Yard Trucks Archives - Page 4 of 4

Could Your Fleet Qualify for an ELD (Electronic Logging Device) Exemption?

Check to See if Your Fleet May Be Eligible

The electronic logging device mandate has stirred up a polarizing debate. Some call the rule “Orwellian,” while others insist only those guilty of fudging paper records are upset. Many fleets are happily incorporating ELDs by using terminal tractors to reduce wait times with faster trailer towing around the docks. Still, you may be wondering if you qualify for an ELD exemption.

An owner-operator exemption request has not prevailed thus far. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has only granted a handful of ELD exemptions and waivers. These apply to old vehicles and situations where other safety measures are deemed sufficient:

– Vehicles manufactured before 2000

– Drivers who don’t use paper logs more than 8 days a month

– Trucks rented for 30 days or less; waiver through April 19, 2018

– Trucks rented for 8 days or less; exempt through October 11, 2022

– Agricultural commodities; waiver through June 18, 2018

– UPS drivers; exempt through January 19, 2022

– MPAA commercial drivers; exempt through January 19, 2023

Additionally, vehicles with the old AOBRDs are enjoying a two-year grandfathering period before a required upgrade by December 16, 2019.

Satisfy ELD and HOS Rules with Terminal Tractors

DJ Products can help your fleet comply with ELD mandates by using our TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractor. These replace your shunt trucks and any employee can operate them, so your CDL drivers don’t need to waste time moving trailers in and out of docks.

Terminal tractors save time and money. A TrailerCaddy costs less than 25 percent as much as a shunt truck, yet easily moves trailers up to 100,000 pounds and provides a long battery life.

For more info about how our terminal tractors can help ease the burden of ELD and hours-of-service rules, contact DJ Products today.

Why Would Amazon Want to Start Its Own Shipping Network?

Check Out Our Yard Truck Products

Amazon will soon be adding a yard truck to its extensive assortment of warehouse equipment at its distribution centers. The online giant is preparing to launch a delivery service for businesses that will pit them head-to-head with established companies FedEx and UPS.

Shipping with Amazon

Amazon’s announcement of the new service initially caused stock prices for both FedEx and UPS to dip. While the current partnership between Amazon and UPS is expected to continue short-term, it’s unclear how it will be affected down the road.

The service, to be known as Shipping with Amazon, will begin by delivering shipments from the company’s third-party suppliers. Shipping with Amazon will kick off in the Los Angeles area before branching out.

Why Expand into Delivery?

Experts speculate that there are several reasons why Amazon is pursuing this new venture:

– Amazon’s lucrative Prime membership service offers free two-day shipping on specific items, but that perk is lost when customers order from a third-party supplier. By assuming more control, Amazon is hoping to drive additional customers to purchase a Prime membership.

– With the massive size of its operations, Amazon prefers to be as self-contained as possible. Taking charge of delivery service will minimize problems, such as delayed shipments during the last holiday season.

– Shipping causes a lot of red ink on Amazon’s books. In 2017, the company spent $20 billion getting orders to customers. That figure can be sharply reduced with in-house delivery.

– UPS recently reported quarterly revenues of $18.83 billion. Even for Amazon, it’s hard to resist the lure of that kind of money in their coffers.

Move Trailers with the Electric Yard Dog from DJ Products

Our battery-powered yard truck allows any employee to safely move trailers weighing up to 100,000 pounds. Call 800.686.2651 to learn more.

Investing in Supply Chain and Terminal Management Technology Starts with Staff Training

Innovation to Drive Future Production

Has your supply chain company fully committed to the high-tech advancements that are revolutionizing the industry? Embracing technology like data capture and terminal tractors is the most strategic way to attract a talented workforce.

Solving the Supply Chain Employment Crisis

The supply chain sector is facing a dire shortage of qualified workers. According to the 2016 MHI Annual Industry Report, approximately 600,000 manufacturing positions in the United States go unfilled and 58 percent of survey respondents reported major difficulties in hiring and retaining skilled workers.

Rather than continuing to search within the same talent pool, why not target the next generation that’s preparing to enter the workforce? The challenge is making an older-skewing industry appealing to younger workers.

Changing the Perception of Supply Chain for a New Generation

Today’s twenty-somethings have grown up with technology, so it’s an integral part of their lives. Incorporating technology in your company makes the business more relevant to them and offers a way for younger workers to express their ingenuity and creativity.

Technology was once seen as merely a way to automate and simplify repetitive tasks. Younger employees, who are familiar with the range and application of technology, want to use these methods to manage and grow a business.

Do you need another reason to invest in technological solutions for your company? In addition to making your workplace attractive to younger generations, technology cuts costs in the long run by improving productivity.

State-of-the-Art Technology for Material Handling Solutions from DJ Products

Our Electric Yard Dog easily moves loads up to 100,000 pounds and includes the latest safety features to reduce risk of accidents and repetitive motion injuries. Contact us for more information about our electric terminal tractors and other pushers, tugs and movers.

