Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/201087
EQUIPMENT: WIDE LOADS Specialized flatbed haulers know drivers are key to staying safe W BY JACK ROBERTS hile load securement is a vital component of any fleet operation, it also can be one of the most tedious time-consuming aspects of a driver's job – and an area where no lapse of attention can be tolerated. The consequences of a lost load are enough to make any fleet executive nauseous: Litigation, fines, Compliance Safety Accountability hits, bad publicity and lost customers are merely the beginning repercussions. The fallout increases exponentially if injury or loss of life occurs – especially among the motoring public. No one falls under closer load securement scrutiny than flatbed haulers, and if the loads are unusual or extra-large, the spotlight on the fleet, truck and driver becomes even 64 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2013 more intense. It's something that won't cost most van fleets a lost night of sleep: If a load is fastened in a van insecurely, then barring a catastrophic load shift en route, it's likely no one ever will know unless a U.S. Department of Transportation officer opens the trailer doors during an inspection. Out of sight, out of mind is a luxury flatbed haulers do not have. When it comes to load securement and safe transportation practices, Maverick Transportation realized long ago that its drivers were its first and best line of defense. With that realization came one of the industry's most intensive driver-training programs. "Drivers aren't in this alone when it comes to load securement," says Dean Newell, vice president of safety and training for the Little Rock, Ark.-based company. "We have a full team of safety engineers available to help them, but it's the driver's responsibility to reach out to us and get help if they encounter something they're not sure how to deal with." At Maverick, driver training occurs in stages, with load