so that additional charges are not incurred.

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LTL 101:Delivery Expectations & PODs

Last Blog we discussed educating our shippers in order to ensure our BOL is set up correctly and to avoid a possible dispute with the carrier regarding our invoice. This week we want to discuss educating our consignees so they know what to expect at the time of delivery.

It is very important to educate your consignee BEFORE the freight is delivered about what the process will be like. Will they need a liftgate? Will the driver be helping unload the freight in any form or manner? By asking these questions in advance, and by making sure that the consignee and you are on the same page, you can minimize additional charges on your invoice.

On the delivery receipt/proof of delivery (POD), issues should be noted if you suspect that the value of the product has been compromised. Make sure to note any damage to the packaging, and/or missing product. Having these notes on the POD makes it easier to file a freight claim with the carrier. Claims can take quite a long time so anything that you can do upfront saves time down the road.

Another tactic you can take is to refuse the shipment upon delivery if damage is present. Refusing a shipment means that the consignee does not accept the freight in the condition presented – meaning you will eventually file a damage claim. This will alert the carrier that something is wrong with the shipment and that they should get in touch with the appropriate party. Make sure you use this tactic responsibly, because if a shipment is not damaged the carrier can actually tack on a redelivery fee. Yikes!

Five of the most common additional services on a POD include:

  1. Lift Gate – Hydraulic lift on the rear of a truck used to assist in the unloading of freight.
  2. Inside Delivery – The driver is only responsible for moving the freight off the truck. If the driver helps move the freight more than a few feet away from the truck, even if it’s not “inside,” then an Inside Delivery fee may apply. Be very careful with this one because the terminology can be misleading and it varies by carrier.
  3. Limited Access (Residential) – This is up to the carrier’s discretion, however, there are locations that will always be deemed limited access. If a business is run from a home, or is in a residential area, carriers may charge this fee.
  4. Sort/Segregate – Certain locations may require a carrier to sort and segregate a shipment. This is additional handling beyond the normal duties of a driver that will incur additional fee(s). This charge is especially prevalent in grocery stores or distribution centers.
  5. Detention – With most LTL carriers, the first 30 minutes from when the driver arrives are free. Any additional time is subject to an additional detention fee. Again, the length of this “free time,” and the charge it carries, varies by carrier.

So the next time you sign a POD when receiving your shipment, be sure to review it and see if any additional services listed are being used. If a service is pre-printed on the POD, then the need for this service was most likely known in advance. However, if the driver marks that an additional service was performed, then there will be an additional charge. In some cases, it may be good practice to have your consignee obtain a copy of the POD themselves.

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LTL 101:Cubic Capacity

Do you know how cubic capacity can affect your shipments?

Almost every LTL carrier has a cubic capacity rule in their rules tariff that may affect any of your shipments. LTL carriers impose minimum cubic capacity rules to effectively counter very light, fluffy shipments that take up more than their fair share of a trailer. In most cases, LTL carriers state that if a shipment consumes 750 cubic ft. of space or more, AND the shipment has a density of less than 6 pounds per cubic foot (pcf), it’s not paying its fair share. While the rule varies dramatically amongst carriers, most artificially adjust the weight to a minimum of 6 pcf, AND apply a class of 125 or 150 to the commodities being shipped with their associated tariff rates. Most carriers use the 750 cubic feet as the threshold, but not all.

This week we wanted to clarify what to watch for with Cubic Capacity by providing an example from XPO:

XPO is now enforcing their standard cubic capacity rules on all tariffs. What this means is that shipments requiring 350 cubic ft. or more of the trailer with an average density of less than 3 pcf will have the weight calculated differently then what the actual weight is. Yes that is correct, the actual weight will not matter!

350 cubic ft. of the trailer equates to approximately 5.46 linear ft. of the trailer so you can see that we are severely limited on the amount of skids of LTL we can ship when the density is below 3 pcf.

As an example, for two pallets of LTL, cubic capacity would be calculated as follows. Please note that the carrier uses the actual height (96”) of the trailer when they look at the cubic capacity of the shipment, not the actual height that the shipment might be:

One skid = (40” x 43” x 96”) / 1726 cubic inches per cubic ft. = 95.67 cubic ft. x two skids = 193.34 cubic ft.

You can see that this falls way under the 350 cubic ft. rule so we are safe to ship this with XPO.

However, if you want to ship 4 skids, the cube of the shipment is now double at 386.68 cubic ft. which is outside of the cubic capacity limit. The only way you could ship this as an LTL shipment is if the density of the shipment was greater than 3 pcf.

