FirstFleet TenFour

Welcome to first fleet ten four.

Hello, and welcome to the first fleet ten four podcast. My name is Elizabeth Winham and I will be one of your hosts today, along with I am Rebecca Wilson, and I'm excited to be here today. Awesome. I, this is gonna be great. I'm so excited. We have three. Awesome mil multimillion mile drivers here. And I cannot wait to dig in and ask them some questions.

And I even have a secret question that I haven't told anybody. Oh, that's good. That's good. We're gonna see, we're gonna surprise it on 'em at the end. So, okay. First up why don't we let them introduce themselves and we can kind of hear from them. And so why don't you all go around and introduce yourselves and tell me your name and where you're from.

Charles Smith, Cleveland, Tennessee. Dale Moore, Cleveland, Tennessee, Roy Jones, Cleveland, Tennessee. Awesome. Well, it's great to great to have you on here. And now I think Rebecca has some first questions to kick us off. So of course you guys are right down the road from us. In, in one of our terminals, that's been here the longest at first fleet and in Cleveland, Tennessee, we have some of the most tenured drivers in our company.

And recently we were at one of the million mile award ceremonies. And we say that we give out a 1 million, a 2 million, a 3 million, 4 million mile driver award. There also is a 500,000 mile safe driving award, but all of these milestones are, we are just, I tell you what, when I look at this class of name tags on the wall, our million mile focus wall here in Murphysboro, it makes me so proud that this group of drivers has put safety first.

And the three of you, we appreciate you calling in today. I know when I go to a million mile award presentation, the same great safety tips are given out by drivers. And there's, there's no wonder why you three are in this club of safe drivers. So, you know, Charles, maybe tell us a little bit about yourself.

It looks like you've been here 22 years at first fleet and you've driven 2 million safe miles. Wow. Tell us a little about yourself and the kinds of runs you go. I go on medium to long trips 500 mile intervals or little over a thousand mile down the Florida up to Kentucky and Nashville. So you see the, the traffic that we have in this area.

those are some not so good traffic areas there oh, no. Especially Florida. . What, what are your best tips for how you navigate I 75? Because it's, it's not a fun road patience basically getting proper rest the night before and having a great attitude when you do get out there. And then patience, once you do get on the road don't be in a hurry don't crowd people.

You see a lot of, especially big trucks trying to crowd people and push 'em down the road, attention to detail while you're driving, instead of distracted driving. Do you see a lot of people out there texting? Try to stay away from them? I mean, some of them look worse than a drunk going down the road.

Yeah. That's for sure. We have noticed that too. Do you have any tips on how to keep, you said just being the right kind of frame of mind, just to keep yourself. Patient and just stay, stay. Cool. Essentially. Do you have any, any tips on how to do that when you're driving? Like, do you listen to certain music or just, you know, have a saying that you repeat yourself?

Like what, what do you do? First off, leave your personal problems at home. I know that's easier or said than done, but try to leave that stuff at home, come to work with the right mindset of what you're gonna do and getting ready to do and think about how dangerous it can be. You know, you'll see some people doing some dumb stuff.

I try to listen. Like when I go to through Atlanta, I listen to their local radio station that gives me six minute. Reports, a lot of people won't listen to AMFM radios no more. They won't listen to their. Satellite stuff or their phones stuff that ain't got on their phones. I'll I teach everybody even turn on the local AMFM radio, get your traffic reports from them.

I know everybody else is distracted watching their GPS. That's a good tip, Charles, as far as the local radio stations and, and I'm sure the other million mile crew out there, there are trainers as well in most situations. So that's a good tip for our new drivers. Yeah, that's great. Cuz I, I will turn on that am station in Atlanta if I see the big billboard, but you're right.

I should just turn that on automatically when I enter Atlanta because goodness knows. There can be some crazy things I teach about 25 miles out. 95.5 and Nashville. Yeah. and Nashville. Nashville is 98 point. There you go. Okay. That's good. That's that's great. So you just have this list in your head of all of the traffic radio stations that you pass through, and then you're always aware of what's going on.

