It’s that time of year again. The midwest, northeast, mountain areas in the west and more are already experiencing winter weather, including snow, sleet and hail which make driving conditions challenging, especially for truck drivers.

Medallion Transport & Logistics put together some tips to help keep truck drivers and owner-operators prepared and safe on the road.

Pre Trip Inspections are Crucial

It is always important to do a proper pre trip inspection, especially tire inflation due to constant changing temperatures during wintry conditions. Slow down and give yourself plenty of space.

Brake and accelerate slowly, most equipment is outfitted with ABS brakes but in the event you have equipment that does not have ABS- pump and release brakes lightly until you slow to a manageable speed.

Black ice can be one of the most dangerous winter conditions you may encounter.

Things you may notice when encountering black ice:

• Ice build-up on mirrors, antennas, or windshield wipers
• The spray from tires on others will stop

If the road conditions get too bad sometimes the best thing to do is to get off the road and take a break.

Don’t Leave Without These

When traveling in colder climates you never know what you may encounter.
Here are some things to remember/bring:

• Carry and wear proper clothing
• Bring an extra flashlight (or two)
• Extra food and water
• A bag of salt or sand
• Jumper cables
• Tire chains (especially if running in the northwest)
• Try to keep your fuel tanks full

More Tips

Here are more winter trucking tips from our COO, Jesse.

Questions? Contact Medallion Transport & Logistics

Medallion Transport & Logistics is committed to driver support and safety, especially when it comes to maintenance including regular inspections. We offer our freight agents and owner operators a national tire purchase program and emergency road service, although preventative maintenance for safety and to avoid any down time is always encouraged. For questions about driver safety, give us a call at 704-235-0460 or send us an email to info@medalliontrans.com.

NHH Services and sister company, Medallion Transport & Logistics are showing their appreciation for professional truck drivers during this year’s National Truck Driver Appreciation (NTDAW) Week, Sept. 11 – 17, 2022.

NHH and Medallion are giving all drivers in their network a free meal during this period, showing their appreciation for their owner-operators and all their hard work, especially the last few years. Simply put, “when the world stopped, we kept moving.” NHH and its affiliate companies recognize the dedication of all drivers.

Here is a list of how other companies are thanking, recognizing and rewarding drivers during NTDAW 2022.

Pilot Flying J

Pilot Flying J is celebrating the hard work and commitment of professional drivers with exclusive offers and more points.

Their promotion says “Your drivers go further for America, so we’re going further for them” The following are available for a limited time:

• Three free drinks every week! Drivers can choose between a free Pilot fountain drink or coffee, and free cooler category beverages like sodas, energy drinks, and waters from the top brands they love. Drinks are redeemable Monday-Sunday each week.
• New in-app challenges where your drivers can earn 500 bonus points by completing tasks like mobile fueling, shower reservation and activating PushForPoints™ up to 2.5 points​​​​​​​
• Discounts on various deli food items all September using the myRewards Plus^TM app, including a 50% discount during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week* (Sept. 11 – 17, 2022)
• Free Safe and Road Ready Checks in September by Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J.  With every check completed, drivers will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win one of three sets of Bridgestone premium steer tires
• One bonus point automatically applied to Canadian professional drivers when fueling with their myRewards® card at participating Shell Flying J travel centers throughout September

Drivers can get these deals and more in the myRewards Plus^TM app by simply saving the offer and stopping at any participating travel centers.

More details about these offers can be accessed at Pilot Flying J’s Driver Appreciation page.

Love’s Travel Stops

The company is giving away a record breaking 23.5 million My Love Rewards (MLR) points (worth more than $230,000) to professional truck drivers during the month, including hundreds of daily and weekly winners and a 1-million-point winner at the end of the month. The company is also celebrating the launch of Amarillo Supply Co., a brand focused on keeping drivers safe while on the road, with discounts and giveaways.

Each time drivers swipe their My Love Rewards card during the month of September, they will be entered for a chance to instantly win 1,000 or 2,000 My Love Rewards points. Thousands of instant winners will be selected daily. They will also be entered for a chance to win weekly My Love Rewards points and a grand prize of1 million My Love Rewards pointsat the end of the month. Winners will be notified by email.

My Love Rewards Points weekly giveaway:

• Sept. 9 one customer will win 250,000 MLR points ($2,500 retail value).
• Sept. 16 one customer will win 500,000 MLR points ($5,000 retail value).
• Sept. 23 one customer will win 750,000 MLR points ($7,500 retail value).
• Sept. 30 one customer will receive a grand prize of 1,000,000 MLR points ($10,000 retail value).

