What Is Your Agency’s Fleet Exposure?

Whether a district has five vehicles or 50, the principles of minimizing fleet risk are the same — a rigorous hiring process, ongoing training and a focus on safety.

With 14 vehicles in its fleet, (passenger buses, dump trucks, work vans, pick-up trucks, aerial tree truck), hiring a new driver is a complex matter, according to Jesse Felix, Superintendent of Parks at West Chicago Park District.

“We look for experienced Commercial Driver Licensees (CDL) with passenger endorsement — plus an air-brake endorsement to drive one of our 40-passenger buses,” he says. But a CDL alone doesn’t cover all the bases.

“Even though applicants say they are experienced, they may not be experienced with your equipment,” Felix points out. “For instance, our 40-passenger bus is a flat-nose bus. The front wheels are behind the driver, and it turns differently than other buses. We review the equipment with the driver, including the pre-trip inspection, and the driver completes three separate check/test drives with our staff before we allow him to drive the vehicle for the agency.”

You might be thinking that’s too many check drives, but Felix cautions about underestimating their importance. Those check drives are his top-three tips for successful fleet training. “Check drives, check drives, check drives,” he says. “I had one driver that drove over the boulders along our drive and caused $4,000 worth of damage. That was on our second test drive. Needless to say, check drives are extremely important to us.”

The training continues throughout the year, Felix adds. “We conduct annual driver safety training for all staff through our safety contractor (S.T.A.R.E). I’ve been here for 26 years, and I still participate.”

The agency tries to minimize risk along driving routes, as well. “Our most unique exposure is railroad crossings,” he explains. “We designed our bus routes to avoid all five crossings in town, and we encourage our drivers to approach every intersection with caution.”

Felix also points out an emerging new safety challenge for his drivers — distracted Pokémon Go players. “Recently, a woman was holding her iPhone at eye level while driving down the street. We assumed she was playing Pokémon Go. All three vehicle drivers coming back from a park trip saw her and watched her drift into our lane. We all keep our eyes moving when we’re behind the wheel for just such occasions.”
 
Of all the information and resources provided by PDRMA, Felix singles out the 15 Passenger Van and Shuttle Bus Driver training that he took last year as the most impactful. “It’s the best preventive training on this subject I’ve ever participated in. The statistical information struck home with me, and the demonstration about blind spots was enlightening. It highlights the importance of the 360 Walk Around for Safety.”

Glenview Park District

With an even larger fleet to manage at Glenview Park District, Risk Manager Henry Urbina has found a variety of ways to encourage safety awareness among all staff — whether they are drivers or not.

“The district has a huge fleet of trucks, cars, tractors, trailers, mowers and more, plus dozens of specialty vehicles from gator dumps and ball diamond groomers to sod cutters and water reels,” he explains. That means training is essential to ensure staff understands how to use each fleet vehicle.

It starts with the hiring process, Urbina explains, noting the agency’s credentials search and background checks include an Illinois Driver Abstract check or a driving record request. “We conduct the check for all drivers each year and ensure a staff member reviews the results thoroughly. You should also have a policy on how to deal with results that are not up to your expectations.”

Glenview’s training program includes periodic online training, the district’s own defensive driving course and Northern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy’s Snow Plow Training and refresher courses. During annual safety training each spring, the agency reviews vehicle incidents for the past year and conducts refresher training on mirror positioning and defensive driving.
 
“We set up a small obstacle course and have all Parks employees drive it using a Ford F250 truck,” Urbina says. “That way they experience how limited the view is in a large pick-up truck when backing up. It reminds everyone about the dangers of standing behind a big truck — and to always be cautious around them.”

Smart routing of drivers also plays a role at Glenview. “There are intersections we avoid, since traffic can be dangerous at certain times, and we limit the number of left turns (which require cutting across oncoming lanes of traffic) as much as possible.”

Urbina credits PDRMA’s webinars and online training courses for helping him minimize fleet risk. “Our employees understand that safety, in every context, is important and valued at Glenview.”