Four skids with a total weight of 500 lbs., the density would be the 500 lbs. / 386.68 cubic ft. = 1.3 pcf.

If we shipped this LTL, we would be hit with the cubic capacity rule and our cost would skyrocket.

Four skids would have to have a total weight of 1161 lbs. or greater for us to be able to ship them as a standard LTL shipment with no problems. 1161 lbs./386.68 = 3.0 pcf.

Below is the actual excerpt from the XPO rules tariff:

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Intermodal 101:Mutual Commitment Pricing Programs

Intermodal 101: Mutual Commitment Pricing Programs

Rail controlled door to door shipping does have several advantages, as discussed in previous weeks, but it also has its drawbacks.

Many shippers have a transportation budget that gets created once per year.  This budget relies on some level of consistency when estimating pricing.  Utilizing the door to door pricing, which is subject to change on very short notice, does not afford them the opportunity to properly budget.

Shippers must be able to add in transportation charges to the cost of their products.  They are not typically able to change their pricing to their customers every time the railroad decides the balance of equipment in each location is out of kilter.

But perhaps the largest reason an intermodal shipper might want to avoid the transient pricing opportunities of door to door is the ability to lock in capacity at a given price.  Many of the equipment providers who offer the door to door service options will also commit to providing capacity if the shipper will commit to a price for year-round business.  They can execute a plan on capacity because they are able to plan based on the shipper’s commitment.

These mutual commitment programs (MCPs is a generic term as used here) provide the stability needed by the shipper for their long-term planning.  Getting a cheap price from spot-market rates is nice, but it does not provide the consistency needed by most shippers.

When should a shipper look to door to door and when should they look to MCPs?  In our next update, we will discuss how shippers should take advantage of one or both of these rate types.

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Training Tuesday:Balancing the Sales Pitch

Training Tuesday: Balancing the Sales Pitch and Silence

Often the most important part of your sales pitch is when you are completely silent. We often rush through all the great benefits of why a customer would buy, without really listening to them tell us what they need and why they might buy from us.

Most people hate mimes. Why do they exist? Are they evil? If a tree falls on a mime does he make a sound? But, silence is the one important sales attribute that mimes demonstrate in abundance. So, on your next sales call, be a mime, at least for part of the call. Silence just may turn out to be the most important piece of the sales puzzle. 

Why is it that so many salespeople think they must tell everything they know before allowing the prospect to talk? Why is it that some think the sales process involves a lot of talking when, in reality, the most successful salespeople do more listening than talking? It’s a fact that the more we listen, the more we can learn about our prospects and the easier we can find their “hot buttons.”  It’s not what we say that makes the sale, it’s what we can get the prospect to say.

Begin With Questions

Think about how many times you launch right into your presentation thinking you know what the prospect wants. Sometime later, often too much later, you find you’re on the wrong track. The prospect has an entirely different need – one you might have uncovered by asking open-ended questions that required more than a yes or no response. Then you could have focused on what the customer wanted instead of what you had to sell. Stop thinking so much about what you are going to say and concentrate on what the prospect is telling you.

It’s a paradox: the more we try to tell the prospect up front, the more barriers we create to the purchase. However, the more we listen to why he or she wants to buy, the more we can tailor our delivery to providing very specific information concerning how our product or service fits his or her needs.

Ask More Questions

The opening question is merely the first in a series of questions that guide the dialogue. It’s an approach as old as the art of miming. If we want to involve someone – the first step in convincing that person – every comment we make should end with a question that solicits more information. The person asking questions is the person controlling the direction of the dialogue. The one who is talking is providing information that helps the other adjust the direction.

After you ask a question, however, don’t be too anxious to fill the silence. Let the silence work in your favor. Too often we answer the question for the prospect by jumping in and providing him with an objection:

“Perhaps you don’t like the price,” or, “Maybe you don’t like the resources it would involve.” 

Beware of the very real temptation to fill in the silence with a product weakness – the one we are most worried about.

Don’t Rush In With Answers

Salespeople have a terrible tendency to try to get their point in as soon as the customer stops talking. Think about how often you find yourself stepping on your prospect’s last words, rushing in right after the prospect has finished making a point.

Salespeople can break themselves of this self-defeating habit by training themselves to wait several seconds after the customer has stopped talking before they begin. That gives you ample time to think about your response and answer in a way that reflects the customer’s concerns.