“We look forward to National Truck Driver Appreciation Week each year because it’s one way we say, ‘thank you,’ to professional truck drivers who are essential to the country’s success,” said Jon Archard, Love’s vice president of fleet sales. “This year is special because it’s our biggest points giveaway ever and we’ve launched a brand focused on keeping drivers and their trucks safe on the road.” 

Amarillo Supply Co. includes key items that professional truck drivers need to maintain their trucks while delivering essential goods across the country. The brand will initially feature a variety of air hoses and a blow gun kit and be sold at all travel stop locations across the country. In spring 2023, the brand will grow to include around 40 additional items.

Additional Driver Appreciation Month deals include:

• Fresh food and drink deals Sept. 12-16.
• Free hot sandwich or fresh salad with an oil change Sept. 12-16.
• Discounts on Amarillo Supply Co. products throughout September and October.
• Free Amarillo Supply Co. hat with the purchase of a 3-pack of gloves for $9.99, or any of the six Amarillo Supply Co. safety items promoted at 15% off, throughout the month and through October.

As always, only My Love Rewards provides drivers with free drinks and showers all 12 months of the year. Click here for more information on the My Love Rewards program. For a full list of promotions and deals, which can be redeemed by swiping a My Love Rewards card or by scanning the barcode on the Love’s Connect app, clickhere.

TA Petro

TA Petro is celebrating drivers with “A Week of Winning” which takes place Sept. 12 – 17. Prizes can be won throughout the six-day period. More info will be available on Sept. 12.

The 2022 Operation Safe Driver Week is set for July 10-16 and this year’s emphasis is again on speeding.

During Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in risky driving behaviors. Identified unsafe drivers will be pulled over and issued a citation or warning.

CVSA selected speeding again as its focus this year because despite a drop in roadway travel in recent years due to the pandemic, nationally, traffic fatalities increased. According to the CVSA, speeding of any kind was the most frequent driver-related crash factor for drivers of commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles.

In addition to speeding, law enforcement personnel will be tracking other dangerous driver behaviors throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, such as reckless or aggressive driving, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, failure to obey traffic control devices, failure to use a seat belt, evidence of drunk or drugged driving, etc.

Learn More About Safe Driver Week

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program was created to help reduce the number of crashes, deaths and injuries involving large trucks, buses and passenger vehicles due to unsafe driving behaviors. Operation Safe Driver week, which begins Sunday, July 10 and ends on Saturday, July 16, is sponsored by CVSA, in partnership with FMCSA. This initiative aims to improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around commercial motor vehicles – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies.

Questions? Contact Medallion Transport & Logistics

Medallion Transport & Logistics is committed to driver support and safety, especially when it comes to maintenance including regular inspections. We offer our freight agents and owner operators a national tire purchase program and emergency road service, although preventative maintenance for safety and to avoid any down time is always encouraged. For questions about driver safety, give us a call at 765-650-4164.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has announced Aug. 21-27 as the dates for this year’s Brake Safety Week.

Brake Safety Week is an annual commercial motor vehicle brake-safety inspection, enforcement and education initiative conducted by law enforcement jurisdictions in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

During Brake Safety Week, inspectors will conduct their usual North American Standard Level I and V Inspections and capture and report brake-related data to CVSA, specifically inspectors will also capture and provide data on brake hose/tubing chafing violations – the focus area for this year’s brake safety campaign.

The results will be released in the fall.

Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. inspected 35,764 commercial motor vehicles during last year’s event.

Combined, for a North American total, 35,764 commercial motor vehicles were inspected last year. Twelve percent of those vehicles were restricted from travel because inspectors found brake-related critical vehicle inspection item conditions and placed those vehicles out of service, using CVSA’s North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria.

Brake-related violations comprise the largest percentage of all out-of-service violations cited during roadside inspections. Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capacity and stopping distance of trucks and buses, which poses a serious risk to driver and public safety.

What Will Inspectors Focus On?

A CVSA news release cited the following regarding what inspectors will focus on during the brake portion of a vehicle inspection.

“During the brake portion of a vehicle inspection, inspectors will look for missing, non-functioning, loose, contaminated or cracked parts on the brake system, and non-manufactured holes (such as rust holes and holes created by rubbing or friction) and broken springs in the spring brake housing section of the parking brake.”

“They will listen for audible air leaks around brake components and lines, and ensure the air system maintains air pressure between 90-100 psi (620-690 kPa). Inspectors will also check for S-cam flip-over and measure pushrod travel. They will check that slack adjusters are the same length (from center of S-cam to center of clevis pin) and the air chambers on each axle are the same size. They will also inspect required brake-system warning devices, such as ABS malfunction lamp(s) and low air-pressure warning devices. In addition, inspectors will ensure the breakaway system is operable on the trailer, and inspect the tractor protection system, including the bleed-back system on the trailer.”

