10 Most Important Aspects of Bison Transport's Safety Program
DRIVER'S DIGEST 6 SAFETY B ison Transport was recently announced as one of the win-ners of the Volvo Trucks Fleet Safety Award. The $25,000 award was not given lightly fleets had to document significant safety initiatives and other efforts to protect their drivers. These are some of the most important aspects of Bison's safety program. 1. Provide an overall culture of safety. This is one of our corporate values and includes Safety, Compliance and Driver Development. 2. Be proactive instead of reactive. We believe that the only way to effectively manage the risk of our organization is to never be involved in an accident. Once the accident occurs it is only circumstances that determine the risk and cost. 3. Provide drivers with a Safety tool box. This means providing the best and safest equipment to drivers and developing the drivers' skills through training. We want to ensure that all drivers have all the necessary skills and tools to make it home safely from each and every trip. 4. Empower drivers with the Right to Decide Policy. Drivers have the authority and responsibility to make decisions on how to proceed safely. 5. Offer Recognition and Rewards. This program recognizes only safe driving and includes a fi nancial benefi t to our drivers who do not get involved in a preventable ac-cident. 6. Instill a Driver Risk Management Program. We strive to understand the risk level of each driver in our fleet. We review risk level status with each driver and determine a training path to ensure that they will become a low risk driver. 7. Monitor results to effectively man-age each situation. Each incident/accident is examined using smart technology information (speed, hard brake, following distance). 8. Review results with all of our drivers and employ-ees. A monthly safety communication of results is issued which includes accidents, claims, and any current issues. 9. Develop stringent hiring criteria. High hiring standards using stringent criteria ensures we are bringing in the best professional drivers - ones that will uphold our commitment to safety. 10. Use philosophy versus math. Not all of our busi-ness decisions are proven out in a standard cost benefi t analysis, as it is very diffi cult to assign a cost to an accident that never occurred. Matters of safety are not treated as ac-counting principles, but as a way to save lives. 10 MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF BISON TRANSPORT'S SAFETY PROGRAM