What Makes a Safe Ready-Mix Concrete Truck Driver?

Lisa Lamons is an skilled in development driver coach and has served since 2016 because the Security Coaching and DOT Compliance Director at Concrete Methods, a St. Louis-based contractor working in seven states. She additionally has 15 years of expertise working with the Missouri Dept. of Transportation. ENR Correspondent Elaine Silver talked to Lamons concerning the coaching system she makes use of, when she has to take a truck away from a driver and whether or not she believes driver-facing cameras are a good suggestion. The conversion has been edited for readability.

Why had been you introduced in to Concrete Methods?

 I actually developed our program right here from floor up. Once I began 9 years in the past, we had a really minimal program. Our DOT file actually wanted enchancment. We have actually grown so much since then. Our scores at the moment are phenomenal.

Inform me about your completely different vehicles…

Now we have about 156 autos and rising.  Now we have concrete mixer vehicles, a water truck, semi-tractor trailers, pump vehicles, roll off vehicles, mechanic vehicles, volumetric vehicles, dump vehicles, one- ton vehicles and three-quarter ton vehicles. We even have quite a lot of trailers to haul gear. 

And what about your drivers?

Now we have about 50 accepted CDL drivers and 77 accepted non-CDL drivers. All of them don’t drive each day nor are all of them assigned a selected automobile. Some have assigned autos they usually drive for us based mostly on want. Nonetheless, our mixer drivers at our batch plant do each day driving.

What’s the most distance that they’re allowed to drive? 

Our concrete mixer drivers are thought-about short-haul drivers they usually solely drive inside their 150 air-mile radius of their regular work reporting location and are launched from responsibility at that location no later than 14 hours after they begin work. With that stated, our batch crops are usually positioned in very shut proximity to our initiatives.  

Do you will have hassle discovering and hiring drivers? 

As with everybody in our development business or driving business, discovering certified drivers might be difficult. A number of components play an element on this, however the greatest is that there’s a nationwide scarcity of certified CDL drivers, particularly within the development business, the place expertise with heavy gear and particular development security coaching is usually required. For this reason our driver coaching system is so necessary. 

How a lot of your coaching is within the classroom and the way a lot on the street? 

All new worker drivers undergo orientation and driver coaching. It consists of computer-based coaching adopted by hands-on expertise evaluations or computer-based expertise analysis, on-the-job coaching and a driver {qualifications} file evaluate earlier than they’re accepted to drive for our firm. Yearly we conduct refresher coaching.

And that entails?

Pre and put up journeys, distracted driving, fatigued driving and our firm Security and Health Digital Information with the Federal Motor Carriers Security Administration.

And that entails….

Scores for automobile upkeep, crash indicators, medicine and alcohol, unsafe driving, hours of service, driver health, and hazmat compliance.  

Whew. Do you share these scores along with your drivers?

Sure! Our drivers finally management these outcomes with their driving and roadside inspections they usually should be concerned and in seeing our yearly numbers. Now we have discussions on what new coverage or process is being put in place or evaluate present insurance policies and procedures that decide the end result of those numbers. 

What are your ride-alongs like?

I conduct periodic ride-alongs with drivers and we implement the Smith System, the place as they’re driving, they should name out driving distraction or points, whereas driving protected. This tells me they’re conscious of their environment and are additionally driving as we anticipate them too. 

Do you practice additionally in non-driving facets like sustaining and utilizing the gear?

Sure. Our drivers aren’t solely drivers, however they usually are discipline workers as effectively. They’re required to know and be licensed within the gear they function. 

I’ve by no means pushed a truck, so I need to know what the coaching is wish to make turns with a multi-ton spinning barrel? 

Working a concrete mixer entails varied dangers as a result of dimension, weight, shifting of the load, and surroundings they’re driving in. Most of our jobsite have uneven terrain. Their onsite coach will evaluate with them that unbalanced or improperly combined concrete may cause instability and that uneven terrain, curves or inclines may cause points. The masses are heavy and stopping distance can play an element. The onsite coach can even trip with them or watch them intently earlier than they log out on their expertise analysis.

Masses are heavy and stopping distances can play an element in working a prepared combine supply truck.
Picture: Vera Tikhonova/Getty Photos

What telematics are you utilizing?

We use Verizon join and SureCam Cameras and that’s truly that may monitor pace and harsh, breaking. 

What punishments or disincentives do drivers get once they don’ comply with protocol?

Often it’s a pair reminders, after which it’s a written teaching. In the entire time I’m right here. I’ve in all probability had to remove a automobile twice. Once I say I take away a automobile, it may very well be a one month or three months. If I’m writing you up, it’s as a result of we’ve had some conversations, and also you’re not taking it critically.

If somebody does one thing unsuitable, then I retrain them. Say I write any person up as a result of they’d a nasty roadside inspection, they usually didn’t do their pre-trip appropriately. It’s not only a reprimand. They then need to go in and do a coaching module. 

How have you learnt if the driving force is onboard with the security protocols?

The most important praise is, a driver calls me and says, ‘Hey! I caught myself dashing. I will be in your report.’ Or, ‘I used to be daydreaming, and I virtually handed up my exit, and I slammed on my brakes.’ This tells me certainly one of two issues. That they perceive, they usually caught themselves and now we have respect for one another as an organization. I will say, ‘Okay, the place was it at. Thanks for being conscious.’ I will make a remark of it. After which I hear, ‘Oh, Lisa, you are like so in my head that I am now watching my very own pace in my very own private automobile.’ That’s what I need to occur.

How else do you get them to buy-in?

I additionally need them to see that their driving has a direct impact on them due to the sort of automobile they’re in. I allow them to know, if they’re in an accident, let’s say in a five-car pileup they usually didn’t even trigger the accident, however as a result of there’s a identify on the facet of the truck, some lawyer goes to attempt to determine how they had been the reason for an issue. I inform them, “Don’t get your self caught up in that, even when it’s not your fault.” 

You’ve advised us concerning the stick, what concerning the carrot?

Each week now we have driver of the week. We’ll look via all of the drivers, pre-trips and put up journeys, and we discover these which might be constantly doing it proper. That week they get put in a pool for a $100 reward card. In the event you get a clear roadside inspection, they get a present card. In the event you go six months with not hitting my pace report, you are acknowledged, and also you get a present card.   Then on the finish of the 12 months, all these folks that gained issues all year long are all acknowledged within the driver conferences. 

What’s your opinion of driver going through cameras?  

Driver-facing cameras, sometimes called in-cab programs, can supply helpful security and coaching advantages however in addition they increase legitimate issues the place the driving force appears like they’re below fixed surveillance which causes distraction to the driving force behind the wheel when their principal activity is specializing in being conscious of their environment whereas driving safely.

So, you don’t use driver going through cameras?

Now we have forward-facing cameras and telematics that monitor the important thing security metrics–speed, fast acceleration, sharp turns and swerving and harsh braking. These cameras get turned on when triggered occasions happen…Do I would like that digital camera to actually pinpoint what they’re doing? No, as a result of I am utilizing one other software to make them concentrate on their driving. 

What’s subsequent in your program? 

We’re taking a look at increasing our fatigue administration program, which we need to fine-tune it. 

What’s your recommendation to an organization constructing a program like yours?

Be clear. Contain your drivers within the course of. Don’t simply slap cameras or telematics on them with out explaining why. And practice, practice, practice. Make it about their security, not simply compliance.