christopher Harper, Author at DJ Products

Tips for Preparing Your Trucking Fleet for Winter Operation

Your yard trucks may be ready to roll for the winter shipping season – but is your fleet? Frigid winter temperatures and icy driving conditions put fleet vehicles under additional stress. Luckily, a few minor preventative maintenance tasks can help you avoid costly downtown and emergency repairs during the cold winter months.

Winter Fleet Maintenance Checklist:

Winterize

Winterizing with seasonally-enhanced fuels will help vehicles operate in temperatures as low as -30° F with a cold filter plugging point of -55° F. Special additives can increase both horsepower and fuel efficiency as much as 5%, alleviating common cold weather hauling hassles. Ditto for replacing fluids such as motor oil, wiper fluid, power steering and brake fluids with more winter-friendly options.

Swap It & Drain It

Regularly drain water separators and replace water-absorbing filters that can plug-up during cold snaps and create cold engine startup issues (fuel gelling) as well as water damage in sub-zero temperatures to fuel pumps and injectors.

Be Proactive with Wearable Components

Cold temperatures are tough on wearables like belts, hoses, and brake pads. Perform maintenance now to avoid shivering roadside later. Battery testing and maintenance (and a glow-plug check on diesels) are also wisely performed at this time.

Keep Things Clean

Prep vehicles for snow, ice, and salt, ensuring longevity with a thorough pre-season cleaning and protective waxing. Wash the exterior regularly, including cab, body, and undercarriage to prevent damage from corrosive salts.

Dress Up Your Digs

Confirm winter heater/defroster operation and outfit your rigs with winter comfort and safety gear like warm blankets, water, food, flares, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, and more for safety in an emergency.

Gear up for the challenges of the winter driving season with the help of yard trucks from DJ Products today.

Extreme Cold Impacts Semi Truck Performance – What to Know

As climate change continues to fuel winter temperature extremes, trucks and truckers shoulder an increased burden. Though your powered trailer movers will push on through such extremely cold temperatures, your hauler may not, pulled down by the weight of fuel gelling.

Frozen in Time

With extremely cold temperatures, diesel fuel and diesel exhaust fluids freeze. More than an inconvenience, this poses a rather large problem as the regeneration process necessary from an emissions control standpoint cannot sustain at certain temperatures. What’s your best chance of keeping vehicles on the road?

Weighty Matter

In colder climates such as in Minnesota and Canada, drivers understand the risks of temperature extremes, swapping their usual fuel for a winter-weight diesel fuel mix and additives that allow them to keep their vehicles moving. Fleet drivers in warm to moderate climates, however, are often ignorant of this need, watching their progress literally freeze as soon as they go north and their vehicles come to a stop.

Half Empty/Half Full

When driving in winter conditions, it is strongly advisable to keep the fuel tank at least half full. This will allow drivers to keep rigs running long enough for the vehicle to hit the temperature necessary to go into its regeneration cycle. Otherwise, haulers may get stuck due to emission controls.

When Push Comes to Shove

In normal weather this is not an issue, however sub-zero weather requires more energy (fuel) to sustain the vehicle’s temperature necessary for regeneration. Idling overnight or warming the block with a heater are not enough – the vehicle must be driven, even if it’s just a few yards at a time.

Are your operations stuck? Get things moving with a powered trailer mover from DJ Products today.

Fuel Gelling – What to Know When Cold Weather Arrives

When rigs stop running in frigid weather, bringing your semi trailer mover to a screeching halt, fuel gelling is often the first thing blamed. Typically, however, it has to be -15 degrees before fuel begins to gel, so what gives?

Is it Really Gelling?

With gelling, ice crystals form from condensation, followed by paraffin wax dropping out of fuel. Only after that does gelling occur. This often starts in fuel filters, when trucks haven’t run long enough to warm fuel. Though many are quick to blame poor fuel and failure to have the right additives, it’s ultimately the result of poor planning.