In addition to reporting total inspections and brake-related out-of-service violations, inspectors will also capture and provide data on brake hose/tubing chafing violations – the focus area for this year’s Brake Safety Week.

“Poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capacity and stopping distance of large trucks and motorcoaches, which poses a serious risk to driver and public safety,” said CVSA President Captain John Broers with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “In those split-second emergency situations, the proper functionality of the brake systems on large commercial motor vehicles is crucial.”

More About Brake Safety Campaigns

Outreach and educational efforts by inspectors, participating motor carriers and others in the industry also take place during CVSA’s brake safety campaigns and are integral to the success of the campaign.

Operation Airbrake is a CVSA program in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998.

It’s that time of year again. The midwest, northeast, mountain areas in the west and more are already experiencing winter weather, including snow, sleet and hail which make driving conditions challenging, especially for truck drivers.

Medallion Transport & Logistics put together some tips to help keep truck drivers and owner-operators prepared and safe on the road.

Pre Trip Inspections are Crucial

It is always important to do a proper pre trip inspection, especially tire inflation due to constant changing temperatures during wintry conditions. Slow down and give yourself plenty of space.

Brake and accelerate slowly, most equipment is outfitted with ABS brakes but in the event you have equipment that does not have ABS- pump and release brakes lightly until you slow to a manageable speed.

Black ice can be one of the most dangerous winter conditions you may encounter.

Things you may notice when encountering black ice:

• Ice build-up on mirrors, antennas, or windshield wipers
• The spray from tires on others will stop

If the road conditions get too bad sometimes the best thing to do is to get off the road and take a break.

Don’t Leave Without These

When traveling in colder climates you never know what you may encounter.
Here are some things to remember/bring:

• Carry and wear proper clothing
• Bring an extra flashlight (or two)
• Extra food and water
• A bag of salt or sand
• Jumper cables
• Tire chains (especially if running in the northwest)
• Try to keep your fuel tanks full

More Tips

Here are more winter trucking tips from our COO, Jesse.

Questions? Contact Medallion Transport & Logistics

Medallion Transport & Logistics is committed to driver support and safety, especially when it comes to maintenance including regular inspections. We offer our freight agents and owner operators a national tire purchase program and emergency road service, although preventative maintenance for safety and to avoid any down time is always encouraged. For questions about driver safety, give us a call at 704-235-0460 or send us an email to info@medalliontrans.com.

For the first time in three years, the allowable driver per diem is going up.  The Internal Revenue Service said the per diem for transportation workers in the 2021-22 period will be rising to $69 for travel in the continental U.S. and up to $74 for travel outside the continental U.S. Both figures represent an increase of $3.

The new rate goes into effect Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget year. The earlier rate had been in effect since 2018-19.

The increase may seem small. But if it is taken for 200 days on the road by an independent owner-operator, that works out to $600 of tax-free compensation because the per diem is viewed by the IRS as expense reimbursement. That type of compensation is not taxable. Depending on a driver’s tax rate, $600 could be seen as equaling $900 to $1,000 of taxable compensation.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) notifies motorists of asphalt rehab on I-69 in Caldwell County.

The contractor will make repairs between KY 293 (mile point 82.93) and Longbreak Road/KY 2613 (mile point 86.34).

Outside lane closures will begin August 5 on both southbound and northbound lanes. The maximum lane width will be 14 ft. 

The work is scheduled for completion this fall.

KYTC ask motorists to be aware of the work zone, expect delays, and to utilize safe driving habits when traveling through the area.

The start and duration of work may be adjusted for inclement weather or other unforeseeable delays. Drivers should expect delays and are encouraged to allow extra time in reaching their destination. 

Timely traffic advisories for the 11 counties of KYTC Highway District 2 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict2. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.

CVSA has set August 22-28, 2021 as Brake Safety Week. The week-long inspection period will focus on brake systems and components. As always, proactively check and service your vehicle to ensure you are mechanically fit, compliant, and SAFE!

During Brake Safety Week, commercial motor vehicle inspectors emphasize the importance of brake systems by conducting inspections and removing commercial motor vehicles found to have brake-related out-of-service violations from our roadways. At the same time, many motor carriers work to educate their drivers and maintenance service providers on the importance of brake system safety.

Throughout the week, inspectors will conduct North American Standard Inspections of commercial motor vehicles, focusing on the vehicle’s brake systems and components. In addition, inspectors will compile data on brake hoses/tubing, the focus area for this year’s Brake Safety Week, to submit to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). CVSA will report its findings later this year.

