Apr-May 2019

Volume 2 • Issue 3

I read a quote once that said “Home is not a place, it’s a feeling.” Home is family, it’s happiness and it’s security. I like that thought and that’s exactly what we mean when we say we want you to consider Summerford as your home. With other trucking companies shutting down, I want you to feel confident and secure in your place at Summerford Truck Line. Trucking is a tough industry and the good Lord knows we’ve had our share of hard times but we’ve come out the other side. And should we hit tough times again, we are just as committed to working our way out of them together- because the way I see it, we’re all in this tough business together. As you can see from our list of New Hires to the right, we’ve been busy bringing in new drivers and building our fleet. I’d like to ask our senior drivers to take a minute to reach out to new drivers and let them know we’re glad they’re here. It’s a little thing but if you can share your knowledge, experience or just a brotherly welcome, it can mean a lot. We can all work a little harder to treat each other like family- Or like family should treat each other! Sincerely,

Let’s Celebrate!April Birthdays

4/7 Garrian Willis4/12 Tracy Roberts4/13 Nick Van Der Meer4/21 David Loyless

May Birthdays5/13 Frank Stewart5/26 Scott Givens

April & May Anniversaries

4/2 David Gardner- 1 yr 5/6 Dylan Givens- 3 yrs5/18 Ross Johnson - 3 yrs

New Hires3/26 William Kenyon3/26 Tracy Roberts4/3 Joshua Ulmer4/10 Christopher Bush4/15 Garrian Willis4/15 Charles Peterson4/29 Walter Dukes5/6 Nick Van Der Meer5/6 Jeremy Jones5/6 Brandon Snell5/8 Davied James5/13 Arquelius Lindsey5/20 Darrol Gilchrist5/20 Charles Parker5/20 Corey Pittman5/23 Joshua Howarth5/23 Zachary Howarth

Come Home to Summerford

Newsletter

DEEP SEA FISHINGJuly 13, 2019

We have firmed up the plans for the fishing trip- Which means we’ve changed the date AND upgraded the trip- a bigger boat and more amenities WHILE keeping the price the same! The trip will be Saturday, July 13, 2019 leaving Destin,Fl on the Relentless II. It will be an 8 hour trip and the cost will be $200 per person. (Summerford will pay all costs above the $200.) Because we are now going on a bigger boat, that means there’s room for a few more. If you already signed up, you are set. But if you have not and are interested in going, please contact Keith or Meri as soon as possible- we’ll fill spots on a first come basis. A non-refundable deposit of $100 is required to reserve your spot. (Payroll Deduction is available.) We hope you will join us for this fun filled event. And be safe out there so next year, you will get your trip for free as part of your Safety Incentive!

SAFETY MATTERSABORD to ELD ABORD (Automatic On-Board Recording Device) to ELD (Electronic Logging Device) transition. As many of you are aware, Summerford is not ELD compliant…yet. We are currently using ABORD’s (Automatic on-Board Recording Devices) Summerford will be transitioning to fully compliant ELD before the enforcement date of 12/16/19. There are several important differences that will affect all of us during this transition.

Keith OnoratoDirector of Safety

334-596-7810

1. Once you convert to ELD, there is no reverting back to ABORD’s.2. There is no leeway with regard to movement. The current ABORD allows you to move three miles before it logs you in to [Driving]. The ELD will change to driving as soon as the truck starts rolling. This is a government mandate that we cannot change or control.3. Personal Conveyance will allow you to depart the shipper and move to the closest area suitable for safe truck parking if you run out of hours. It must be the closest spot -regardless of direction of travel.4. You (the driver) will have more edit capability with the log and management will have less. We can only propose log edits. The driver can make or approve suggested edits from management.5. The ELD screen will look different from the ABORD screen that you are currently seeing.6. Our current ABORD’s will not allow the DOT to transmit data as required. The new ELD will allow DOT to download data directly from your device to their database for analysis. We are in the very early stages of the conversion. Our first step in the process is to identify the active units and get the old units off or deactivated. After we complete that, all of the remaining active units must be updated with the latest version of Peoplenet software. We are tentatively scheduled complete the software update on May 22, 2019. We will be providing training and we encourage you to ask questions throughout this process.

ROADCHECK 2019 will take place on

June 4-6, 2019.These three days will feature

enhanced Roadside inspections that will pay particular attention

to steering and suspension components.

Tires are always a concern as well. Most tire violations are very high

8 point violations.

If you have any concerns when doing your pre-trip inspection, please bring to the attention of Dylan and the guys in the shop.

2019

Top Five Characteristics Of Successful Truck Drivers Established truck drivers understand the level of dedication required to get the job done and it takes a special type of person to succeed. You need to know how to manage your time effectively, be adaptable, and resourceful. A great truck driver also knows how to communicate properly with the dispatcher and management team to get productive work done.1. Adaptability: It’s crucial to be able to adapt. You’re on the road constantly and though you have a plan, you need to be able to adjust if you encounter bumps in the road.2. Committed: It’s important to keep your goals in mind regarding why you chose to do this particular job. You may work unusual hours traveling distances that most people don’t. It’s best to never refuse a load and have the best work ethic possible.3. Discipline: Every time you’re on time, you’re exuding the characteristics of a great truck driver. Your money is tied to your time and you have to learn how to best use each moment. Great performance doesn’t happen instantly and it takes effort and time. The more effort you put in, the more rewards you will reap.4. Resourceful: There are many ways you can be resourceful making the most of life on the road- for example, you can make your food on the road by bringing along a crock pot. This is an excellent way to have a home cooked meal while saving money. 5. Efficient: You have places to be and you’re trusted to deliver professionalism every time. Your time management makes all the difference between having a good day and having a bad one. Arriving on time to deliver or pick up a load maintains your standard of excellence and ensures a better, smoother day. Truck drivers endure a lot but the reward is great. We consider you the “Captain of your own Ship” so running a clean and efficient operation in your truck creates a successful situation all around. If there are any areas that you feel that you need to work on and would like some assistance, please reach out to the management team at Summerford to help you. You can also reach out to other drivers to guide you along the way.