Tag: commercial truck drivers

What Truck Drivers Can Do to Improve Their Sleeping Habits

Bob Holtzman

Being a truck driver comes with a lot of perks. From being your own boss to hitting the open road and seeing the country from a unique perspective, being a trucking professional can be ideal for someone looking for a little freedom. But it’s not without its own unique issues, like having to operate a heavy machine for hours on end.

Hauling big loads of cargo across the country means that drivers are sitting behind the wheel for up to 12 hours a day, which can be physically draining and affect their attention. Trucking while tired is especially dangerous for these professionals and opens the door to potential hazards related to their safety and the safety of those around them.

Getting a good night’s sleep is a must for truckers, but may be hard to attain when sticking to a schedule. Here’s a look at the dangers of tired driving and how truckers can instill some better sleeping habits in their everyday drives.

Dangers of Driving Tired

Driving becomes a challenge for anyone when they’re tired. But for truck drivers who have to haul heavy loads across a state or the country, driving while tired becomes even more of a challenge. By being tired, the likelihood of confusion and distraction taking hold and resulting in health and safety hazards grows.

According to the National Highway Safety Administration, more than 1,600 deaths occur every year due to sleepiness at the wheel. Dangers of bad sleeping habits include veering off the road, increasing the chance of insomnia, and causing a wreck. While having truck insurance in place can help with the legal and financial part of trucking accidents, but being aware of the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, even on the road, can help limit exposure to risks.

Getting a Good Night’s Rest

Here are some healthy trucking practices to put to use during off-hours as a trucking professional:

  • Cut Down Screen Time: From streaming services like Netflix to Disney + to hopping online for a bit before bed, screens can disrupt the ability to fall asleep easier. One alternative is to limit screen time and opt to read a book before you go to bed instead. Artificial lights and blue light from screens trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime, something that leads to wanting to stay up past a healthy time.
  • Eat Smaller Meals: After a long day on the road it might be tempting to eat a heavy meal to help you sleep better. This should actually be avoided as fatty foods will take a longer time to digest, which means you may have a harder time getting comfortable in bed. Stick with vegetables and lean proteins instead.
  • Take Cat Naps at Truck Stops: If you find yourself getting a little sleepy behind the wheel, it doesn’t hurt to close your eyes for 10-15 minutes–if you can spare it–while you’re at a rest stop. This can help you rest up and cut down grogginess, and tide you over until you get to your final destination for the day.

FMCSA Establishes Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse for Commercial Drivers

Bob Holtzman

The Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) has recently announced it will be establishing the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a new database that will include information related to violations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and its controlled substances and alcohol testing program.

Currently, the Clearinghouse rule requires FMCSA-regulated employers, Medical Review Officers (MROs), Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs), consortia/third-party administrators (C/TPA), and other service agents to report to the Clearinghouse information that’s notable in violations of the drug and alcohol regulations. These are specific to regulations in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, parts 40 and 382 by prospective employees as well as current employees.

What’s Required and What’s Expected

The main issue with the Clearinghouse is that it’s trying to help trucking companies be prevented from hiring employees who have been prohibited in the past or are currently prohibited from operating a commercial vehicle based on DOT drug and alcohol program violations. If trucking companies violate these terms and regulations it can spell trouble for them legally and in business.

That’s why having a commercial truck insurance plan in place to protect against liabilities, such as hiring employees with checkered pasts, is vital to keep operations running smoothly and above board.

Pre-Employment Checks

Companies will have to check in with the Clearinghouse for all new hires to see if they have any drug and alcohol violations that keep them from performing safety-sensitive functions. This means that the driver in question must be registered with the Clearinghouse as well.

The Clearinghouse will make sure to provide FMCSA and employers the important tools to identify drivers who are prohibited from operating these vehicles, so as to avoid this kind of issue. Having a prohibited driver hired on can create not only conflicts from a regulatory standpoint but can also create a number of risks for the road, putting the safety and overall well-being of others out there in the driver’s hands.