Yeah. Presets. Troy tell us a little bit about the types of run that you typically haul if they stay the same and little bit about your tips for drivers. I typically take the ones that everybody can't stand . I like driving to West Virginia in the wintertime and the snow and Savannah when it's hot.

So it's choice runs for me. When I was first started now I've got seniority. I could pretty much get what I want, but I like taking those runs it. It's kind of relaxing to me. I like a little bit of adventure. Well, and I failed to mention, it looks like you've been here 22 years as well. So you've got several miles under your belt with a 2 million miles safe driver award.

From 22 and a half here and short stint, another company and retired army. All right. Well thank you for your service. Yeah. Tell us some tips that you may have. You know, I've, I've written down, leave plenty of space, allow for an escape route. Is there something you could add to that that are helpful tips?

First thing is pre-trip maintenance. If you're gonna get in any vehicle, you need to make sure it's gonna get you back. Proper attitude out there driving. And just remember, it's a job. You got something to come home to. I appreciate that. I tell you what I mean, it's, that is more important than anything, you know, we're we don't realize because we're not driving on the roads the way that you all are, but it, you know, the main objective is to arrive back home safely.

That's awesome. 10, four. do you have an easier time of it in the evening, or since you do a lot of night driving, do you feel that, do you prefer that just for traffic wise or night driving? I like there's less people on the road. It's easier to get in and out of the deliveries. Not, there's not a whole lot of problems.

The only problem we have is road construction at night when they're always working on the roads. Oh, that's a good point. Have to be careful around those areas. Sure. But we don't have to worry about the schools or anything else during the day. And we can usually get the run done quicker at. That makes sense to me.

Do you have do you have any like best practices when going through a construction zone? I know that speeding in a construction zone will get you some major points on your license and CSA points. And I don't know all the stuff, but it's a, it's a. It's a steep penalty. So do you have any best practices?

Usually it's 45 and most of them, I usually slow down about 35 40 try to stay away from the workers, get over in the farthest lane possible. Sometimes it's kind of impossible because they put the road cones in your lane. So you're kind of either that or the grass. So I've maintain the best speed you can.

Okay. Yeah. I, I have noticed them doing that more and more lately. It's been ch a challenge. It is, especially when you're driving an 11, 11 foot wide vehicle. Yeah. yeah. Yeah, I can only imagine that. Whew, thank you, Troy. We also have on the call, Dale Moore got down your handles big hammer. Is that right?

Yes, ma'am all right. Somebody sent that in to me. Dale is a 31 year employee. And are you about to go to 32 years? Yes. The 20th of this month will be 32 years. Wow. I tell you what, that's just, that's just unheard of man. Over 3 million miles. 32 years. Goodness. Yes, you've been . I mean, how long has first fleet been a company?

So 37 years. Is that right? Dale? Yes. Well, since 86. So yeah, be, yeah. So you've been here, you've seen it all. . Hm. So I know Dale right now, you still take a run maybe multiple runs, but you help out in our safety office. So you've got both sides of it. I've been helping in safety for the last 21 years.

Yes. Wow. So what do you tell the new hires over and over again about safety and how you stay safe on the road and how you've made it to 3 million safe. Well, the main thing, you know, is, is the job here itself. It's a good job and good people to work for. You know, as far as on the road is just having patience, you know, and being court, you know, and just taking your time, you know we're provided with good equipment, you know, I'm thankful for that.

And that's one of the reasons that I've achieved what I've achieved here, because you know, I've always had good equipment to drive, you know? Sure. You're, you're not expecting it to break on you at any time. Well, I mean, stuff happens, you know, but no, no, I, you know, I've been fortunate in my 32 years. I've I've not had a, a major breakdown, you know, that's, you know, I've had to be told or something like it.

Oh, wow. You know, as the other said, you're doing a good, good pre-trip and stuff. I mean, you know, some stuff you can't can't afford it, you know, in electronics, but other than. You know, doing good pre trips, post trips, you know, taking care of your equipment. I think at first fleet, we take pride in offering good equipment.