Get in the habit of paraphrasing what the prospect has said. This will accomplish two things. One, it reduces the likelihood of misunderstanding what was said, and two, it boosts the prospect’s ego. People like to hear their thoughts repeated – it makes them feel like what they said was important.

Learn to Listen

Don’t listen with just with your ears. Listen with your eyes and your entire body. Use body language that shows you are paying more attention, and your listening habits will automatically improve. Lean forward intently, look the prospect in the eye, and focus on the valuable information you are hearing.

And finally, listen for buying signals. You’ll never notice a buying signal from the customer when you’re doing the talking. Sure, we want to talk so the prospect will learn how smart we are. But the prospect only really knows how smart we are when we’ve “listened” to the information he or she wants to share.

 

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Training Tuesday:Overcoming Objections

If it weren’t for objections everybody would be in sales. Without objections there’d be no need for companies to pay big, fat commission checks. So, while none of us likes objections, we must accept them as part of the business and make sure we know how to overcome them.

Your main goal when faced with an objection is to turn the objection around into a reason to purchase our service. If a prospect raises the ever-popular “Your rates are too high” objection, counter it by saying, “Our prices accurately reflect the value you’ll be getting from Sunteck. And good value is important to you, isn’t it?”

Occasionally you’ll run into a prospect in the traffic or purchasing department who’s sure he’s seen everything there is to see regarding freight companies. In other words, he’s seen it all. You might hear, “Get right to the bottom line and show me your rates?” Generally, all this person really wants is attention, and to show you how much he knows about our industry. Recognize his expertise and give him all the attention he craves. This is always a better way to handle a tough customer than to put him down. With compliments and kindness you can eventually win him over, or at least wear him down.

“Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.”
– W. Clement Stone

People love to buy but hate to be sold. Objections are inevitable. Not only should you expect objections, I think you should welcome them. An objection is a positive part of the sales process. A purchasing VP who gives you an objection is listening closely. They’re considering buying your service to solve their transportation problems. And most importantly, their objection gives you an opportunity to answer the objection and add one more good reason why they should buy from you now.

Expect objections, but never create them. Prepare a list of the top ten objections your customers and prospects have had with all their motor carriers in the past and then prepare two or three appropriate responses to answer each one.

When faced with an objection, first restate the question or statement.

  • “The rates are too high?”
  • “You feel your service is too slow?”
  • “You’re worried about damage?”
  • “You wish we offered next day service to Cleveland?”

Give the prospect an opportunity to confirm your understanding of his objection, and hopefully your prospective client will give additional reasons for his or her objection.

Clarify the objection.

  • “I’m curious why you feel that way?”
  • “Could you be more specific, please?”
  • “Do you need more information?”

Remember this is not a contest. Nobody should win or lose. This should be a conversation where two people are answering questions and gathering information.

After you’ve re-stated the question, and clarified the objection, and you’re sure you understand the objection fully, then answer it. Don’t just handle your customer’s objections, instead answer them. Answer the objection head on, honestly, simply, and succinctly. Handle objections early and often. A direct approach to handling objection guarantees greater sales results.

The right questions at the beginning of your presentation can help prevent objections at the end of it. For example, ask questions to confirm that your prospect has the authority to make a decision by himself to make sure you don’t hear, “I need to talk to Mr. Anderson about this,” right before you’re ready to close.

Be careful about what you say when faced with an objection based on one of your competitor’s services. I handle a prospect’s question, “What makes you think your truckload service to Akron is better than XYZ Truckload Carriers?” by responding, “I’ve never been a customer of theirs. I can only tell you what our customers say about Sunteck’s excellent service to Akron. I can be very specific with you about what Sunteck’s services are like. Then it’s up to you Mr. Prospect, to make a comparison.”

If I’m told that another carrier is also presently under consideration and asked to give an opinion of them, I reply, “It’s a fine company. The key is for you to determine who can give you the greatest value. Who’s going to help your bottom line? And when you run into difficulties, who is going to be there to solve your problems? I am. I’m the person who’s going to provide all of that for you. Through me and my access to all of the resources within Sunteck, we’ll get the job done.”

If you worked for a company that offered objection-proof service, you’d have no competitors. Every transportation company in the country has a shortcoming or limitation. If your prospect finds it, don’t try to prove him wrong. The fact that our service isn’t perfect doesn’t lower its potential value to the prospect, but the fact that you acknowledged the objection’s validity might help you build trust and rapport. Admitting our service’s imperfection also helps give the prospect a sense of control that may reduce his fear of making a buying decision.

