A man sits alone in an empty office. No desks and no chairs, they are all gone. The only place to sit is a folding lawn chair he brought with him. His memories take him back to when phones were ringing, people moving about happily conducting the day-to-day business of his trucking company, years of long hours, years of calling on new customers and winning their confidence, years of making payrolls that supported families, and years of personal satisfaction of watching his company grow. He put fifteen years of his life into this business and thought he was doing it right. He wonders where did it go? How did it come to this?
Out of the emptiness, as if his question was being answered, he remembered the voices of his customers saying, “We are sorry, but we think you are too high risk to continue to use you.” High risk? What do they mean by high risk? Then he remembered another voice, that of the safety manager he fired because he didn’t like what he said about the company’s safety issues. He smiled and thought “Nobody is going to tell me how to run my business, we have always done it this way and we will not change.”
More voices came out of the past, insurance companies telling him his rates were going up because of the accidents his drivers were having and the effect of the numerous citations that his drivers continued to receive. He thought to himself “We had to violate laws and regulations to make money, besides we always did it this way.”
He remembers watching his safety ratings getting worse and worse over the years, the audits that he had to endure from the government and their suggestions to help him, but he thought “We always did it this way and that is the only way to make money.” The final voice was that of the safety consultant his insurance company sent to him, although too late, and his words seared into his memory of what he missed. Numbers have meaning both to the customer and those charged with enforcing compliance. Not taking your safety ratings seriously has consequences. Not acting to correct such things as too many citations or accidents from drivers have consequences. Not assessing whether there is a healthy safety culture operating within the company has consequences. Not taking the advice of those who have the experience to help you does have consequences. Lastly, sticking to the idea that “we have always done it this way and will not change” has consequences.
Are you this person? Are you heading down the same path? Maybe it is time to reflect on how you could change how you think of safety. How safety could help enhance and build your business. Look at successful trucking companies that weather bad times and you will see a sustainable safety management system that works. If you want to continue down the path of “doing it the way we have always done it” then maybe you might want to invest in a lawn chair for yourself.
If you don’t believe this could happen to your company read the following article courtesy of FreightWaves.com – “Illinois Trucking Company with 171 Drivers Files for Bankruptcy.
Author: Mark Crocker CSP. Founder, C&G Safety Associates LLC.
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About Mark Crocker and C&G Safety Associates: Member of the Commerce Law Partners’ Consulting Team.
As the President and Chief Executive Officer of C&G Safety Associates, Mark Crocker has over 30 years of expertise in operations management, safety, and training across diverse sectors. He is an industry leader dedicated to enhancing safety programs, fostering cooperation, and navigating OSHA and Federal DOT regulations seamlessly.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-crocker-csp-ab62b573/
About the Commerce Law Partners Consulting Team
Commerce Law Partners has assembled a top-tier consulting team of skilled attorneys, legal researchers, jury consultants, DOT safety management and compliance experts, regulatory advisors, Supply Chain and Logistics Experts, educational and training professionals, and proficient Risk Management consultants. Our collaborative approach ensures a comprehensive and best-in-class strategy for your legal needs in the complex landscape of trucking and logistics. Trust us to navigate the intricacies of federal litigation, providing expert guidance and tailored solutions to safeguard your interests. Read the Commerce Law Partners’ story.