With the Right Tactics, You Can Avoid the Gelling ‘Blame Game’

Plan ahead.
People driving in the northern states/Canada don’t have issues with gelling because they manage the predictable. Don’t rely on ‘winter blends.’ Know what you’re getting. With frigid temperatures YOU WILL need water-absorbers and kerosene/jet fuel, since additives only work down to 5-degrees. Take control: watch 10-day weather forecasts and TELL fuel suppliers the percentage of kerosene you want:

10 degrees: 10% blend

0 degrees: 20% blend

-5 to -10 degrees: 30% blend

-15 degrees: 40% blend

-20 degrees: 50% blend

Tanks on location?
Keep 80% kerosene on hand for upcoming temperature dips to mix with current tank gallons on-hand.

On-the-road purchases?
ASK for kerosene percentages.

Maintain en-route
Vacuum or drain the condensation buildup (water) from the tanks every night.

Crank-up the heat
Consider the addition of an in-tank fuel heater plumbed via heater core or an electric/coolant-fueled heater.

No shortcuts
Do NOT change micron ratings on fuel filters.

Don’t let downed rigs gum up the works. Keep things moving with proper planning and the help of a semi trailer mover from DJ Products today.

Hotel Bedding Trends Are Consumer-Driven

Our powered hospitality carts make hotel supply movement more efficient, but how much attention are you paying to what’s actually being loaded on them? Increasingly health-conscious guests are demanding high levels of cleanliness and top hotels are ensuring that their properties meet and exceed consumer standards.

As hotels strive to recreate the experience of sleeping at home, they’re conscious of the fact that not all retail products are practical for their beds. Experts weigh in on the optimum ways to adopt current bedding trends.

Linens

If you want to add color to the rooms, stick with paint and accessories. Classic white sheets are still accepted as a sign of cleanliness by hotel guests.

But consumer expectations don’t stop with sheets. Blankets, comforters and anything else that goes on top of a mattress should be washable. Kim Deetjen of TruEx Collins Interiors explains that many hotels are triple-sheeting beds with a protective top sheet over a duvet.

Pillows

According to Pacific Coast Feather Company’s Brett Rife, a choice of soft or firm pillows is no longer limited to luxury hotels. Full-service and midscale hotels are recognizing that offering a selection of pillows is part of personalized service.

Memory foam pillows are enjoying a surge in popularity, but this is one trend that hotels are avoiding. Foam doesn’t have the durability to sustain the numerous washings required for hotel bedding.

Beds

Bedskirts and box-spring covers complete a polished look, but they’re high-maintenance. Platform beds and upholstered foundations provide an option that’s stylish and attractive but requires less work.

Powered Hotel Supply Movement Solutions from DJ Products

Our powered hotel movement supply carts help improve housekeeping productivity while reducing workplace injuries. Visit our website to learn more from one of our sales engineers.

Tips for Hiring Seasonal Warehouse Staff

According to CNBC, experts are predicting a prosperous holiday season for retailers this year. That translates to a greater need for temporary employees to pack orders, handle industrial tugs and fill other positions in your warehouse.

Unfortunately, low unemployment rates are likely to make qualified workers even harder to find. Use these tips to fill your seasonal hiring needs while maintaining high productivity.

Start Early

You have only one chance to take advantage of robust holiday business, so don’t put off the hiring process until the last minute. Create a game plan with timelines and required qualifications that allows you to bring in temporary workers at least three weeks before the big push starts.

Contact Previous Temporary Employees

Previous employees will already be familiar with your operations and procedures. When you can bring in experienced help that’s work-ready from day one, it’s a win-win for both of you.

Crunch the Numbers

With high-tech tools such as warehouse management systems, it’s easier than ever to analyze past years’ business and project this year’s trends. Pay particular attention to times when you may have been understaffed.

Maintain High Standards

Companies sometimes sacrifice quality for convenience when adding seasonal staff. Don’t let the temptation to cut corners keep you from using the same hiring criteria for permanent and temporary employees.

Be Honest

Some job-seekers accept seasonal employment hoping to get a foot in the door for a permanent position. Be specific about the time frame of the job and don’t discuss the possibility of full-time employment unless it truly exists.