When possible, let prospects answer their own objections. Sometimes you can stop an objection in its tracks by asking, “Could you tell me why you feel that way?” If your prospect can’t answer, then you and the prospect know the objection has little or no validity. If your prospect does answer with a more specific objection, you have a chance to eliminate it and move one step closer to the close.

Buying decisions are risky for your prospects. Choosing the wrong carrier can be harmful to the prospect’s career. Objections are the only way they have to help make sure that risk will pay off for them. If you can eliminate those objections, you’ll help provide the reassurance they need to say yes.

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Training Tuesday:Fact Finding

I’m a big advocate of consultative selling. But before I tell you how great I think the consultative sales approach is, I want to warn you of the negative impact this type of selling has had on some salespeople. Some sales reps visit a customer two or three times, ask them every question they can think of except the most important question of all – asking the customer to buy their service.

If on the second call you don’t ask for the shipper’s business, it then becomes a social visit and not a sales call. You can and should qualify the customer and re-visit their needs on a regular basis. If they’re qualified to buy and you don’t offer Sunteck’s help, then you’re doing them a disservice. On the other hand, if you keep calling on a customer who’s not qualified, you’re stealing time and money from yourself. Be sure after you’ve made a consultative sales call that you follow up by asking for their business.

Treat all your sales work as a consulting assignment. Consultative selling turns salespeople into experts and clients into partners. When you first meet the prospect take your “sell” sign down for the majority, if not all, of your first call.

The best salespeople are professional problem solvers. We’re in the business of solving transportation problems. But you have to know and understand the problem first before you try to solve it. You have to be willing to walk in the door without any preconceived notions as to how best to solve the problems identified.

Since you sell to other companies, you should consider yourself in the business of solving profitability problems. That’s the key concern you’ll ultimately be addressing: how to increase profitability. Everything you do should eventually lead to the goal of the clients’ company increasing its level of profitability. If you can’t break your sales efforts into solutions that help the customer, you’ll either base your sales on manipulating others or fail to persuade prospects that you’re offering anything of value.

On every sales call, be the student, because you really are. In real estate, they say it’s all in the location. In transportation sales it’s questions, questions, and more questions. You’ll be surprised and sometimes shocked at what a customer will tell you.

Not only is the consultative sales approach effective in finding the correct sales solutions, it’s also very helpful in eliminating people who are not potential customers, thus saving you time in the long run.

Even though it’s okay to call an initial visit with a customer a qualifying call, don’t only make the call to qualify. Make the call primarily to learn.

Sales listening is patient listening. Don’t anxiously wait for an opportunity to jump in and solve all the customer’s problems right away. After I ask a question I shut up and allow my prospect to speak. Sometimes I wait for several minutes. I don’t feel threatened by the silence. Most salespeople can’t stand a pause in the conversation. Take a deep breath, relax, and listen. Some prospects want to be listened to more than they want their problems solved. If a client or prospective client has had a bad day, let them talk about it. Don’t try to stop them. Once they lighten themselves of their burdens they can better concentrate on Sunteck’s services.

Everyone is so busy that asking for someone’s time is a big request. A prospect that agrees over the phone to give you a ten-minute appointment will give you an hour in person once you establish value. One of the best ways to establish value is to show that they are important and that you recognize that fact. People love to talk about themselves, their jobs, and their companies. Encourage them to do so.

“Pretend that everyone you meet has a sign around their neck that says MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT. Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.”
– Mary Kay Ash

Transportation salespeople who have been in our industry for a long time should re-visit how they qualify and maintain accounts. It’s easy to start believing that you possess all the answers. Too often we make assumptions based on outdated information. Visit accounts often and ask questions. You never know what changes might have taken place since your last call until you ask.

Take notes! Taking notes during your meeting with the prospect can be one of your most powerful sales tools. It will reinforce the reason you made the appointment in the first place: to learn more about the prospect and his company’s transportation needs.

Taking notes helps you listen. There’s something about holding an empty notepad in front of you that makes you pay better attention to what is being said. It also makes it more difficult to miss important points.

Taking notes puts you in a position of authority. You can also glance at notes and questions you prepared prior to making the sales call. Taking notes will also encourage the prospect to open up. Taking notes sends strong positive signals to the prospect. It says, “I’m listening to you. I won’t forget. I’ll use the information you’re giving me to find solutions when I get back to my office.”

It’s a fine line between asking questions that will help the prospect solve their transportation problems, and a cross-examination. Be sure your prospect feels at ease. Be natural. The consultative sale should be a comfortable two-way conversation.

