26 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch The Many Faces of Trucking By Jennifer Sitton | OTA Communications Consultant WHEN MOST PEOPLE think about a career in the trucking industry, they think about the professional drivers who play a critical role in getting goods where they need to go every single day. But as anyone who has worked in the industry knows, it takes so many different people and positions to to ensure that trucks continue moving where they need to be. From maintenance to safety, and operations to dispatch, there are often hundreds of people behind the scenes at a single truck company keeping the wheels in motion. Below you’ll hear from just a few of the individuals who work hard every day to keep trucks moving safely to their destinations. Safety Director Gene Hullette—Morris O. Nelson & Sons, Inc. | Nelson Brothers Trucking, Inc. Arguably the most critical position in a trucking business is that of the Safety Director, a role that Gene Hullette was well-equipped to take on after 21 years in the Coast Guard and 10 years as a professional truck driver, not to mention his degrees in behavioral science. Gene says his biggest priority is to build a safety culture and mindset within the business. As Safety Director, he oversees everything from day-to-day operations and driver trainings to the federal and state regulations that govern trucking. “Safety is so important because we want everyone to go home in the same or better condition that they came to work,” said Gene, who keeps an eye on driver and safety trends and works to counter those trends by pushing out online trainings that drivers can complete on their phones either at home or during a break in their trucks. A few years ago, Gene initiated a new— and somewhat controversial—program to prioritize driver safety. He used the data provided by the technology on all of his drivers’ trucks to rank how safely they had driven that month, based on how fast they took curves, how many hard breaks they had, etc. and posted that data on a bulletin board at the office. “At first, it didn’t go over very well,” said Gene. “But now if I’m behind a couple days in posting the list, I’ll have drivers come up to me and ask for it. They ask how they’re doing, and it creates a competition to see who can be the safest driver that month.” When it comes to safety, Gene says his ultimate goal is to be like the Maytag Repairman—constantly bored because things are working so smoothly, and safely, that his work is no longer needed.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTY1NDIzOQ==