Should You Consider Cloud Services for Logistics Management?

Still using local software for logistics management? Cloud-based services have taken hold in this industry like so many others. Perhaps you like your current solution and live by the motto, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” On the other hand, sitting still can be dangerous. Logistics in the cloud can be more efficient and scalable—and perhaps surprisingly, also more secure.

Cloud services help you know exactly where your inventory is and where it needs to be. As the makers of TrailerCaddy yard dog trucks, we know how much agility and safety matter at a warehouse or distribution center and how they can benefit your bottom line. Terminal tractors keep each trailer positioned exactly where it needs to be.

Benefits of Cloud-Based Logistics Management

The experts at Inbound Logistics recently offered a rundown of why warehouse and transportation firms should be using cloud-based WMS or TMS for logistics:

– Reduced IT costs

– Scalable for growth or seasonal fluctuation

– Enhanced data security (more redundancy)

– Business continuity and backup disaster recovery

– Internet of Things for labels, tags, sensors, etc.

In practical terms, moving to the cloud means your data is always backed up. Services have a predictable monthly cost and software updates occur automatically. When technology changes, your cloud services provider will already be a step ahead. Cloud storage is a great way to improve distribution efficiency.

DJ Products Electric Yard Dog Trucks

What happens on the ground matters as much as what’s in the cloud. Our TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractors are high-performance, low-cost yard dog trucks that don’t require a CDL driver. Move any trailer up to 100,000 pounds with tight maneuvering and better safety.

Ask DJ Products how our yard dog trucks can improve logistics and supply chain management.

Tips for Helping Your Long Haul Drivers Manage Fatigue Enroute

Yard Trucks Can Lighten Loads for Drivers and Staff

Tired truckers are a huge problem. One that log books seek to prevent. However, like traffic rule books handed out to green drivers pre-licensure, log books are only as effective as those who follow their tenets. Luckily, CDL drivers can learn how to manage sleep without relying on them.

Get to Know Contributing Factors
Lack of oxygen, bright lights, noise and stress can all fuel fatigue, reducing the capacity to remain alert. While stress is tougher to tackle, oxygen is obvious and easy to address. Cool, fresh air is a fantastic fatigue-buster.

Monotonous, loud noise also has a prolonged fatiguing effect, making tasks difficult to perform. Luckily there’s fantastic tech these days, capable of providing both ear protection and entertainment.

Bright lights can seriously disrupt your concentration at night. Dim those interior lights and look at the fog line – and away from oncoming traffic.

Other Strategies for Managing Fatigue
From navigating yard trucks to planning a long-haul freight route, route planning will quickly show itself an ideal way to combat fatigue: Mapping routes and planning stops for rest in advance assures adequate down time, robbing your ego of “I’ll just try to make the next stop” syndrome and the dreaded ‘full’ rest stop.

Exercise tips from “Trucker Fitness” also don’t disappoint, helping you boost fatigue-busting endorphins and improving sleep quality. You cannot bank good sleep. Avoiding sleep debt/lousy rests actually safeguards sleep quality on-the-road. For those with the means, investing in a more comfortable sleeper unit can net amazing returns.

Are you protecting your employees from the fatigue and strain of shunting semi-trailers? Yard trucks can prevent muscle fatigue, injury, and other risks of moving heavy trailers. Safeguard against worker injury and boost productivity with the help of DJProducts today.

Diabetes is a Real Problem for Your Long Haul Drivers

Shunting trailers without the help of terminal tractors can be dangerous. And so can hauling those trailers. In recent studies, long-haul drivers have been shown to be exceptionally at-risk of Type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle, a main risk factor in this chronic condition across the board, is to blame.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Common in the United States, Type 2 diabetes has experienced a four-fold increase from 1980-2014. Growing in prevalence, this condition affects the way the body produces insulin, limiting its effectiveness in metabolizing sugar.

Drivers Have a Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes than Others
A 2010 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study revealed keen insight into long-haul driver behavior and health. Truck drivers have a significantly higher risk of Type 2 diabetes than the average American: 14% of drivers suffer Type 2 diabetes, versus 9.4% of the general population.

What Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices Put Long-Haul Drivers At Risk?
The lonely, sedentary nature of long-haul runs are not conducive to healthy living, nor is eating outside of the home – the only option for drivers on long freight routes. Frequent sleeping away means no or minimal access to healthy, fresh, home-cooked fare.

Tight schedules combined with lackluster rest in strange hotels often increase fatigue and stress, limiting opportunities for exercise. In fact, more than one-quarter of study respondents reported no exercise in the past 7 days. Fifty-one-percent smoked. Sixty-nine-percent were obese (versus 33% of the general population); 17% morbidly obese – 10% higher than the general public. All of these are known risk factors for poor health and diabetes.