Of course, during the last couple years we were up against situation of supply chain. Parts were not available and that type of thing, but for someone like you, that's been here for 30, almost 32 years. You've seen that. When first fleet can, we're gonna make sure you have good equipment and that it's, you know, as far as you do the pre-trip side of it, we're gonna make sure that we do what we can to make sure it's in working order for your run.

And I know that Cleveland also has a shop. So are there a lot of instances where you catch like a, a flat on a trailer or whatever, or air leaks and, and is it hand, you know, I'm sure it's handy having that Cleveland shop right there. Yes, ma'am, it's, it's very handy, you know? I mean, you can, if you, if you find something wrong with your truck or trailer, you know, you can get it fixed before you hit the road and, you know, save you a lot of downtime sitting out there, waiting on someone to come and fix it.

Sure. What, what were the, what are the things that. You see the most that get missed on a pre-trip inspection? It's either with, you know, dealing with a lights or a flat. Okay. Yeah. You know you know, a, a low tire, you know, if they don't have a self arm system on it, you know, if you don't get it ironed up, it's going to run and get hot, you know, with low air pressure in it, it could cause it to explode or just, you know, finish clicking on down flat.

Whew. Explode that doesn't sound very safe on our roads. Well, no, well, it's, you know, the recaps we run on the trailers, you know, they get hot and they'll come apart. Oh, that's okay. That's what does that, okay. I was always wondering I'm a tire newbie. baby Gators all over the road. Yeah,

we see those for sure. Yes. Oh man. My sister had one. Fly up and, and, and smash her sunroof yeah. To pieces. So she learned not to ride with her sunroof open on interstate . so are all three of you all in, in some capacity working with training a new driver, or have you over the years worked with training drivers?

Yes. Okay. I mean, myself and Charles. Okay. And Troy has too. Yes. Okay. So, you know, you've got that group coming in and sometimes they're not as experienced on the road, you know, I guess, what are you seeing that the schools need to be teaching, you know, or what are, what are you seeing at that newer generation needs to know a lot of it, you know, the people coming outta the schools is, you know, Schools does not show 'em how to hook a trailer up.

They come here and, you know, you ask them to hook to a trailer and they'll state, well, I've never done that before. You know, really most of their trucks is already yes, ma'am most of their trucks is already hooked up in the school. All they do is, you know, the pre-trip on them and get in them and drive them.

This is Charles. There is a difference. There are people going out there that are going to school, they're just being trained to get their CDL. And that's it. They're not, they're not going to be trained as a truck driver. They're going to be, get their CDLs. And then we have to find that out when they get hired here, or you just a CDL train driver, or you've been to a six week truck driving school, and there is a difference.

I, I, most of them. Have just came. They just got their CDLs and they're brand new. They've never even other than driving what they drove in that CDL class. That's it. A lot of the guys that are coming in they're training for long haul mm-hmm cross country. We are a oversized delivery driver. What we do is nothing like you see these big trucks going over the road.

Oh, we point we've gotta sit there and weave and wander behind the stores. Places that even police officers don't even want to go dangerous dark it's, it's kind of rough in some of these neighborhoods we go through. Sure. So, and we do a lot of, like I said, it's, it's a 53 foot delivery van as what we have.

Gotcha. So we're not just point a to point B. We have to sit there and work it into the dock and some pretty good little places. We could show you some good pictures. Well, and I think those are good points to make especially with Dale being in part of our safety program, our training program, I think our training program needs to continue to evolve.

To deal with the different levels of driver's experience that are coming in, because that seems to be the trend of the type of driver that's coming to first fleet. And you know what I, I think we all have there's a point where we come in where we step on the Merry go round, I guess. Yeah. I would say at first fleet and, you know, first fleet can come up with a more detailed training program to make that driver the type of safe first fleet delivery driver that we need.

Dale. Have you seen some changes in how you all do your training? When a different type of driver comes on board? Yes. Yeah. Yes we are. You know, and you know, the training program that they have here at Cleveland is I think is, is real good. You know, we, we take pride in what we try to teach. 'em, you know, a lot of the drivers as Charles stated, you know, they're, they're just going to school, the schools around here, they're just teaching 'em to get their license.

