Posted on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 @ 03:00 PM
What's the most dangerous part on a motorcycle? The nut that connects the seat to the handlebar.
Even though I am one of “those nuts", I think that joke is funny! Having fun when you are out on your motorcycle, enjoying the ride, reveling in the moment, finding awesome back roads that you would never have found if you were in a car or truck, are only some of the good things about being on the road.
I wasn’t always the ‘driver’. In fact, riding behind my husband on our Wing was what I thought to be… “the best place in the world”. However, during one of our many (over 1000 mile) road trips, something took place that made me realize that I should try to learn to drive a motorcycle so I could take over driving if I ever needed to. Therefore, after a year of talking myself into it, I signed up for an ABATE class…. Me, who was afraid to drive a motorcycle and never had in the past. Still to this day, it is hard for me to believe that these ABATE instructors can teach folks like me how to operate these machines. Yes, I passed, received my motorcycle endorsement, and bought my bike in all of 2 months. I asked my ABATE instructor “what makes you want to give these classes every Saturday?” and his comment was “If someone like you is going to be on the road with me, then I want to make sure you know what you’re doing”. With that said, I have been on the road many times, oh, and off the road once… that is a whole other story. End result was that I was not hurt very badly, but that was due to the fact that I was wearing the necessary apparel, boots, and helmet as safety measures.
Most folks that ride motorcycles are very mindful of their surroundings when on the road. Additionally, drivers of cars and trucks should be watchful when driving around motorcycles. Below I have listed 10 tips that I found while reading an article written by the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) that lists “things that drivers of cars and trucks should know about motorcycles”:
1. There are more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and some drivers don’t recognize a motorcycle; they ignore it (usually unintentionally). Look for motorcycles, especially when checking traffic at intersections.
2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or in/out of a driveway, predict that a motorcycle is closer than it looks.
3. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots or masked by objects or backgrounds outside a car (trees, bushes, fences, etc). Take extra time to thoroughly check the traffic, whether you are changing lanes or turning at intersections.
4. Because of its small size a motorcycle may seem to be moving faster than it really is. Don’t assume all motorcyclists are speed demons.
5. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, therefore not activating the brake light. Allow for more following distance. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.
6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self- cancelling; therefore some riders (especially beginners) may forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle’s signal is for real.
7. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a purpose, not necessarily to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them.
8. Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle’s better characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but don’t expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.
9. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can’t always stop “on a dime”.
And the very last and most important thing….
10. When a motorcycle is in motion, don’t think of it as a motorcycle; think of it as a person.
Article posted by Rose Cyphert, ADS Logistics
Posted on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 @ 11:12 AM
Roll & Hold Warehousing & Distribution has always reached out for better ways to service their customers. In fact, many of our customers have previously stated that Roll & Hold is the benchmark for the metals industry. With that in mind, let me tell you about our warehouses:
• Roll & Hold Portage, Indiana is located inside the Port of Indiana (Burns Harbor). It is close to many major steel mills and has easy access to major expressways. There is over 200,000 sq ft of inside space with an additional 5 acres of outdoor space. The warehouse has a processor’s line in-house for slitting/inspection of coils.
• Roll & Hold Indianapolis, Indiana is located just off of I-465 close to the airport. There is over 140,000 sq ft of inside space with an additional 2 acres of outdoor space.
• Roll & Hold Shreveport, Louisiana is located inside the Port of Shreveport/Bossier City. There is over 60,000 sq ft of inside space with an additional 10 acres of outdoor space.
• Roll & Hold O’Fallon, Missouri is located close to major expressways. There is over 89,000 sq ft of inside space and an additional 2 acres of outdoor space.
• Roll & Hold Pickering, Ontario is located close to major expressways. There is over 52,000 sq ft of indoor space and an additional 2 acres of outdoor space.
Roll & Hold Metals Warehousing Ammenities and Features
All of our warehouses are equipped with RF barcode scanning equipment, with complete EDI Suite and inventory tracking. Our facilities are ISO 9001:2008 certified and are temperature-controlled. We have experienced employees who have both the desire and capability to do much more than store your product. Listed below are other areas where Roll & Hold can further assist their customers:
• Just-In-Time (JIT) deliveries
• Real time visibility of customer’s inventory via our ADS Database
• Packaging/Unpackaging product to meet customer’s specifications: (paper/metal/canned export, etc.)