Are you safeguarding employees from health issues? Prevent injuries, save time and boost productivity with terminal tractors, the electric yard dog, from DJ Products today.

Distribution Managers – Transportation Metrics That You Should Monitor for Success

Using electric yard trucks to move trailers is one way to immediately boost productivity and reduce costs. How do you uncover those less obvious but equally important areas for improvement? Transportation metrics help you implement and measure best practices to strike the right balance between service and cost.

Tips for Incorporating Transportation Metrics in Your Logistics Operation

– It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of available data. Choose the measurements that are most aligned with your goals and focus on three to five key performance indicators (KPI) per functional area.

– Don’t assume that you understand the various metrics. Make sure you know what each one measures, what variables affect them and how they are relevant to your specific business.

– Set goals that are aggressive enough to result in true growth, but realistic enough to be obtainable.

– Designate a person or department to take ownership of achieving a goal and be sure you’re all on the same page.

– The most sophisticated metrics mean nothing without corresponding action. Evaluate results and create plans to make any necessary improvements.

Commonly-Used Transportation Metrics

– Freight cost per unit shipped is particularly helpful when standard units of measure are being used.

– Percent of truckload capacity used reveals opportunities to maximize efficiency.

– Transit time is vital for quoting accurate lead times.

– Truck turnaround time is a good overall snapshot of your operations, including receiving and shipping processes.

– Freight bill accuracy can detect small errors that add up to big savings.

Optimize Efficiency with Yard Trucks from DJ Products

DJ Products is your preferred supplier of battery-powered yard trucks that save manpower, improve workplace safety and reduce costs. Visit our website and learn more about our popular Yard Dog from one of our cheerful sales engineers.

Feds Propose Banning Mexico-Based Rigs from Driving on US Highways in New NAFTA Negotiations

DJ Products Supplies Motorized Trailer Dollies for Moving Semi Trailers

Long-haul trucking companies may need to add more motorized trailer dollies soon. The long, controversial history of the North American Free Trade Agreement could be adding another chapter.

Renegotiating NAFTA

During recent NAFTA negotiations, President Donald Trump’s team put forth an extensive list of demands to be met in order to keep the agreement in effect. One of the conditions was removing the Mexican long-haul industry from a NAFTA chapter on cross-border services.

While the U.S. Trade Representative’s office has remained mum on the content of their proposals, a number of sources close to the negotiations have reported this particular demand. It was described as a “broad industry exclusion” that was submitted during October’s round of talks.

U.S. and Mexico Trucking Industries: A Contentious Relationship

Even after NAFTA went into effect, the U.S. put up several roadblocks to Mexican truckers operating in the country. Initially, they could transport loads only a short distance across the border before transferring them to American truckers.

In 2001 a dispute resolution panel found in Mexico’s favor, but the U.S. refused to comply, causing Mexico to impose retaliatory tariffs. Finally, in 2015, the U.S. granted licensed Mexican truckers the right to haul cargo across the country.

If the new proposal goes into effect, it could be a step toward restricting Mexican truckers once again. Without the advantages and protections afforded by NAFTA, Mexico would have a hard time challenging future trucking requirements imposed by the U.S.

Motorized Trailer Dollies from DJ Products

Did you know that most injuries and damage to trailers occur in the yard? Visit our website to learn why motorized trailer dollies such as our Electric Yard Dog are your solution for safer and more efficient operations.

Watch for Higher Freight Rates in Early 2018 As Carriers Negotiate Contracts

DJ Products Supplies Equipment for Shunting Trailers

Chances are that your freight company will be doing a lot more semi trailer moving in 2018. Thanks to a number of industry trends and events, average contract rates are expected to increase in the new year by as much as 10 percent.

Manpower Shortages and Tight Capacities

A shortage of drivers is the most significant factor driving rate increases. According to Bob Costello, chief economist of the American Trucking Association, the number of drivers in the industry stands at only about 50,000.

– The driver shortage has also led to a crunch in capacity rates, which hit 90 percent in the second quarter and are approaching 100 percent with the impending holidays.

– There are fears that the December 18 deadline for implementing electronic logging devices to track service hours may cause even more drivers to leave the industry.

– Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have tightened capacity and pushed spot market rates up.

– The economy continues to become more robust, as indicated by 4.1 percent unemployment and three percent rise in GDP during the third quarter.

Solving the Driver Shortage

David Jackson, CEO of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, says the industry has been hurt by its dependence on baby boomers. The average age of drivers is in the mid-50s, and younger drivers aren’t entering the field quickly enough to counteract attrition.

Jackson suggests that raising pay rates is essential to attract new drivers. Andrew Lynch, president of logistics firm Zipline, adds that increased contract rates can provide the necessary funds to raise driver pay.

Simplified Semi Trailer Moving from DJ Products

Move semi trailers safely and efficiently with our electric Yard Dog terminal tractor. Visit our website and learn more about our full line of electric tugs and movers from our sales engineers.

Tag: Yard Trucks