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****SML POLICY CHANGES****
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP APNEA
Welcome
Safety
Hotline
Payroll
Customer Service
Recruiting
Health
Operations
Driver Managers
Maintenance
Sales & Marketing
SML Newsletter
Fuel
****SML POLICY CHANGES****
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FULL TIME DRIVER STATUS – MILES REQUIREMENT
Effective 3/1/08 (Beginnig with 5 month prior to 3/1/08)
Any driver that has an average of less tan 8,000 miles per month over a five month period will be considered a part time driver and therefore is not eligible for benefits, including but not limited to: health insurance coverage, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, vacation pay, short term disability insurance, long term disability insurance and holiday pay. Any driver where their 5 month average falls below 8,000 miles will not be eligible for benefit coverage’s if they have not yet qualified for coverage; and any driver that has qualified and enrolled in the benefit coverage and fails to meet the minimum miles will be disqualified from coverage and their coverage will be terminated at the end of the month that their premium has been paid to. Any driver that has had their benefits terminated will not be eligible for coverage again until the next open enrollment at which time they will be eligible to enroll in the plan after the 90 day waiting period. Open enrollment is the month of February of each year.
OWNER OPERATOR TRUCK MILES
Effective 1/1/08 (beginning with 5 months prior to 1/1/08)
Owner truck must have and maintain a 5 month average of 8,000 miles per month to be eligible for the company paid license/permit/plate fees. Any month that the Owner truck has a 5 month average of below 8,000 miles the Owner will be charged $125 for that month’s license/permit/plate fee. Policy is on rolling five month average, in any 5 month period that the truck averages below 8,000 miles, Owner will be charged $125. Any 5 month period that the average is 8,000 or above, no charge will be assessed against the Owner. Charges will be made the following month the minimum miles were not met.
REGIONAL DRIVER PAY
Effective 1/1/08
All Regional and Over the Road Drivers will be paid under the current OTR pay package, all regional pay packages will be discontinued 1/1/08. Regional and OTR drivers will be eligible for all driver bonus programs; fuel, safety, longevity, productivity and million miler bonuses, along with all other supplemental pay that is available under the OTR pay program. Regional fleets will remain in effect.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP APNEA
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Due to untreated Sleep Apnea, we are seeing more drivers disqualified. Key word here is untreated; DOT has no problem of you driving with Sleep Apnea as long as you use what's called a C-PAP machine. If you are a current professional driver for SML we do not want you to be shut down during the recertification part of your physical, so we need you to address the problem with your personal doctor if you think you might have sleep apnea.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP APNEA
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1. High blood pressure and/or heart problems
2. Neck size of 17” or more, or overweight
3. Fighting sleepiness during working hours (even while driving)
4. Loud snoring
5. Headaches after waking
6. Dry throat when you wake up
7. Unable to concentrate on your work
8. Frequent bathroom trips while sleeping
9. Choking or gasping during sleep
10. Behavioral problems such as mood swings or depression
Ask yourself the questions ----
Do I snore?
Do I choke or gasp for breath while sleeping?
Has anyone told me that I stop breathing during sleep?
Have I felt tired or fatigued after sleeping?
Has my weight changed in the past 5 years?
Have I nodded off while driving a vehicle?
If any of these are going on right now, it's time to see your doctor and at least discuss sleep apnea and the testing available it's simple and of the 15-20 drivers currently driving for SML that have sleep apnea, they say life is so much better now that they have addressed the problem.
Welcome
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WELCOME DRIVERS to the new SML Drivers Bulletin Board. This portal has been created and designed for you, the driver. We understand how important it is to communicate to our valued drivers; at the same time we understand how difficult that is to do with a workforce that is always on the go.
Our goal is to provide timely and useful information to you that you can use to, be more productive to help you earn more, stay healthy and be safe while out on the road and to provide educational information on area’s of importance to you, but most of all to allow you to keep up with what is going on at SML. We also understand that you may not be able to access this web site daily or even weekly therefore we will leave the information on there for a few weeks. However, new information will be added every week so be sure and check it regularly. In addition, we have left this site password free so your spouse can get updates and information from the company as well.
Since this site is new, you may notice changes from time to time as we work to make it more driver friendly. Since this is your site we welcome your comments and suggestions.
On behalf of all us in the offices and shops here at Sitton Motor Lines, we would like to take this opportunity to THANK YOU for your hard work, dedication and sacrifices to make Sitton Motor Lines the best.
