Posted on Tue, Jul 20, 2010 @ 02:12 PM
Perception as defined by Merriam-Webster:
1a: a result of perceiving; observation 1b: a mental image; concept
2: obsolete; consciousness
3a: awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation <color perception> 3b: physical sensation interpreted in the light of experience
4a: quick, acute, and intuitive cognition; appreciation 4b: a capacity for comprehension
Recently I received an anonymous email that, though very well written, contained perceptions of the author. In this email, specific drivers were named along with the author's allegations of unfair favoritism. As with any information-claiming issues of safety, fairness, or favoritism, the facts are being pursued. The author’s perception that some drivers are performing their duties and “are not getting anything from the Company in return” is blatantly incorrect.
First off, our drivers are compensated for the loads that they move. Secondly, every driver that is a part of our organization is an individual who has different abilities, needs, priorities, and goals. Historically, Area Transportation has been much more compassionate to accommodating our driver’s needs than most carriers, whether it is to care for family, maintain a stable home life, or to allow drivers to participate in activities not related to work.
It seems that the perception of what is good and what is bad, as part of human nature, is often only applied to the advantage of the individual. As in most cases when light is shed on the facts, the perceptions change from alarming concern to minor inconvenience. I like to quote the Paul Harvey catchphrase, “Now for the rest of the story.”
Perceptions can make or break an individual, group, organization, company, or corporation. Take the time to get the facts for yourself. Don’t get caught up in rumor mill, the “Yeah, whatever it was he said” misperceptions that always seem to be more appealing than the facts.
I have been with Area Transportation for over 15 years, I have been in the transportation industry for 30 years. I have been directly involved with start-up operations that have started with negative perceptions that ultimately became very successful once those perceptions were overcome. We are not in a perfect world and fairness is a goal that everyone at Area Transportation strives for. Life is not fair. No matter how the rules are written, or how they are applied, there will always be someone who feels slighted. When anonymous individuals or groups make accusations about things not being fair it makes me wonder if it is because they are not willing to give up accommodations for their individual needs in the interest of “fairness”.
Article written by Mark Andersen, Area Transportation.
Posted on Mon, Jun 14, 2010 @ 01:40 PM
A strong indicator of economic rebound has been reported for the month of May, giving hope to those who may be worried that the stock market's depressing behavior is a sign of a continued recession. Strangely enough, the report comes out of the trucking industry.
The Ceridian-UCLA Pulse of Commerce Index (PCI) jumped 3.1% in May, the largest monthly increase since February 1999. The index tracks credit-card purchases of diesel fuel at truck stops across the United States. and provides a real-time indication of how much freight is moving from ports and factories to consumers. In other words, the higher the PCI, the more products Americans are making and buying.
The jump in the PCI index coordinates nicely with similar increases in manufacturing, shipments, and retail sales, all of which have been rising steadily from mid-2009 lows. The only economic factors that remain stubbornly low are employment and retail inventories. However, even that can be a good sign for the economy, as it may signal that manufacturers and retailers are saving before adding employees and inventory to their overhead.
"The stock market is still dealing with the fear effects of 2008 -- investors are worried it will happen again," says Edward Leamer of UCLA. "This is actual transactions. This is truckers buying fuel."
The PCI is a traditionally jumpy index, falling 0.3% in April after strong increases in December, January and February. The year-over-year growth rate, annualized, was 44%. The strongest increases in fuel sales came in the Midwest, where companies like ADS Logistics have been running hauls across the country, resulting in a 6.1% increase in fuel purchases. Perhaps the most encouraging number however, is the year-over-year growth in the PCI, which has approached 10%, a level Leamer says is necessary to support enough economic growth to decrease unemployment.
The rising truck traffic indicates a GDP growth of 3% to 5% in the 2nd Quarter. Leamer says this by itself is not enough to make a big dent in unemployment, though many companies such as ADS Logistics are actively seeking to hire new truck drivers. Should the PCI hold steady, the U.S. economy should return to its long-term GDP growth trend of 3% by 2013.
Posted on Tue, Jun 01, 2010 @ 11:36 AM
As promised, Independent Contractors with ADS Logistics are now eligible to enroll in the new ComData Fuel Card Program. So far the new system has been a big hit with company drivers and we are confident that the results with the Independent Contractor Truckers will be the same. The program is open to all Independent Contractors working with ADS Logistics, either in our Area Transportation or Western Intermodal division.
Independent Contractors who would like to participate can register for the program by going to any Area Transportation terminal and signing the lease addendum. Truckers who register at the ADS Logistics headquarters in Chesterton Indiana will receive their ComData cards on site. For all other Truckers who register at the other terminals, the ComData card will be mailed to them.
Details of the ComData Fuel Card Program
- The ComData card is valid at any Pilot Truck Stop, as well as ADS Headquarters
- The ComData card is intended to be used only for fuel and oil purchases.
- All purchases on the ComData card will be deducted from the next settlement
- ComData card limits will be established on an individual basis
- IC Truckers who are off for more than 2 days will have their card suspended until they return to work
PLEASE NOTE: This Fuel Program involves using a new ComData card. The ComData card that is issued to Independent Contractors when they first lease on is for Direct Deposit only, and will not work with this Program.
