February Driver of the Month: Dakota

Congratulations on our newest Driver of the Month, Dakota! Dakota has been with Melton for over 7 years, having previously served in the Georgia Army National Guard. The reason he has stayed with Melton is because of the support and resources we provide to allow drivers to be successful. His best tip for other drivers is to keep a close eye on your clock, and devise a system to enable maximum efficiency for your workload. Dakota’s favorite tool for drivers is safetravelusa.com, which provides weather data and insight on road conditions.

We asked Dakota’s DM, Robert, for a quote: “He’s an excellent driver and an amazing resource for me as a new DM. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award.” Congratulations, Dakota!

February Rookie of the Month: Mike

Let’s congratulate this month’s Rookie of the Month, Mike! Mike has been with Melton since last August and has been driving for about a year altogether. Before he was a trucker, Mike worked in warehousing and the service industry. What sets Melton apart for Mike is the laid-back atmosphere, as well as the flatbed opportunities. When he’s not driving, Mike likes to workout, watch sports, and talk to his family. His best tip for new drivers is to stay patient and keep an open mind. Mike would also like to give a shout-out to his DM, Cooper.

Cooper also wanted to shout out Mike in return: “Mike is awesome. Always in great spirits, runs hard, communicates well, and is easily coachable.” Keep up the great work, Mike!

A Message from Our Wellness Manager

One in twenty people in the U.S. are diagnosed with colon cancer in their lifetime. That’s 5%, and in medicine, 5% is a big deal! The good news is colon cancer is largely a preventable disease – when patients begin routine screening colonoscopy at age 45. Some physicians may recommend screening at even an earlier age depending on risk & other health concerns.

The results of your colonoscopy will determine the next time you’re screened. If no pre-cancerous polyps or malignant polyps are found, the next colonoscopy should be scheduled in 7 to 10 years, unless you have a family history of colon cancer or polyps. In this situation, a follow-up colonoscopy is recommended in five years.

If pre-cancerous polyps are found, a follow-up colonoscopy is recommended in three to five years, depending upon the size, number, and microscopic appearance of the polyps. Occasionally, a one-year follow-up is recommended.

What Causes Colon Cancer?

Like all types of cancer, colon cancer happens when cells grow and divide uncontrollably. All cells in your body are constantly growing, dividing, and dying. That’s how your body remains healthy and working as it should. In colon cancer, cells lining your colon and rectum keep growing and dividing even when they’re supposed to die. These cancerous cells may come from polyps in your colon.

There are thought to be multiple causes for colon cancer. Diet and genetics play a role. To reduce the risk of colon cancer, limiting the consumption of red meat and alcohol is recommended. Eating fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Low-dose aspirin has also been shown to be useful in some patients, though this is not generally recommended due to the long-term side effects of aspirin use.

If you are 45+ and haven’t discussed colon screening with your physician – please do!  The procedure is simple, with 1 day of prep the day prior to your screening. The day of your screening you will be fully sedated, so you’ll need a ride home after the procedure, but let me repeat…you will be ASLEEP during the procedure.

Stay Healthy Melton!

Bret Bringham
Wellness Manager

A Message from Our safety department

In the trucking industry, drivers face a variety of regulations and challenges that impact their daily operations. Two terms often used but not always fully understood are Personal Conveyance and Yard Move. Both of these play a crucial role in a driver’s flexibility and compliance with FMCSA rules, so it’s essential to understand when it is appropriate to use them.

What is Personal Conveyance?

Personal Conveyance (PC) refers to the time a driver uses their truck for personal purposes when they are off duty. The three main uses of PC are to get to and from personal errands, to find nearest parking if a safety official asks you to move, or to find nearest parking after leaving the customer if they do not provide overnight parking and you are out of hours.

The key to Personal Conveyance is that it should not be used to extend driving hours or to get closer to a customer. Additionally, drivers should not use PC after exhausting their Hours of Service to find parking and avoid a violation. If you are not leaving the customer, then we must find parking within our Hours of Service; however, if you find yourself in a situation where you are going to go over your Hours of Service, stay on the drive line to find parking, annotate the cause of the violation on your logs, and notify Safety. Do not switch to PC to continue your trip and avoid a violation.

What is Yard Move?

Yard Move refers to time spent operating the truck within a customer’s yard, typically whenever a driver is repositioning the truck for loading or unloading. During Yard Move, the driver is still working, but since this time is within a confined area, it does not count toward their driving hours.

It’s important to note that Yard Move should only be used when the truck is truly within the confines of a customer’s property. Yard Move should not be used if a truck were being moved on a public road or highway. Like PC, Yard Move should not be used to get to your parking or to the customer to avoid a violation. Again, we must stay within our Hours of Service, but if you run into a situation where you are out of time, stay on the drive line to find parking, annotate the cause of the violation, and notify Safety. Do not switch to Yard Move to continue your trip and avoid a violation.

While Personal Conveyance and Yard Move may seem like small aspects of trucking operations, understanding their definitions and correct usage can help trucking companies avoid serious violations and penalties. If you have any questions on when to use PC or Yard Move, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Safety team at 800-656-2167. Stay safe!

April Anniversaries

2            Wesley Boatwright

1            Alexander Hallmark

1            Amon Hogue

1            Andrew Davis

1            Anthoney Douglas

1            Antwone Watson

1            Brendan Stevenson

1            Brennen Sutter

1            Brian Wilkes

1            Christopher Rodgers

1            Daryl Green

1            David Green

1            Deshown Moye

1            Douglas Hansen

1            Dwayne Bailey

1            Eric Butterworth

1            Grover Wright

1            Jaclyn Woods

1            Jamontae Williams

1            Jomar Morales

1            Jonathan Benitez

1            Jonathan Mcpeak

1            Jordan Clark

1            Joseph Caskey

1            Macey Branch

1            Madeline Mcculley

1            Matthew Amos

1            Sergio Calderon

1            Ty Norton

1            Tyrone Cotman

1            Vernon Tsang

1            Zachary Graham

February Top Fleets

Each month, we have our best fleets in MPG and fuel compliance. Below you will see the top three fleets in each category. Congratulations to each fleet. Keep up the great work.

6.90 MPG

Overall Fleet Average MPG

1. Stephen D. – Fleet 10 with an average of 6.99
2. Rory B. – Fleet 25 with an average of 6.98
3. Chad M. – Fleet 8 with an average of 6.974

69.61%

Fleet Avg. Expert Fuel

1. Katrina C. – Fleet 19 76.60%
2. Tony S. – Fleet 18 76.02%
3. Wendy R. – Fleet 11 74.11%

Monthly Celebration

Each month, we gather in our Tulsa headquarters atrium to have our monthly celebration to celebrate anniversaries, new hires, promotions, and birthdays. Thank you for everyone who attended in person or online!

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March Hires

Dalton Parks

Account Manager – Melton Logistics

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