Never waste the prospect’s time. That may seem like an obvious point, but many of your competitors never know when to get to business, or for that matter, even when the appointment is over. There will come a point when the customer will be ready to move past the small talk, and usually it’s quicker than you might think. Your contact, like most of us these days, is short on time. Most traffic managers, purchasing managers, and other decision-makers you call on appreciate you getting to the point. You can tactfully do this without jeopardizing the emerging relationship.

First, give the prospect a reason he or she should answer your questions. Second, make sure everyone involved in the decision making process is present if at all possible.

Salesperson: “We currently work with General Motors, ASW Technologies, and (use your own local examples of similar companies) in several areas to improve their service while reducing their costs! I feel there’s a good chance we can do the same thing for you, but I’m not sure yet. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

The prospect expects to answer questions and they’ll give you their permission to proceed.

Salesperson: “At most of the companies I’ve mentioned more than one person was involved in carrier selection. Are there any other people here that would be involved in this decision?” (If NO, proceed on. If YES, obtain their names and ask if they could also be present). Next, move on to your questions.

The following list will provide you with good examples of questions that you can adapt to your sales presentation. Know the questions you’re going to ask before you arrive at the customer’s desk. The list below is provided to stimulate ideas that will help you customize your own list. The information you collect from the customer’s answers will increase your chances of putting together a great proposal after you’ve made the consultative sales call.

1. What does your company do? Manufacturing? Distribution?

2. What do you ship? In what quantities? Expedited? Air? Truckload? LTL? Intermodal?

3. What commodities do you ship?

4. Where do you ship? Intrastate? Interstate?

5. What are some of the cities you ship to?

6. How often?

7. What service level is required? To where?

8. How is your product packaged? Skidded? Banded? Loose?

9. Average weight?

10. What is the normal pick-up time? What unusual pick-up requirements do you require?

11. Are your shipments normally prepaid? Collect? If so, what percentage?

12. What are your average monthly freight transportation costs?

13. Who’s handling these shipments now?

14. How long have you used them?

15. Do you have any vendors that you receive products from on a regular basis?

16. Who chooses the carrier that handles those shipments?

17. Where are those vendors located?

18. What commodities are they?

19. What is the frequency of those shipments?

20. Who’s handling those shipments now?

21. How long have you used them?

22. What percentage of shipments is routed by your customers?

23. How do you feel about your current service?

24. How do you feel about your current pricing?

25. What would you like to change about your current carrier’s pricing?

26. What is most important to you: service, carrier stability, technology, or something else?

27. Why?

28. How do you rate carriers? How is the rating communicated to the carrier? How often?

29. What are the ratings of the carriers you use today?

30. If you could change one thing overall about your current logistics provider, what would it be?

31. Does this problem lead to… (Build up problem with multiple implications / need pay-off questions)?

32. Would you change anything else?

33. What would cause you to begin using a different 3PL or carrier?

34. What is the volume of your cargo claims? Do you experience any frequent service failures?

35. Would you be interested in our EDI capability?

 

Last, but not least, be sure to wrap up the appointment by asking for the next appointment, and by getting a positive response on a trial close. It should sound like this:

Salesperson: “Mr. Smith, I’ve learned a lot here today, and I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to me. We’re at the point now where we should set up another appointment, one where I can come back after having sorted through everything I’ve learned here, and show you more about what Sunteck may be able to do for your company. Is Thursday at 2PM okay?”

Prospect: “Sure, next Thursday at 2PM will be just fine.”

Salesperson: “Great! One last question ( pause ) if you like the program I develop for you, would you be willing to give us a try?”

OR

Salesperson: “I really appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions. Based on what I just learned, I’m confident there’s a fit between our companies and that we can definitely help you solve some of your shipping problems. I’m going to make a commitment to you to develop a customized proposal, which will include my recommendations to you and your company. What I’d like in return from you is a commitment to give us a shot. Let us prove how good we are. I’m confident you’ll be very happy! Can I get that kind of commitment from you?

“Great! I’ll need about a week to get with my team back at the office and develop a package just for you. Is this time next week good for you?”

Both of these approaches let the prospect know that when you come back for your second appointment, your sale sign will go up. It prepares them to say “yes” when you come back later and ask them to buy.

We’ve focused so much of our respective sales energies on the consultative approach that very little emphasis is placed on the sales presentation. I think this is a huge mistake. In the old days, many salespeople could care less about what the customer wanted or needed; all their energy was on the presentation. Nowadays some people in transportation have no definable presentation at all. They just go back to the customer and answer any questions or shipping requirements that surfaced in the qualifying call. I think both are hugely important—the consultative call and the presentation. Give your customer a dynamic sales presentation. He deserves it. It will make you stand out from the other freight reps.