Our hope is that the ComData Fuel Card Program saves our drivers time and money. We encourage all Independent Contractors to take advantage of this great program.
Posted by Mark Andersen: On-Site Manager- ADS Logistics
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Posted on Thu, May 13, 2010 @ 11:24 AM
Health care reform isn’t a new idea; it’s been a hot media topic for several years. I remember first hearing about this back in early 1990’s under President Clinton’s administration. President Obama campaigned hard on this issue during his bid for the White House and on March 23, 2010 signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law.
As you can imagine a law such as this is complicated and there are many moving parts to its administration. There are even challenges in the courts, as many states claim the law is unconstitutional and places an unfair burden on state government. There are different effective dates for provisions in the law, with many not taking place until 2014.
Here are a few provisions that will ultimately impact ADS Logistics:
- Automatic enrollment in medical plan, with “opt out” option
- Removal of lifetime benefit maximums while covered on the plan
- Dependent children will be eligible for coverage up to the age of 26
- Denial of claims based on pre-existing limitations will be eliminated
- The tax penalty for employees using money in an HSA for a non qualified medical expense will rise to 20% in 2011
- There will be fewer restrictions on discounts allowed for wellness participation
Again the law is new, complicated, and still open for change as court challenges are heard and provisions implemented on a lagged time schedules. ADS will continue to update our plan as needed and ensure we are in full compliance with the law.
For the full text of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act along with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act visit: http://dpc.senate.gov
Written by Annmarie Plant: Human Resources- ADS Logistics
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Posted on Mon, May 03, 2010 @ 03:24 PM
This much is certain: CSA 2010 is happening and it does have the potential to be a game changer for our industry. That said, should implementation so impact the industry as to affect the economy, (severe capacity issues) the DOT would certainly be pressured to adjust the program. It is suspected that some of these concerns just may be behind the delays recently announced.
CSA 2010 factors all violations on roadside inspections, unlike SafeStat, which only looked at out-of-service violations. This is a major change because a small percentage of inspections result in out-of-service violations and therefore a small percentage of our violations (approximately 10%) are out-of-service violations. A ten-fold increase in the number of violations being factored (into CSA 2010 scores) is a game changer.
That said, carriers’ violations will be “normalized” by the number of drivers or trucks (not miles) they operate. This is an important distinction for Area Transportation because we do not run over the road and thus our miles are less than many other carriers our size.
Finally, carriers are grouped by size and scored against their peers. Area falls into the 51 – 500 truck group. At 286 trucks as reported on our last biennial update we fall squarely in the middle of our group and will be scored against substantially larger carriers. This should also work to our advantage.
CSA 2010 is a major shift for the DOT, long perceived as a “paper tiger”. With the exception of the ISS system which uses inspection data to rate carriers (Pass, Optional, Inspect) at scales, the DOT historically reviewed paperwork (logs, maintenance records, etc.) during Compliance Reviews. SafeStat scores had to be deficient (> 75) in 3 categories in order to even make it onto a list for a Compliance Review. CSA 2010 will use more of the available on-the-road performance data to identify carriers with unsafe behaviors resulting in quicker interventions.
Carriers who breach those (as yet unidentified) thresholds will first receive warning letters identifying the problem areas. If the carriers’ performance doesn’t improve it could be flagged for targeted inspections or an on-site targeted investigation focused on the specific area of deficiency.
CSA 2010 has the potential to be a game changer and we must tighten up all facets of our operations; compliance, maintenance, and dispatch, if we want to remain a premier carrier. Better controls on Independent Contractor operations will challenge us as well as all other carriers.
Posted by Kevin Mullen: Director- Safety
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Posted on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 @ 08:46 AM
ADS Logistics is looking for a career-minded, growth-oriented individual to make a real impact on our daily operations. We offer significant opportunities for growth and career advancement. The work environment is fast-paced, furious, and high-energy.
Responsibilities include: dispatch company equipment and independent contractors, solicit freight from customers, input dispatch information into computer system, interact with all departments to ensure driver and terminal compliance with all state and federal regulations. In addition, the right candidate must actively participate in driver recruitment efforts for our growing operation.
Qualifications:
- Ability to meet aggressive deadlines and juggle multiple priorities.
- Maintains painstaking attention to detail, completing multiple or repetitive tasks. Demonstrates a serious commitment to accuracy and quality while meeting goals or deadlines.
- Has daily attendance and can be trusted to handle a high level of responsibility.
- Ability to get along with others. Remains composed and behaves professionally during emotionally-charged or stressful situations.
- Thrives under pressure. Able to effectively handle escalations and time critical issues. Remains productive, provides solutions, and meets goals in stressful situations.
- Demonstrates high initiative.
- Demonstrates problem-solving abilities.
- Makes effective decisions by analyzing information and considering priorities.
- Able to deal with diverse people and situations.
- High School Diploma or equivalent experience. One year of dispatch experience including technical knowledge of trucking operations and working knowledge of DOT regulations.