• Physical inventories
• EDI inventories/ hand offs
• Micing and measuring to customer tolerances
• Product transferring to meet customer’s line specifications
• Printing of barcode code tags
• Warehousing a diverse range of product; including lumber, ingots, bricks, dies, etc.
For further information and additional service capabilities, please contact Matt Brinkley, Director of Operations at mbrinkley@adslogistics.com or view our website, www.adslogistics.com. As always, we appreciate your past, current, and future business!
Posted by Rose Cyphert: Billing & Collections- ADS Logistics
Posted on Mon, May 17, 2010 @ 10:24 AM
While searching for information as to why the most recent oil spill in the Gulf hasn’t yet been contained, I found an article that says warnings on system failures in deep sea drilling operations were evident as far back as 2000. Additionally it mentions that while drilling processes had advanced, safety technology stayed stagnate.
To think that preventive measures weren’t up to date on current drilling practices; which in turn now jeopardizes our environment, waters, birds, fish and so many other things, makes me angry and got me thinking… Can you prevent an oil spill or, in our case, can you prevent an accident or damage from occurring?
Preventive measures, when taken seriously, can save lives and dollars for both the company and its employees. Although our company has many preventive measures in place, we need to make sure they are up-to-date with our current practices and that the employees performing these procedures know the seriousness of their actions. In plain words, prevention needs to be effective. Here are the 2 biggest ways to prevent an accident:
Pre-Trip Inspection and Equipment Inspection Sheets
Do you really know how important those mundane inspection sheets are? Employees who utilize these checklists should be looking at them like it was their first time. The drivers and warehouse employees who walk around trucks or equipment are the ones who will determine what does and does not work properly. Will you be able to detect the internal workings? It's doubtful, but a thorough check can certainly keep you safe, keep the truck or equipment running, save the company from having to pay for unnecessary costs, and save the operator from paying unnecessary fines.
Another meeting….ugh! But not just another meeting, these meetings take place to keep you and every other employee safe, and ensure that everyone is aware of the requirements that are placed on our company. Within these meetings, hypothetical real-time situations may be discussed as well. For instance, we might review another company that has had warehousing problem and discussion takes place as to “what could we do to prevent that situation from happening here at ADS." Whatever the timing or topic is of our Safety Meetings (and/or ongoing safety training), each one is important and should be treated as such.
Each of us, as employees of ADS Logistics, should look for ways to prevent potential danger or damage. Although we are required, through our ISO certifications, to report and document preventive measures, we can all go above and beyond this responsibility to ensure that we all go home safely to our families each night knowing that our trucks and equipment will be waiting for us tomorrow.
Posted by Rose Cyphert: Billing- ADS Logistics
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Posted on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 @ 10:42 AM
Each of us within a company like ADS Logistics is at some point is a customer or will provide a service to a customer. It is imperative to the success of the company that the internal customers all work together to reach the company's specific goals. Employees within different departments need to mesh and communicate
through processes that in turn, will all result in servicing the needs of their external customers. It is those companies that do not understand this
strategy that could easily define its own demise.
Exactly who are the internal customers? They are you and me.... All employees within a company will interact in the customer process at some point;
whether it be the sales folks who visit a customer, a driver on customer property, a customer service agent handling the
customer calls, a warehouse person loading the customer product, the accounting folks who manage the behind the scenes paperwork and financials, safety, human resources, and our forever favorite department, payroll!
How do all of these departments affect the customer? Well, let me run you through this scenario.... A customer needs us to move product from one of our Roll & Hold or Western Intermodal Warehouses to another. Of course, Area Transportation has trucks for the job. Dispatch is contacted to arranged the delivery and prior to this, I am sure there was at least one sales call. Driver's show up at our warehouse, a crane person loads the product, and the driver
moves it "safely" to the destination. That is five different departments interacting with a customer because of this one simple request.
How do the other departments relate to this scenario? Let me continue .... the driver is safely moving the product;
therefore, our safety department is involved. Our accounting group makes sure that invoices are sent to the customer, with collections and payables
being performed as necessary, and creating and maintaining all the financial records and documentation. Last but definitely not least is Human
Resources and Payroll, who communicates our benefits and needs and of course, sends us our pay checks.
Short and sweet... if this process didn't
work, there would be no load to move, no invoice to the customer, no customer money for company application, and as a result, no pay check for the
internal customers and a loss of business....... Hhhmmm, just how happy would we internal customers be if that was the result?
Posted by Rose Cyphert: Manager of Billing and Collections- ADS Logistics Co, LLC
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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