The Clearinghouse will also help to ensure that drivers receive the required evaluation and treatment before operating a CMV on public roads. More specifically, information maintained in the Clearinghouse will enable employers in the trucking industry to spot drivers who commit a drug or alcohol program violation while working for one employer, but who fail to inform another employer (such as a contractor would).

Records related to any drug and alcohol program violations will be kept in the Clearinghouse for five years, or until the driver in question has completed the return-to-duty process.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes.

What to Know About the Necessary Commercial Vehicle Licensing Requirements

Bob Holtzman

Every state has requirements for commercial transportation licensing that helps to keep trucking companies and freight forwarders regulated on the roads. Truckers, public livery, freight forwarders, and others all have some form of governmental licensing requirements, which means that trucking companies are bound to certain guidelines to keep them safe.

If a trucking company does not follow the requirements, they would be opening themselves to serious Federal and State fines which will effectively put them out of business. Here is a quick overview of some of the basic requirements for trucking and freight companies when it comes to licensing and permit requirements.

Interstate Trucking and Intrastate Trucking

There are plenty of differences between intrastate and interstate trucking and the professionals who drive those distinct routes. And regulation between the two is no different.

Trucking professionals who are hauling for hire with interstate travel are required by law to apply for a permit with the Department of Transportation and FMCSA. In doing this, truckers will also need the information (DOT & MC #’s) marked on their vehicles.

Intrastate truckers are required, depending upon State rules, to apply for a permit with their respective state. Each state has its own unique criteria, but most states have adopted the Federal guidelines when it comes to truck insurance issues. Trucking companies need to have truck insurance in place in order to meet the guidelines.

Many States are  using the DOT inspections for interstate carriers to monitor the safety and truck insurance aspects of the intrastate truckers. For truckers doing both intrastate and interstate shipments, a state and federal permit would be needed to operate.

Public Livery Operators

Public livery operators, such as bus drivers, limo drivers and taxi operators, are regulated in the same way as truckers are above. These types of drivers are treated differently as their operations are completely different and may be under more intense monitoring than trucking professionals. There are higher requirements for auto liability insurance than for truckers.

Freight Forwarders

Freight forwarders have a specific requirement to obtain a freight forwarder permit from the DOT and FMCSA if they are moving freight interstate or internationally. There are various bonds that may be required, which depends on what activities are being performed.

Regardless of interstate or intrastate, trucking or public livery, requirements are there to keep driving professionals, their companies and the general public safe, not to mention complete the services and tasks at hand for clients. It’s important to know the basics of what’s expected and to consult with the right truck insurance provider to help with understanding the requirements.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates, and coverage changes.

The Best Practices of Efficient Trucking Operations

Bob Holtzman

Running a trucking company comes with its challenges, that much is true. But trucking operations owners can invest in a series of best practices to make daily operations smoother and more efficient.

From keeping vehicles and drivers safe to saving money and looking out for your bottom line, emphasizing a focus on efficiency in your company’s blueprint is an effective overall plan. Here are some best practices to consider when wanting to create and run on an atmosphere of efficiency.

Improving Safety

Safety should be the top priority of every trucking company. It’s important to keep vehicles maintained regularly, educate your employees on driver safety, and keep your truck insurance policy updated. Commercial truck insurance is specifically tailored to your trucking company’s needs and can dive into things like trailers, pollution and in general cover repairs and replacements of parts and trucks.

Trucking companies should stress the importance of having safe operational trucks that employees use daily. And with a new wave of self-driving trucking technology stepping into the big rig world, companies that are adapting have a lot more to worry about in terms of safety. Improving safety in trucking goes together with solid operation conditions and training for drivers. Trucking owners should also arrange safety programs and schedule regular meetings on refreshing everyone’s mind on driver safety.

Maintenance

As mentioned in the section above, it’s important to have vehicles routinely worked on to ensure overall operational safety. But beyond safety, vehicles can also be optimized to keep efficiency a priority. Tire pressure is always an issue with fuel consumption, especially when it comes to large commercial fleets driving from highway to highway.