- PC proficient in mainframe or Windows environments.
Benefits:
ADS Logistics recognizes people as our most valuable asset. Our competitive salary and benefits package includes 401k, dental insurance, medical insurance, life insurance, and a vision-care plan.
Please fax resume and cover letter including salary requirements to 765-807-3178.
ADS Logistics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment contingent upon successful completion of background investigation. Pre-employment drug screening required. Smoke-free workplace.
Posted on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 @ 09:03 AM
To all ADS Logistics Drivers,
First and most importantly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being a part of our company. Last year was a tough year economically, not only for our company and industry but for the United States as a whole.
This year is off to a better start. The economy may not be out of the woods, but ADS Logistics Co, LLC is doing quite well primarily due to an improving automotive/steel industry and the successful restructuring of our company in October of 2009.
We also know how vitally important safe and productive drivers are to the success of our company and we want to thank you for your efforts thus far this year.
To show our appreciation we will be enclosing a check that represents a modest advance on the expected 2010 bonuses to all our company drivers.
We are excited about our future and plans are being made for even more improvements across ADS Logistics Co, LLC. One of those improvements is our enhanced Company Driver Bonus Program, details will be forthcoming in the next couple weeks.
Once again I would like to thank you for your efforts and we are looking forward to a great year in 2010.
Have a safe and productive year,
Bill Ritter
President, ADS Logistics Co, LLC
Posted on Tue, Mar 30, 2010 @ 11:38 AM
Great News! We have finally made a breakthrough working with our two main database systems, ComData and Innovative, to bring all our flatbed truck drivers, (both Company and Independent Contractors) ComData fuel cards. We will be converting from driver assignment to the unit assignment in order to accomplish this task.
Effective April 12, 2010, Company truck drivers will need to enter a PIN number in place of their Employee ID when they get fuel. The PIN numbers have already been established with ComData. The last four (4) numbers of their Driver's License are their PIN. We will be sending out more information to our Company truck drivers of this upcoming change. Once the PIN number change is implemented, we will begin converting the fuel cards from the driver assignment to the unit assignment. New cards have been received in the Chesterton office and will be issued to Company drivers in the very near future.
Once the PIN change is implemented we will test the process with the Independent Contractor Cards to ensure a smooth operation. We anticipate May 3, 2010 as a start date for our Independent Contractors to be able to sign up for a ComData card and begin using them to reap the benefit of a discount on their fuel purchases.
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Posted on Thu, Mar 25, 2010 @ 03:01 PM
Are you a Customer Service person? You may not think so at first but if you interact with your company's customers or potential customers, then yes you are. Your job may not be in the front office, meeting and greeting customers or fielding phone calls all day; but it is just as important that your actions make good first impressions as those who are. Are you a salesperson who makes sales visits or a driver who enters a company's premises? If so, read on…
Remember the phrase, "you never have a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression?" Unfortunately, that is so very true. It has been stated that a customer will develop a 1st impression within the first 7 seconds and make a judgment in several different ways. Areas in which an employee or company can leave a positive 1st impression are:
- Cleanliness: Is your work area, facility, or equipment clean?
- Knowledge: Do folks meeting/talking with customers understand the company and realize the importance in what they say and do?
- Professionalism: Are you following through with what has been committed to, and educating drivers about these commitments?
- Friendliness: How is your tone and/or greeting? What does your body language say?
Making that good first impression is huge in gaining and/or retaining customers. So, put on your happy face, dress and act the part, and show them you know your stuff!
Posted by Rose Cyphert, Manager – Billing & Collections, ADS Logistics Co, LLC
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Posted on Mon, Mar 22, 2010 @ 10:08 AM
In a continued effort to promote and encourage wellness, ADS Logistics Co, LLC is offering again this year, FREE health screenings for all employees.
Free Health Screenings will be conducted by Interactive Health Solutions (IHS) and are available through the month of March. All employees are encouraged to participate as the entire cost of the health screening will be paid by the company.
This comprehensive evaluation includes a blood screening to detect:
The evaluation also includes a blood pressure check and health assessment for risks such as heart attack, stroke, mental health problems, and sleep disorders.
Those who participate in the health screening have the opportunity to enroll in Health Focus classes. These confidential, telephonic, classes are held by a Masters-degreed health professional and are designed to assist you in making lasting healthy life style changes in such topics as weight management, better nutrition, and smoke cessation.
Free Health screenings will be conducted at the Chesterton facility, the driver meetings, and are also available through a “TEST ON DEMAND” option. Test on Demand allows an individual to participate in the health evaluation at an authorized lab near home or work location. Screenings must be completed by March 31st.
If this is the first year for your health screen you will be eligible for the employee incentive (a discount on the employee portion of the medical premium) by participating in the screening. If you participated in the past, you received a target from IHS and any incentive will be determined based upon achieving your target.
Annual preventive health screenings can help to identify possible health risks in their earlier, less serious stage when they are more treatable – or curable. Your good health is your most important asset! Be proactive and take charge of your health today and participate in this great benefit.
Article submitted by Annmarie Plant.