Industrial Tugs Improve Year-Round Safety and Productivity

Electric industrial tugs from DJ Products can be used effectively by a single worker and don’t involve a complicated learning curve. Contact us for more information.

Drones and Small Aircraft – Can They Co-Exist?

Our battery-powered aircraft caddy lets workers safely maneuver small planes on the ground. Do drones pose a safety risk to small aircraft in flight?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seems to believe the answer is yes, and the agency is dragging its feet establishing permanent regulations for drones. Studies show that small aircraft and drones can actually safely share the skies.

Threat of Drone-Aircraft Collisions

With the FAA on high alert about drones in the airspace, they currently receive more than 100 reports per month concerning unmanned aircraft operating near manned aircraft. According to the Academy of Model Aeronautics, few of these incidents involve true risk to passengers.

In 2015, Bard College conducted a study about drones in close encounters with manned aircraft. The analysis of 921 reports showed that drones came within 200 feet of an aircraft in 158 cases, while only 28 pilots took evasive action.

Greater Risk: Drones or Birds?

With approximately 10 billion birds in the U.S., these flyers are far more likely than drones to be found in the air at any time. Using the assumption that drones are similar to birds in size and ability to evade aircraft, a pair of researchers from George Mason University estimated the likelihood of a serious drone-aircraft collision.

– Drones are likely to strike aircraft once per 374,000 hours of drone operation.

– One million two-kilogram drones in flight 24/7 would cause injury to an aircraft passenger once every 187 years.

Why Choose an Aircraft Caddy from DJ Products?

Our ergonomically designed aircraft caddy safely navigates small planes across snow or grass while negotiating the tightest hangar quarters. Use our handy online chat feature and let our friendly sales engineers help you find the right aircraft caddy for your applications.

Helping Warehouse Workers Steer Clear of “Pinch Points”

Are you aware of all possible injury risks lurking in your warehouse? You probably recognize the dangers of musculoskeletal and repetitive motion injuries, which our electric tugger carts are designed to reduce.

Pinch points are not as obvious, but they can also cause painful and costly injuries. What are pinch points, where are they found, and how do you protect workers?

Watch Out for Pinch Points

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) defines pinch points as spots where any part of a person’s body can be caught in a machine. “Pinches” can occur between moving parts of a machine, stationary and moving parts, or materials and machines.

According to MIOSHA, pinch points are “quite pervasive” in the workplace. Some of the main locations of pinch points include:

– Conveyors

– Power presses and rollers

– Molding, metal-forming and assembly machines

– Power doors

Don’t Get “Caught in a Pinch”

Pinch point prevention begins with a careful inspection of all machines and equipment to identify potential problem areas, eliminating pinch points wherever possible.

In spots where pinch points are unavoidable, install guards to prevent workers from coming into contact with them. Be sure to train employees regarding the dangers of pinch points, why guards are necessary and what they are intended to do.

Make it clear that under no circumstances are employees permitted to remove, work around or tamper with pinch point guards. Repairs should be handled by qualified technicians only. If a worker should spot a pinch point without a guard, they should promptly report it to their supervisor.

Put Safety First with Tugger Carts from DJ Products

Eco-friendly tugger carts such as our best-selling CartCaddyShorty are available with safety stop switches in case of emergency. Contact us to learn more.

The Logistics Industry Hits a Growth Cap Due to the Current Labor Shortage

Is your powered trailer mover tapped out? Warehouse workers are too. With the rapid growth of e-commerce, labor supplies are drying up.

Unsustainable

There will be an estimated 452,000 warehouse and distribution positions in need of fulfillment in 2018-19. However the industry is already labor-strapped, with the volume of positions outpacing the labor pool’s ability to fulfill demand by 180,300 positions per year since 2013. How will the industry cope with this shortage as e-commerce sales continue to accelerate?

Filling-in the Blanks

Retailers, delivery companies, and third-party logistics firms are dealing with the labor crunch in each (or all) of these three ways:

• Recruiting from Other Industries

Recruitment from other industries has proven successful in recent years, with government data showing a 66% increase in employees moving to the transportation and warehouse sector from other industries from 2011-15, though this arena won’t lend enough to meet demand.