Trucks should have regularly scheduled tire pressure checks as well as once-overs of assessing the integrity of axle alignment. Maintenance is a broad term when it comes to commercial trucking operations, but what’s important is to understand the frequency in which truck safety should be established through assessments.

Load Management Optimizations

Trucks can cut down on overall operations costs by maximizing the best potential load. Trucking companies should require packing and loading their trucks to as close to capacity as possible, especially when it comes to short-distance deliveries.

Trucking operations should try their best to keep away from running an empty load when picking up another load. There is software that is specifically outfitted to optimize pickup and delivery routes, whether it’s distance or vehicle capacity.

Optimizing Routes

The same software that helps boost more efficient loads can also do the same for travel routes. The goal is to select the most fuel-efficient and time-efficient routes, which may not be the shortest distances. Companies should consider factors such as speed limits, traffic signals, regular traffic levels in certain areas, and other times where trucks are stopped.

One way trucking operation companies can help themselves when it comes to planning routes is to make running lists of notes related to things like hazardous materials routes, preferred routes, and construction zones that are all need-to-know pieces of information.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.

Breaking Down the Coverage You’ll Need for Your Trailer

Bob Holtzman

One assumption in the trucking industry is that commercial truck insurance plans are one-size-fits-all, covering a laundry list of liabilities for trucking professionals. However, this just isn’t the case. Having trailer coverage added to a plan is a necessity for truckers who want to make sure they’re covered from end to end. But while coverage may be in place already, it’s important to understand the details of it to make sure that the right insurance protection is set.

Commercial Auto Policy

Utility trailers can be used for non-business purposes. If this is the case, then they are covered by a personal auto policy. A utility trailer used for business has to have a commercial auto insurance policy, however. This kind of policy covers the vehicle towing the trailer and extends from the vehicle to the trailer.

The main coverage on a commercial insurance policy is all about liability insurance. This insurance provides financial protection to the owner of he trailer if they cause an accident or they happen to injure someone. From here, the coverage pays the medical bills for the victim as well as legal defense if it gets to that point.

Property Coverage

This kind of coverage pays to repair or replace the utility trailer if it takes on damage in an accident. The coverages are comprehensive and collision, and owners can add these optional add-ons to a commercial or personal auto policy for more fees. The main concern for truck drivers is the health of their trailer, so if the trailer is damaged or stole, the insurance policy will fix it or replace it. There’s a deductible that has to be paid, which is a partial amount of the loss and can vary depending on policy.

Costs

That leads us to cost, the big issue trucking professionals may have when considering this kind of insurance. Insurance rates for a utility trailer depend on several factors. The trailer’s make and model, its annual mileage, and primary use will be looked at. There are discounts available for drivers over 25 with a commercial license and for trailers used in safer areas where fewer accidents per year are reported.

Things to Consider

Registration and licensing of a commercial utility trailer are needed in most states, especially if it’s being used on state roads. This means that the driver must show proof of insurance, and can even mean that some trailers must pass a safety inspection to qualify for registration.

Make sure to go over everything with your insurance provider to ensure you are getting the best protection at the best pricing for your needs. Having a trailer insurance package needs to be tailor-fit so you can be safe and protected when driving on the roads.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.

Safety Tips for Trucking in Traffic

Bob Holtzman

Trucking professionals have enough to worry about when it comes to transporting their shipment from location to location. Schedules need to be strict and time is of the essence, but safety shouldn’t be compromised because of a hurried driver. Besides being hasty, there are a number of things to consider when it comes to keeping safety the focal point when driving around regular traffic on streets and highways.

A recent study showed that 2016 saw a 2% increase in fatal crashes involving trucks and buses, and the trend points to a continued gradual increase year-over-year. While truck drivers can’t do anything to make other drivers around them more responsible behind the wheel, they can take certain tips to heart when making sure they’re doing their part to keep things safe.

