What Freezes? The brake lining freezes to the brake drum.  Why? If you set your brakes when they're wet, and it is cold (enough) outside, they may freeze.  How do you "unfreeze" them? If you do have frozen brakes, you will have to break them loose. Most often it is the trailer brakes that freeze not the tractor. First try backing up - quite often they'll break free on their own.  If the brakes on the tractor are frozen, lock in the power divider and release the brak...

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STOPPING DISTANCE – Are you feeling some anxiety about getting that load delivered or getting back home for some rest?  Don’t let that feeling keep you from maintaining a 6-7 second following distance from the vehicle in front of you.  At 30 mph, a commercial vehicle needs 148 feet to stop safely.  Avoid that rear-end accident by not following too close! A printer friendly version of this information can be found here.  

FirstFleet, Inc. is opening a new terminal in Elkton, VA. Our excellent service record and relationship with a beverage producer has now led us to a new terminal with 25 dedicated trucks. We are pleased to announce that Jeff Nester will be the Fleet Manager for Elkton, VA. Jeff returns to FirstFleet after having previously worked with us in Morristown, TN. Also, we are pleased to announce that Carol Steele is our new Transportation Supervisor for Elkton, VA. Carol comes to work at FirstFleet, Inc. after having previously worked in Transportation at the Target D...

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Attention FirstFleet drivers!  We are increasing our Referral Bonus for new drivers hired at our St. Louis, MO terminal - through Janurary 31, 2012.  We will pay existing FirstFleet drivers $1000 for every qualifying full time driver that is referred and hired at this facility.  The referring driver bonus will be paid after the newly hired full time driver has been employed for 90 days. You know... truck drivers don’t usually have a problem talking, so get out there and talk it up about the new St. Louis Referral Bonus! ...

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  Cargo theft is a serious problem for our industry. In this time of new technology, people can interact online with hundreds or even thousands of people with nothing more than a smart phone and internet access. With that being said, we must watch what we say or post while surfing various social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, and other blogs. You can protect your freight, yourself, and other FirstFleet drivers through proper planning and by following some simple guidelines. ...

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  It's winter time again and shop doors everywhere are closed to keep the heat in. With this in mind please be mindful to ensure the bay doors are raised completely anytime you exit or enter a repair bay. Each year we have at least one incident where a vehicle makes contact with a shop door, and this leads to very costly and easily preventable damage. A few easy tips to avoid a costly and dangerous incident: Always alert someone that you are about to enter the building. Make visual and v...

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Did you know 3 out of every 5 accidents in the trucking industry are backing related? It's true, seeing what's behind you with a 53 ' trailer is very difficult, but these accidents are almost always judged as preventable - why is this? - because they can be avoided if we practice the following safe methods when backing. When approaching an area where a backing maneuver is required, survey the area you are about to back into. Look for obstructions in your way, such as wheel chocks, loading stands, dock plate handles left sticking out, dumpsters, cars, etc. that may b...

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The federal motor carrier regulation, section 391.27, requires all commercial drivers to complete an annual violation and review record. The driver is to disclose all moving violations for the past 12 months or note none if there were none, sign, date and return to their employer when requested. All moving violation are to be disclosed whether in commercial vehicle or personal vehicle. Attached below you will find the FirstFleet Violation and Review form. Every FirstFleet employee that is a CDL holder is required to complete this form and return it to their loca...

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There are plenty of reasons to quit tobacco. Maybe you want to reduce your risk of illness down the road, save money, feel better, or lessen the impact of second-hand smoke on loved ones. When you quit tobacco, you actively take back your life. You no longer have to plan your day, and life, around nicotine. Anyone who has ever tried to kick the tobacco habit knows it's not easy. Quitting is a unique process for each person. There is no "best" way to quit. There is only what is best for YOU. That's why FirstFleet QuitNet Comprehensive meets you where you are in the q...

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently passed a law that bans the use of cell phones by commercial drivers without a hands free phone device. This law goes into effect December 30, 2011.  The penalty for violating this federal law is $2750 per occurrence. In addition to the hefty fines that are associated with this infraction it has been proven to be a very unsafe practice. In effort to sponsor safety it is the company policy of FirstFleet to require the use of a hands free device while operating a company owned vehicle. Please help us make the roads a safer place ...

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  FirstFleet would like to take this time to wish everyone and their family a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season.  We at FirstFleet express our thanks and gratitude for everyone’s hard work this past year. May everyone have a healthy and Happy New Year.    

This brief video details how you can quickly gain access to valuable information with regard to the location of our nationwide authorized fuel stops.

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  We need your help!  We have good news and great news to share. The good news is we have been awarded new business with a Dedicated Customer in Elkton, VA. The great news is that FirstFleet will now be hiring 25 drivers in Elkton and the surrounding area to satisfy our need. Elkton is located in Northern, VA - about 20 miles east of Harrisonburg. If you know of any qualified drivers, that you would recommend, please refer them to FirstFleet’s website (www.firstfleetinc.com), and ask them fill out our online app...

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FirstFocus is the quarterly newletter publication of FirstFleet, Inc. We use this newsletter to keep our employees updated with happenings, celebrations and information from around the FirstFleet family of facilities. This newsletter installment brings us the celebration of our first 3-Million Mile safe driver Dave Hall, 2-Million Mile driver Orville Wood, and a host of others that have joined the million and half million mile clubs! Check out the newletter here and celebrate the accomplishments, weddings, new births and other events o...

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We have recently made some additions to our online video library by posting a few targeted safety training videos that are quick and to the point. If you haven't checked them out I would like to encourage you to have a look at the material and give us your feedback. The secured video library is located here for FirstFleet employees (login required), but this material has also been made available to the general public on our YouTube channel.  Video Topic - Load Securement Load Securement is a very important aspect of safe dri...

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