They're not, they don't have much road experience, just enough road experience to get their licenses, all their all they're training them. So we're a. You know, when we're pretty confident when we turn. A trainee loose here after you've been with a trainer for 90 days, you know, right. That they'll be able to handle the job.

And even when the Whitney experienced drivers coming in, you know, as Troy stated, some of them guys it's just used running, you know, from warehouse to warehouse one stop stuff, and then they come here, you know, They're not used to the multiple stops, you know? Yeah. They gotta work a lot harder. Yeah. Well, it ain't actually work well.

Yeah. I mean, there's a little bit more physical work to it, but there's just not used to, you know, you go to a warehouse you're backing straight in. You go to lot of room most of the time and at a store, Troy state is here. You know, we go to a store. We don't have that kind of room all the time, you know, in San Francisco.

So, you know, when we feel like when we turn one of our trainees loose for 90 days, that that they're capable of doing the job, that first fleet wants them to do, you know, and we try to make sure that yeah, y'all got, y'all got a good training program over there in Cleveland three months. That's that's wonderful.

I have a random question for you for your, all of you safety geniuses over. So I had an instance happen to me in a car in a first fleet truck. I was borrowing and had a a very, very large spider on the dashboard. just pop out and say, hi very large. What would you say in, in. Since like that when you're panicking and there's a very large spider kind of coming towards you on the dash, what, in, in, in, in a crazy instance, what is your normal how, how would you safely like, keep your cool, keep your cool.

And what would you do? You know, do you like throw things at it? Do you just don't do anything crazy? Pull over smash it . Yeah, my first thing, I would just take my hat off and give it water. Ah, I should have had a hat. Okay. I pulled a safe spot. I pulled over. I jumped out and then I went to war on the spider.

We , it took a minute. It was, my daughter wouldn't have pulled over. She would've got out rolling. I had that thought if it, if it had been my car, I would have . I

was just, I was just curious to see if I had done anything that I should have done anything different, so. All right. pat, all books were great. Okay. Oh, that's good. Had some logbooks. All right, next time. Next time I'll be ready. so I hope that you three are listening to our podcast. I feel like some of these, you know, driver stories will get other drivers interested in the podcast.

I feel like these tips of stay out of packs. Keep a safe following distance and allow yourself an escape route leave. Plenty of space, patience speed. You know, we appreciate our good equipment here at first fleet. Make sure all drivers are doing a good pre-trip and it it's just a matter of all of these safety tips.

I seem to hear these over and over from our million mile club, if you will, those that have achieved this high award. So, you know, I, I just really appreciate you all calling in and sharing these tips with us today. I hope you'll call back. I hope you'll listen to our podcast. Is there anything else you wanna leave us with before we close out for today?

well, myself, Rebecca and Ms. Wendel, you know, with my 32 years at first fleet, I can honestly say I have never got up and dreaded coming to work, you know? Wow. And I mean, that's, that's a big thing for me. I've driven a truck for 42 years with 32 of its spent almost right here and the 20th of this month.

And it's a job where I've never regretted coming to work because of the people that I work with. You know, in a company that first fleet is well, Mr. Dell, I tell you what you know of that new driver, trying to find a, a, a new home, a new company to work for. If, if I were to hear that, I would have to take a look at first fleet and say, you know, what are they doing different?

Because I, I, I have to agree with you. They say that you never work a day in your life if you love your job. And, and that's the way I feel as well. So. I hope we get to share many more years at first fleet. It's a great place. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Awesome. Well, thank you all so much for your time. I really appreciate you all calling in and to everyone who's listening, we hope you get some of these great tips.

I know I'll be definitely tuning in to 95 5 when I'm in Atlanta next to listen to the traffic report for sure. So, thank you all so much for your time, your wisdom. And we hope that all of our first fleet drivers out there are just taking their time being patient. And thank you all so much again, and we hope you have a very great day and as always drive safe.

Thank you.