Investing in Truck Insurance

Truck insurance is a safeguard for trucking professionals who wants to ensure their protection for injuries or property damage sustained. Just like regular auto insurance, this kind of insurance is specifically designed to keep trucking professionals safe as well as the truck they’re driving, and can cover the cargo they’re hauling. This should be the first step for truck drivers looking to be more responsible on the road.

Keeping a Space Cushion

Professional drivers hauling big rigs should monitor something called the space cushion between their trucks and other vehicles around them. Where smaller vehicles on the road are able to shift in and out of traffic more freely, trucks with great size can’t. Drivers need to make sure they are not too close to objects, whether stationary or in motion. Consider tight turns, low bridges and small streets as well as other vehicles.

Trip Planning

Just like you’re prepping to set out on a family trip, it pays to plan ahead and look for things like weather conditions and terrain. This will help to anticipate flow of traffic along your route before you leave to make sure you are traveling down the safest and most efficient roads. Always make sure to plan for and add extra travel time for things like construction, detours, traffic congestion and inclement weather.

Safe Speed

Speed always place a factor for drivers looking to be safe on the road. A couple things large truck drivers have to consider is the fact that it takes longer to accelerate their truck and longer to slow their truck down to a stop. Always be sure to slow down in work zones, but don’t hang back so much that will bring traffic behind you to a screeching halt.

Turns and Road Curves

Tight turns become even tighter for truck drivers. Entrance and exit ramps, and turning down city streets always pose a high level of difficulty and risk of bumping into an object, including cars, pedestrians, and street lights. When you’re entering a curve in the road or negotiating a turn, a good rule of thumb is to slow down. This will help to avoid bumping into anything or anyone as well as turning the truck over on its side. Always allow for distance and speed of other vehicles when making a turn across traffic or into oncoming traffic path.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.

Why Every Trucker Should Have Roadside Assistance Coverage

Bob Holtzman

Roadside assistance is an add-on type of insurance that some commercial truck drivers may not consider when looking for coverage. Having regular insurance on hand is a must, but budgeting for something like roadside assistance may not be at the top of a driver’s list. However, it’s important that drivers all around know the benefits of having some extra help.

In the event that a semi breaks down, roadside assistance can kick in. Drivers should consider commercial vehicle breakdown insurance to cover a wide range of issues including hotel and travel discounts, fuel delivery service and parts delivery. Let’s see how else vehicle breakdown insurance can be a benefit to truck drivers.

Towing

A semi-truck that finds itself broken down on the side of the road and needs transport to a mechanic will have to be towed away. Typically, this is a major expense under insurance plans and usually higher when it is outside of a roadside assistance program like vehicle breakdown insurance. Investing in this coverage can make things less complicated.

Flat Tires

Semi trucks are not immune to flat tires. Just like a regular car driver may need some help to change a flat, truck drivers could find themselves stranded and looking for assistance. Having a roadside assistance plan in place will offer up built-in help including bringing someone out to help change a flat, no matter the size.

Mechanic Service

Some insurance providers offer up mechanic service to help with things like electrical and mechanical issues. A provider will send someone out to your truck and make any minor repairs needed. Mobile mechanics may not be able to take on bigger tasks, like working on transmissions, but most disabling problems can be taken care of on the spot.

Jump Start

Sounds easy enough, right? Well, sometimes a simple jump start can be a lot to handle, especially for semi’s. Leaving the lights on or having a battery drained will put stress on any trucking operation. Getting a quick jump start will get you back on the road in no time, a must-have for any driver in any state.

Fluid Delivery

Low on oil? A provider can send help with a mobile mechanic who can drop some much needed fluids into a truck. This will help to safeguard against potential engine damage down the road and keep internal damage at bay.

Lockout Service

Forget your keys in the truck cabin? This happens to anyone. Having roadside assistance in place will also lend a hand when you forget your keys in your truck as a provider will send someone out to replace your keys or help you get back into your truck.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.

