SAFETY is at the forefront of everything we do at TransElite Solutions, Inc. Our focus is keeping every member of our team safe as well as all those our team encounters throughout each day. TransElite team works diligently to prevent personal injuries, accidents, incidents, citations, and negative roadside inspections. We’ve implemented a number of safety goals and aggressively measure ourselves
against them, this is giving us a better view of our safety performance out on the road through the reporting of DOT recordable accidents (both preventable and non-preventable on the part of our Drivers), roadside inspections as well as the safety training courses our drivers successfully complete.
TransElite Solutions Safety Program
We’ve got a handle on safety
TransElite strives to provide drivers with an environment where safety comes first and long-term careers are standard. We have extensive safety training program in place to ensure safety as a top priority.
TransElite utilizes Industry Standard Online Safety Training to ensure our drivers receive a comprehensive safety training.
- Our online safety program trains truck drivers with more than 100 interactive, online and in-cab courses. These courses cover everything from defensive driving and hazmat regulations, from daily standard operations to emergency planning.
- Each driver is required to complete a defined number of modules that are assigned to them the first months of their driving and thereafter.
- If a driver has an accident or receives a traffic violation, afterwards the driver is required to take a module that pertains to that specific incident.
Trucking requires full concentration on the road. Not only must commercial drivers contend with other motorists, dangerous weather conditions, and wandering wildlife, but they must do so while operating large vehicle, often carrying heavy and sometimes dangerous cargo. One mistake carries possible huge repercussions.
To help stay out of harm’s way, consider the following safety tips when driving:
- Do not tailgate. Be patient. Maintain proper space with the vehicle in front of you. According to studies, the most common vehicle trucks hit is the one in front of them, due to tailgating. The bigger the rig the longer it takes to brake and stop.
- Signal early when approaching an intersection, giving other motorists ample warning of your intended direction.
- With so many blind spots on a truck, minimize lane changing. Check your side mirrors at least once every 10 seconds.
- Use the truck’s flashers when driving below the posted speed limit for an extended period of time.
- Give your truck ample time and space when slowing down for a complete stop. Use brake lights early. Most motorists don’t realize how long it takes for a rig to stop.
- If you must idle the truck, keep windows closed to avoid prolonged exposure to fumes.
- Avoid idling while sleeping, loading, or unloading.
- When pulled off to the side of a road, highway, or Interstate due to mechanical problems, always use flashers, reflective triangles, and even road flares to alert approaching drivers.
- Always have tire chains at the ready, especially when driving in mountainous regions.
- Try to maintain a full fuel tank in winter driving to prevent water condensation from building in the fuel lines.
- Maintain additional space with the vehicles in front of you when driving in rain or snow.
- Operate below the posted speed limit when driving in wintery conditions.
- Exercise caution when approaching bridges in wintertime. Bridges freeze faster than roads, creating difficult to detect black ice.
- Slow down in work zones. Close to one-third of all fatal work zone crashes involve large rigs. Plus, you could lose your commercial drivers license if caught speeding in a posted work zone.
- Take plenty of driving breaks, especially while driving cross-country, to help remain alert.
- Don’t fight eye-fatigue. Pull off the road and take a nap. The consequences of falling asleep at the wheel, far outweigh those associated with arriving late.
- Strictly adhere to commercial driver hour restrictions. By law you cannot exceed 11 continuous hours of driving. You could jeopardize your truck driver career if caught violating this law.