Safety
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Hotline
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June 25, 2008
Hello SML and welcome to the June 25th addition of the driver hotline, thanks for listening. Little housecleaning from last couple weeks 1st……we talked about the Durant terminal being open for business, then found out that if it's going to be after hours and you need to use the facilities please contact them at 800-243-4765 ext 126, they will prop a door open or hide a key for you, manufacture some way of getting you into the building, so you can use the facilities.
We got several calls with comments on Sleep Apnea that we put out last week. Very glad to hear that some of you are taking this very seriously and will be proactive in talking to your doctor concerning sleep apnea before it's too late. I mentioned we have approximately 15-20 professional drivers that are currently driving for SML however after leaving the message and getting the feedback I would put that number more around 50. The point is, they are working and working without fatigue. The only way drivers get taken off the road for sleep apnea is if it goes untreated. Before you get taken off the road speak to your doctor about it, there is a very simple preliminary test that shows if further testing is needed. As mentioned, it’s simple and painless and in many cases not even an appointment is needed.
June 18, 2008
Hello Sitton Motor Lines, thanks for listening to the driver hotline for the week of June 18th. We are around the mid way point of the calendar year so a good time to look at accident numbers to see how the year is shaping up………………and knocking on some wood here so far so good in 08. We have been involved in 8 of DOT accidents this year, last year at this time we already had 13 and finished with 26, that puts us on a pace for 16 for the entire year and that would be great!!! Of the 8 DOT's 4 where listed as preventable, and 3 of those 4 we left the road……………..we have to keep it on the pavement. With that said the most common things that will take you off the roadway is aggressive driving and fatigue, and not just falling asleep behind the wheel but general fatigue will put you in a zone you don't want to be in while behind the wheel of a commercial motor vehicle. I'll touch more on a common trend we are seeing later in this hotline concerning fatigue 1st lets get the latest sales update and here to do that is Mr. Rick Farrell.
Couple quick construction updates, I-90 west bound only mm 22 down to 6 they are resurfacing and redoing a bridge that will not be done until Oct 08 plan your trip around that delay if going that way. I know with all the rain in IA there was quite a bit of closures there, even parts of I-80, I went to their web-site and still shows some closures but not sure if that’s still due to flooding, construction issues or what but might plan ahead there as well and keep the updates coming on those major road delays that extend over weeks.
Mentioned last week about taking advantage of the Durant terminal, it's a great facility, and they can get you in and out, failed to mention that they only operate between 8-5 in the shop, However, if you want to use the facilities such as bathrooms, showers etc give them a call between 8-5 and they will make arrangements to leave a door open for you, hide a key or something but they will open it for you if needed as long as you let them know.
Ok, back to the little fatigue trend we mentioned later……….we are seeing more of our fleet shut down due to untreated Sleep Apnea. Key word there is untreated, DOT has no problem of you driving with Sleep Apnea as long as you use what's called a c-pap machine. If you are a current professional driver for SML we do not want you to be shut down during your recertification part of your physical, so we need you to address the problem with your personal doctor if you think you might have sleep apnea, here are a few signs that you might have sleep apnea.
On medication for blood pressure or blood sugar problems
If you are overweight
If you neck is 17 inch's or more,
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, move onto these questions…and these are a few but ..
Do you struggle to stay awake while watching TV or reading, require frequent naps?
Is your throat dry when you wake up?
Are you unable to concentrate on work or your driving after a few hours?
If any of these are going on right now, it's time to see your doctor and at least discuss sleep apnea and the testing available it's simple and of the 15-20 drivers currently driving for SML that have sleep apnea they say life is so much better now that they have addressed the problem.
June 11, 2008
Ok here we go with the June 11th SML driver hotline. Starts with some information from the Durant facility, they just wanted to remind all our professional drivers they are there and ready with a shop, shower and a place to relax. If you are going thru the Durant, Oklahoma area and need repairs, a service or just to relax for a while make it your stop…………they just have a little less traffic down there as far as an SML terminal goes and you can get in and out much quicker if repairs or service is what you need. So take the hwy 69 to Choctaw road and go east 1/4 mile to Enterprise, go left and the facility is 1/2 mile on the right, can't miss it.
Summer time is an increase in passenger authorizations, we are already seeing it, please remember it's a DOT regulation that you have to have authorization from the carrier, that being SML in this case, to have a passen |