Tired Trucking: How to Combat Driver Fatigue

Bob Holtzman

With the rise of e-commerce platforms like Amazon and a huge shift in how we as a society shop for and ship items, the trucking industry has seen a huge boom in activity in recent years. More than 15 million commercial trucks drive along American highways, transporting more than 70% of all goods in the U.S. While this may be a good sign of consumer confidence, it also shows the built-in rise of risk behind the wheel.

According to a survey conducted by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), the main reason behind commercial truck crashes are fatigued and overworked drivers. Given the nature of the size of vehicle, these crashes ultimately result in serious injury and even death. While it’s important for truck drivers and the transportation companies they work for to invest in Commercial Truck Insurance as a safe precaution, it’s even more important to understand how driver fatigue can be avoided. Here are some ways to combat it:

Get Enough Sleep

This may seem like a simple idea, but more often than not truck drivers find themselves climbing behind the wheel without the proper amount of sleep. It’s important to get a full night’s sleep every night and try to avoid driving when you’re feeling drowsy. Drowsiness may impair the response time of a driver and increase the chances of being involved in a crash.

Have a Healthy Diet

Long hauls on highways may make it hard to maintain a healthy and consistent diet, but it’s a vital component to driver health overall. Going to bed on an empty stomach, skipping meals, or eating foods that don’t contain adequate nutritional value can all lead to interrupted sleep. Not being well-rested due to lack of nutrition and lack of refueling can impair awareness and reaction time.

Stop for a Nap

Even though driver’s like to stick to a schedule, if it gets to a point where you find yourself constantly sleepy behind the wheel, especially during the day, it would help to pull over and nap for a short period of time. A quick stop to recharge or even just rest your eyes without falling asleep for 30-45 minutes will rejuvenate drivers in the middle of a long haul.

Be Aware of Drowsiness

Keep paying attention to indicators of drowsiness such as frequent yawning, heavy eyes blurred vision, and hearing issues. Being awake for 18 hours is relative to having a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent, the legal level of intoxication. Be sure to recognize when it’s getting too hard to keep your attention focused, as this indicates drowsiness beyond a good limit.

Don’t Use Tricks to Stay Awake

From slapping yourself in the face to rolling the window down to let cold air in to chewing sunflower seeds, there are many different tricks that people have used to stay awake. These actually give you a false sense of security, making you feel like your gaming sleepiness. What they’re doing is actually making things potentially worse as you’re exerting more effort to stay awake when it’s easier and more sensical to pull over and rest.

What’s more, while caffeine may be good to get the day started, depending on caffeine to keep you awake will lead to insomnia, headaches and nervousness, a powerful combination that can lead to mistakes behind the wheel.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.

How Data-Driven Technology Could Change the Trucking Industry

Bob Holtzman

Technology is increasingly changing the world around us and making innovative steps in virtually every industry including trucking. Long haul companies are seeing a growing dependency on digital technology affect their operations and having to reorganize the way they do business. With the advent of autonomous trucking and a threat of a driver shortage looming, the trucking industry is seeing a number of rapid changes pushing and pulling it in many different directions.

Digitized trucking is still a little ways off and the logistics industry as a whole still has time to prepare for dramatic shifts like how to go about commercial truck insurance. Parts of it are already being put in place due to a couple major global trends that are helping to change the trucking industry.

The first is a push to manage climate change and to save energy and resources in an industry that traditionally goes against those notions. Secondly, social and cultural changes are beginning to open up new markets and expectations for the influence of autonomous vehicles and the digitized supply chain. Together, these two factors show that the effect of these trends isn’t just a matter of trucks themselves or how global supply chain is managed. Instead, digitized trucking will transform how most stakeholders in OEMs, logistics, warehouses, and others will operate.

Logistics

Soon enough it will be possible to integrate the truck into real-time logistics data across the whole supply chain. Parts, materials suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses–virtually every area will be affected. When orders are sent to manufacturers, a supply chain system will send back a report on the availability of the goods and timing of shipping it out, thus optimizing its production schedule. If something happens that impedes the truck from delivering on time, on schedule, the system can automatically determine a new route and update the receiving party about the new arrival time.