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Safety Tips:Inspecting Your Equipment Q&A

How many kinds of inspections are there?

  • There are 3 types of vehicle inspections
  • Pre-trips … done every working day before you start driving
  • On the road inspection or in route
  • After the first 50 miles
  • Whenever a change in duty status is made
  • And every 150 miles or 3 hours
  • Post trip inspection (this is the one you must document on you Driver Vehicle Inspection Report or the DVIR)

What is the point of all these inspections?

  • The driver must be satisfied that the vehicle is in a safe operating condition & meets all safety requirements
  • If the vehicle doesn’t meet DOT safety requirement, don’t drive it. Get It Fixed First.

Tips for doing a good inspection as quickly as possible

  • First start at the same place every time you do an inspection. The driver’s door for instance.
  • Work your way around the truck in the same direction every time
  • Always check under the hood …

What should be checked under the hood?

  • Fluids like coolant, and washer fluid
  • Belt and hoses for signs of wear
  • Nuts and bolts for rust leaking out

How do you keep from missing something?

  • Always check everything … it’s the thing you skip that will cause breakdowns and delays.
  • If you check everything, every time, you will be alert to little problems before they cost you time, money and violations. Your eyes will begin to catch things that have changed.

What about tires, what are you looking for?

  • Check tire tread depth at the lowest spot … that’s where the DOT will check it
  • Tires with cuts or exposed cord material are an out of service violation and must be replaced on the side of the road at a very high price
  • You only need a penny to check the tread depth on your tires the distance between the edge of a penny and the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head is 2/32” the minimum tread depth for drive tires. Steer tires are 4/32”.
  • Don’t forget the wheels… if they have dirt and oil in them, there is a seal leaking and it needs to be fixed. If you feel heat coming from the hub (careful not to touch, they can be very hot) you may have a bad bearing or it may be low on hub oil.

There are a lot of lights on a truck … if one or two are out is that ok?

  • Be sure all lights work… If it’s on the truck it must work, even if it is a light you added that is not required.
  • A single light out on the truck give the DOT a reason to pull you over and look at everything.
  • Check your low beam and high beam headlights
  • Check your lights every time you stop… they can burn out during the trip

Are drivers responsible for the lights on a chassis?

  • Yes… you are responsible for the lights on the trailer or chassis, be sure they are working before you leave and check them whenever you stop. If they don’t work fix them.

What else should we look for on a trailer or chassis?

  • Check the sliders on both trailer and chassis and the locking pins on chassis
  • If you don’t bend over and look you don’t know if the slider’s pins are locked in the holes.

Is it possible wheels could come out from under the trailer?

  • Yes the wheels can come all the way out from under the trailer or chassis…
  • If you use zip ties to secure the locking pins on the 4 corners of the container you can be sure they stay locked and an added benefit is the DOT will see the zip tie and leave you alone.

What else should we check on the truck and trailer?

  • The DOT is looking at brakes very closely…it is important that drivers check them on every trip.

Any tips on checking breaks?

  • Check your brakes using your eyes, ears and nose.
  • Using your eyes … are the brake pads at least 1/4” in thickness? Are the brake drums cracked or grease? Do the push rods travel more than 2 ½ inches? If the answer is yes to any of these questions you could be placed out of service and in for an expensive roadside repair.
  • Use your ears… air up the brakes and listen for air leaks if you can hear it the DOT inspector will be able to hear it too.
  • Use your nose… if you smell a burning smell it could be oil or grease dripping on your hot brake shoes; this could be a warning of a leaking wheel seal.

ABS Malfunction Indicator

  • There are two Antilock Braking System malfunction indicator lights, one on the dash for the truck and one on the lower left rear corner of the trailer.

Should the lights be on or off?

  • These lights should come on when you start your truck and go off when the truck starts moving. If they don’t go off you have a problem with the ABS system on your truck which needs to be fixed before you continue your trip. If the ABS light on the lower left rear corner of the trailer is on … it is like having a sign on the truck that says,”Pull me over I have violations”
  • Remember the ABS lights should come on when you start your truck and go off when you start moving.
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Windshield wiper
  • Horn
  • Emergency triangles … you should have 3
  • Is the floor neat and clean, so nothing that can get under your feet
  • Is the dash clear of item that could slide off and distract you
  • Is your truck clean… a clean truck is a happy truck and it is not inspected as often by the DOT
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