Jurisdictions devote a week to conducting commercial motor vehicle inspections, identifying brake violations and removing vehicles with out-of-service brake violations because:

Brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for more vehicle violations than any other vehicle violation category, accounting for 38.6% of all vehicle out-of-service conditions, during last year’s three-day 

International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement initiative.

“Brake system” was the third most cited vehicle-related factor in fatal commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle crashes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) latest “Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts” 

Brake-related violations accounted for eight out of the top 20 vehicle violations in 2020, according to FMCSA’s 
Motor Carrier Management Information System.

During last year’s Brake Safety Week, 12% of the 43,565 commercial motor vehicles inspected were placed out of service for brake-related violations.

Questions? Contact Medallion Transport & Logistics

Medallion Transport & Logistics is committed to driver support and safety, especially when it comes to maintenance including regular and blitz inspections. We offer our freight agents and owner operators a national maintenance program and emergency road service. For questions about driver safety, give us a call at 704-235-0460 or send us an email to info@medalliontrans.com.

The 2021 Operation Safe Driver Week is set for July 11-17 and this year’s emphasis is on speeding.

During Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in risky driving behaviors in or around a commercial motor vehicle. Identified unsafe drivers will be pulled over and issued a citation or warning.

CVSA selected speeding as its focus this year because despite a drop in roadway travel last year due to the pandemic, nationally, traffic fatalities increased. According to the National Safety Council’s (NSC) preliminary estimates, the estimated rate of death on roads last year increased 24% over the previous 12-month period, despite miles driven dropping 13%. The increase in the rate of death is the highest estimated year-over-year jump NSC has calculated in 96 years.

In addition to speeding, law enforcement personnel will be tracking other dangerous driver behaviors throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, such as reckless or aggressive driving, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, failure to obey traffic control devices, failure to use a seat belt, evidence of drunk or drugged driving, etc.

Learn More About Safe Driver Week

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program was created to help reduce the number of crashes, deaths and injuries involving large trucks, buses and passenger vehicles due to unsafe driving behaviors.Operation Safe Driver week, which begins Sunday, July 11 and ends on Saturday, July 17, is sponsored by CVSA, in partnership with FMCSA. This initiative aims to improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around commercial motor vehicles – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies.

Questions? Contact Medallion Transport & Logistics

Medallion Transport & Logistics is committed to driver support and safety, especially when it comes to maintenance including regular inspections. We offer our freight agents and owner operators a national tire purchase program and emergency road service, although preventative maintenance for safety and to avoid any down time is always encouraged. For questions about driver safety, give us a call at 704-235-0460 or send us an email to info@medalliontrans.com.

Medallion Transport Holdings is pleased to announce our new fleet partnership with ARI. Starting on November 1st, 2020. ARI will provide fleet management services for our fleet. Through this new partnership, we aim to provide you with seamless services for your vehicles and enhance your company vehicle experience. 

All Medallion Transport & Logistics and NHH Services’ drivers have access to ARI’s Driver Insights mobile app (also available in a desktop version) available for download on Apple and Android devices by searching keywords “ari driver” to find the free app to download.   

Features include vendor locate functionality for maintenance vendors, personal use mileage reporting, new vehicle order status, live chat and much more. 

ARI strives to provide 100% customer satisfaction in accordance with the company’s needs and goals. ARI will provide the following services:

Maintenance & Roadside Assistance

ARI will leverage existing relationships with our preferred vendors and suppliers. Through this partnership, however, we will also have access to more than 90,000 national account and independent repair and maintenance vendors nationwide. ARI – Fleet Maintenance/Service is available 24/7/365.

ARI offers the ability to find out National account pricing on tires 24/7. Just call in and give the technician the product code or article number and they can provide pricing.

When contacting ARI 1-800-CAR-CARE (227-2273) please make sure to have your client code, ARI vehicle number and current odometer reading handy. Any questions can be directed to Medallion.

For Non-Routine Maintenance Repair: 

• Driver should contact 1-800-CAR-CARE (227-2273)
• If vehicle is not already at a vendor, ARI will direct driver to nearest dealer (warranty) or service vendor (non-warranty)
• ARI’s ASE certified technicians will diagnose problem with vendor
•  No payment is due at time of service

For Roadside Assistance: 

• Technicians are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
• ARI will ensure driver safety and arrange a tow for the disabled vehicle to preferred or local vendor
• For replacement transportation, please refer to you fleet manager

If You Have Any Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Medallion Transport & Logistics at 765.650.4164.