• Automation to Boost Efficiency

Robots and autonomous vehicles can boost the productivity levels of existing employees.

• Market Expansion

Moving into new sectors with readily available workforces.

What Metros Offer Light in the Darkness?

Federal employment data points to multiple markets with the right combination of availability, quality, and cost of labor, as well as proximity to large customer populations for warehouses and distribution, including Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Louisville, Denver, Indianapolis, and Oakland, to name a few.

Intelligent Design

Smart analysis of labor sources is essential. To protect the bottom line, intelligent site selection efforts take into account the fact that labor contributes to more than 20% of total supply chain cost as well as 75% of final-touch distribution.

Short on manpower? Up the ante, saving time and labor with a powered trailer mover from DJ Products. Learn more today.

What Happens When We Run Out of Landfill Space?

How much do you know about what happens to waste once it’s transferred to pick-up with your dumpster moving equipment? Out of 258 million tons of solid waste produced in the United States each year, roughly one-third is recycled while the rest goes to landfills.

Unfortunately, land is a non-renewable resource and the country’s 2,000 landfills are running out of space. How did we reach this point, and what can we do to solve the problem?

An Industry in Crisis

Experts point to two significant factors contributing to dwindling landfill space.

– The amount of waste generated in the U.S., is already the highest in the world, and has been increasing over the last few years.

– China, which once accepted one-sixth of our country’s recyclable material, enacted strict bans at the beginning of 2018. As a result, waste companies have been forced to deposit the spillover in landfills.

According to a report from the Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Protocol (SWEEP), U.S. landfills are projected to reach capacity within 18 years. The situation is particularly dire in the Northeast, while landfills in the West are in slightly better shape.

Solving the Landfill Problem

– Data from the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) indicates the U.S. currently produces energy by burning 33 million tons of waste per year. That number could rise, but the tradeoff in pollution may be unacceptable.

– More landfills could be created, but the process takes time and often meets resistance from local communities.

– Regulators, manufacturers and consumers can band together to develop more sustainable packaging and be proactive with waste-reduction activities.

Eco-Friendly Dumpster Moving Equipment from DJ Products

Our dumpster moving equipment is designed to make waste removal easier and reduce risk of workplace injuries. Contact us today for more information.

What Are the Next Big Disrupters for Supply Chain Logistics?

Could your terminal tractors soon be toting goods produced or packaged using advanced technology? Innovation continues to shake up the logistics industry, with advanced technologies increasingly becoming a critical driver of supply chain strategies, disrupting ‘business as usual’ and paving the road for new logistics models.

What Technologies Could Disrupt Your Supply Chain?

These emerging technologies are most likely to disrupt your supply chain over the coming years…

The Internet of Things (IoT)

Data analytics is playing a key role in transforming not only logistics, but the end-to-end supply chain, offering keen insight into operations and ways to improve efficiency in the production, storage, routing, transportation, monitoring and delivery, and usage of goods. From wearables to continually advancing smart technology, there’s a whole new world of innovative logistics opportunities. Could the elimination of physical inventory counts and hands-free replenishment be on the horizon?

3-D Printing

Future personalization possibilities in the 3-D printing arena could dramatically simplify complicated supply chains, allowing for one-phase production in a single factory.

Self-Driving Automobiles

Self-driving vehicles could soon be used to transport items within warehouses, and driverless trucks will be revolutionary, carrying items to their end destination without stops for food and rest, unlocking new levels of efficiency and safety within the logistics sector. Driver shortages and an increase in e-commerce will push this trend, which appears inevitable.

Collaborative Robotics

Robots could soon work alongside humans loading/unloading, picking/packing, and shipping with a high degree of accuracy.

The Uberization of Delivery

Following in Amazon’s footsteps, ‘civilian’ drivers could play an increasing role in delivery, squeezing expensive commercial services out of the market.

Looking to the future? Save time, cut costs, and reduce accidents and injuries with the help of terminal tractors from DJ Products today.