SOMETHING NEW – A TRANSFER STATION IN FORT DODGE:

You asked, and we came up with a solution!  Jarrod Hutchinson in the Fabrication Shop in Fort Dodge has designed and built a Transfer Station to make it easier for you, our Professional Drivers, to transfer your belongings to your new truck.  It has a platform approximately the same height as the door on your truck.  You can drive your new truck up on one side, your old truck up on the other side and easily move your belongings from one truck to the other.

For now, we just have the one platform that we deployed this week.  As we use it and we see opportunities for improvement, we will build more of them to allow us to have one at each Decker terminal.

BACKING:  AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM OUR SAFETY DEPARTMENT:

Did you know that hitting fixed objects and backing incidents account for over half of all of our accidents?  These are parking lot type incidents where usually no one gets hurt, but do result in damaged equipment and personal property, as well as lost time and money for you and the company.  The cost of these accidents can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.  Nearly all of them occur in truck stops and Shipper/Receiver locations.  Most of these types of accidents are easily prevented by simply following these basic rules:

  1. Do not back unless you must.
  2. Get Out And Look – G.O.A.L. – this is not just when backing, but anytime you are in a maneuvering situation.
  3. Make sure your mirrors are clean and adjusted properly and that your windows are down with the radio and CB turned off.
  4. When possible use a ground guide or a spotter to assist with knowing when to stop before hitting something.

While these small steps may seem common, they are often overlooked due to cutting corners, trying to save a few minutes, or even over confidence.

If you have questions or want to know more, please feel free to contact me, Rick George, ext. 2330.  Please be safe and have a great week!

CLARIFICATION ON OUR TRACTOR WASH AND TRAILER WASHOUT POLICY:

All Drivers are encouraged to wash their equipment at a DTL terminal whenever possible, as there is no limit on washes at a terminal.  If you are unable to wash your equipment at a terminal, you are allowed one outside wash every 30 days.  For washes performed outside of DTL terminals, we only use Blue Beacon Truck Wash facilities.  Drivers, you must obtain authorization before the tractor wash.  This policy is strictly enforced.  For authorization, please call Bruce Linde at ext. 2180.  

If you are needing a trailer washout, make sure you know where you are reloading before you wash out your trailer, as some shippers provide the washouts for you, and we are charged for those washouts whether we need them or not.  If you do need to wash out your trailer, please refer to your washout list for a location.  If you do not have a list, please get one from any terminal or contact your Fleet Manager. Before washing your trailer out, if the price is more than $40, you must call for approval first. Again, please call Bruce Linde or your Fleet Manager if you have any questions.

DECKER EXERCISE BANDS ARE IN:

As promised, our DTL exercise/resistance bands are now available to all our Professional Drivers!  Please pick one up at the Welcome Center in Fort Dodge, or at the Missoula or Bessemer terminals.  Instructions are included with the bands or for information on how to use the exercise bands and how to properly care for them, please visit our blog here: https://drivedecker.com/improve-health-and-conditioning-with-resistance-bands/.

THOMAS REMINGTON RECIPE AS FEATURED IN OVERDRIVE MAGAZINE:

Professional Driver Thomas Remington is now a  food writer for OverDrive Magazine!  Check out his latest recipe called “Trucked-up Chili” on OverDrive here: https://www.overdriveonline.com/overdrive-extra/article/15064437/introducing-recipes-for-the-road-truckedup-chili?fbclid=IwAR3MihC2kYDArO5vUJshU8CWsLRY5gy1ZRgxCXW-m1Bb3kGi23Xx_0AJK1s or on our DTL blog here: https://drivedecker.com/truckd-up-cooking-truckd-up-chili/