Fleet Management Blog

Every year, roughly 4 million commercial motor vehicles in North America will go through a roadside inspection process. The objective of such inspections is to ensure that commercial trucks and buses are operating safely on highways and roads across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. With the help of this guide, you'll get a better understanding of what to expect during a roadside inspection.

Your fleet is most likely in full operation all year. Working year-round means that, based on your location, you'll probably have drivers moving through snow, slush, and ice. Planning for bad driving conditions before the holiday season will help you get ahead of the competition and stay on top of deliveries.

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of road accidents. Whether a driver is texting or checking emails on their phone, distracted driving poses many safety and financial risks to businesses that operate fleets.

Your company makes many investments, but none may be as important and ongoing as your investment in your fleet. From delivering packages to moving materials and even transporting people, your fleet is the cornerstone of your business. You want your fleet to be as profitable as possible with a strong return on investment (ROI), but how can you be sure the money you're making is justifying your costs? Measuring your fleet ROI can give you the numbers and information you need to check if you're on track to meet your business goals.

Implementing a fleet safety program, whether you manage a nationwide operation or local business, can foster safer operations while improving driver protection and reducing monetary losses. Vehicle accidents are among the most costly injury claims for businesses that manage a fleet, which is why a fleet safety management program is crucial in keeping your drivers safe and eliminating preventable accidents.

On June 12, 2021, the new Canadian ELD Rule went into effect. The rule, similar to the one that went into effect in the U.S. in December 2017, requires all motor carriers to have a certified electronic logging device on board. 

If you operate a trucking company in the United States or Canada, you're probably familiar with the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). The IFTA is a cooperative arrangement between the 48 contiguous American states and 10 Canadian provinces that enables inter-jurisdictional carriers to pay fuel consumption taxes under a single license.

The cost of diesel fuel has traditionally been one of the largest expenses for trucking and transportation businesses. As a company owner or fleet manager, finding ways to utilize fuel more efficiently can reduce your operating costs and boost productivity. For most companies, a multipronged approach consisting of monitoring and improving driver behavior, instituting stringent vehicle maintenance practices, implementing telematics, and taking the time to "spec" trucks delivers the best results.

Truck driver turnover is a challenge faced by many businesses in the commercial transportation industry. In 2018, driver turnover rates reached 94% in the first quarter. Though this number is discouraging for fleet managers, there are effective ways to reduce truck and fleet driver turnover.

In an ongoing effort to provide flexibility for truck drivers, the U.S. Department of Transportation is altering some hours of service (HOS) rules. The DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published final rules June 1, 2020 and the new hours of service regulations go into effect September 29, 2020. 

Reducing a CSA score takes time, but the more inspections a driver has that are violation free, the better (lower) the score becomes. Use the tips below to improve scores and the FMCSA help center for more information and printable handouts for over-the-road support.

The aim of this article is here to show everyone – car drivers, truck drivers, safety managers, and warehouse attendants – can do their part to ensure that the roadways are safe this winter.