Transforming the Industry

Bringing updated digital technologies together in the trucking industry of tomorrow has already begun and the digitally integrated world of trucking will see massive differences soon. Trucking companies should already be on top of these changes and anticipating how they can change in real time. Expect to see further development of a hub-and-spoke delivery structure.

The use of large distribution hubs will become normalized in trucking. Trucks will have the ability to do away with human interaction during hub-to-hub trips as autonomous technology continues to be perfected. For now, there are trucking companies trying out this tech, such as Uber and Tesla, seeing how trucks can handle getting on and off highways as well as tracking their cruising performance. As hub-to-hub trucking becomes more common and necessary, regulations will have to change around the impact of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

This digital data landscape is more than just software and more visible in areas besides just warehouses and freight loads. Trucking companies should connect the dots between all areas of growth and change in the industry and see their domino-like effects.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and \ transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.

Questions to Ask Your Truck Insurance Agent

Bob Holtzman

For commercial truck operators, when it comes to insurance, a little bit of research can go a long way. From shopping around and getting quotes to going over exactly what is needed to be better protected behind the wheel, there are preliminary measures to account for.

Truck insurance options aren’t all made equally, and that’s why it’s important for those needing coverage to take a proactive approach to finding the best fit. Chances are that multiple insurance carriers will want your business after you first approach them, so be prepared to ask hardline questions to make sure you’re getting everything covered.  Here are five questions to ask agents.

1. How Much Coverage Do I Need?

Truck liability insurance for heavy trucks typically requires the minimum amount of $750,000 as set forth by the USDOT or by the State; but most truck operators select $1mm limits.  Most shippers and brokers require the $1mm limits. While these limit may seem a bit high, big rigs can cause a lot of damage to whatever they hit, even if an incident isn’t the driver’s fault.

Commercial drivers should ask their potential insurance agent to guide them through options related to limits. Also, touch on things like umbrella, or excess, policies that can protect you when it comes to drastic losses.

2. Do You Offer Cargo Coverage?

With different types of cargo comes different types of risks. From grain to livestock, oil to cars to hazmat, truckers should understand the potential risks these individual factors pose. While most truck drivers elect cargo insurance at $100,000 care should be taken to make sure the cargo insurance meets the maximum cargo value being transported.

A trucking insurance agent should know what you’re shipping around and be able to offer the right coverage options based on that.  In addition, cargo insurance policies can differ greatly in their coverage conditions and exclusions and a good agent will help you navigate these complex issues.

3. Can I Get a Combined Deductible?

There are times when an accident causes damage to everything from your truck to your cargo to other vehicles on the road. Each of these types of damage brings their own liabilities. Your insurance package should cover all this, but separate deductibles will apply to the individual factors.

When you get a combined deductible, you’re only responsible for paying a single deductible no matter the coverages used. It makes this process simple and more easily structured.

4. Can You Change My Policy Quickly?

Truckers who find themselves changing out what they haul on a regular basis, or even day-to-day basis, should be able to reach out to their agent at a moment’s notice. Being able to change your policy quickly can provide protection when you are in a situation where a specific coverage is needed.   Your insurance agent, or the office, should be available to you for these changes.

5. What Factors Are Affecting My Premium?

Typically, insurance companies base risk on a number of factors, Age, driving record, credit score, years of experience, distance traveled,  freight carried, and others all play a role in just what affects your overall coverage. If your quote seems high, bring it to your agents attention and ask just what is causing this. There are steps you can take to fixing it when renewal is coming up.

About Western Truck Insurance Services

Western Truck Insurance Services is a commercial truck insurance agency with roots dating back to 1954. We have evolved into a highly respected, professionally managed, truck and transportation insurance brokerage. The hallmark of our organization is our desire to provide unparalleled service. We go way beyond what you expect to receive from an insurance brokerage. Equipped with state of the art automation, Western Truck Insurance can provide you with lightning fast truck insurance quotes, customer service, Insurance certificates and coverage changes.