Getting better?

The economy is finally showing signs of life, but most people in the trucking business seem to be in the "wait and see" mode. Though truckers that I speak with daily are telling me that their trucks are full, and they are busier than they have been in at least 18 months, very few of them seem to be rushing out to buy new trucks yet. Two probable reasons, number one, we don't know if this is really a "recovery" or is simply a sign of the normally busier retail season taking hold, and two the credit market has not loosened up at all for those in business, specifically the trucking business. I have long said that the health of the trucking industry is a great barometer of the national economy; in a slow period, manufacturers order less raw material, and ship out less finished product, people buy less and so on. When we saw our revenue reports from our truckers in the fourth quarter of 08, we took quick action to streamline our business, and that has helped us do pretty well through most of 09. We consider ourselves fairly lucky at this time, as we have watched other businesses not survive this downturn.

I believe things are getting better, and that this is not simply a quick blip on a chart. I believe that people like myself have taken steps to make their businesses stronger and leaner. And I believe that 2010 is going to be a good, but not a great year for American business. And American business moves on the shoulders of the American trucker.

Insurance rates for trucking, somewhat due to the economic slide, are at an all time low. If you've ever thought about getting into the industry, now may be a good time to do it. For more information on our products and services, please check out www.insuremyrig.com

Thanks much, and drive safe out there

Texting and Driving

It's all over the news...and for good reason. Next time you pull up to a stoplight, or pass another vehicle, glance over to see what the other driver is doing. When I've done that lately, people are either on their cell phones, which is distracting enough, or worse yet, texting while driving. A recent study quoted by the Roemer Report (www.theroemerreport.com) from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found drivers' who text while driving are 20 times more likely to have an accident. Those are huge odds. Professional truck drivers, unfairly or not, have an even larger responsibility to acknowledge this as a very dangerous activity; and trucking company executives should consider adding language to their driver manual's that expressly forbid texting while driving. If you have any further doubts, check out this very graphic video from the Today Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2D3hB278Gc

Let's please drive safe out there...we all have people at home who love us.

Have a great week!

Michael

Here's what I look for in regards to insurance

Hey all.
Many of our customers rely on us to give them advice on which coverages they need, which deductibles to choose, and even which insurance company to go with. Here are some basics when making those choices.

1. Agent relationship is #1. Has this agent written alot of trucking insurance? It's a specialized field, and you don't want any surprises especially at time of loss. Also, has the agency itself been in business for many years? How do you connect personally with that agent? The right agent will have multiple insurance companies to choose from, be well-versed in trucking coverage and a professional, honest and level-headed.

2. Make sure you describe your operation in it's entirety to your agent; he needs this information to advise you which coverages are necessary, and which ones are desirable.

3. If you have more than one quote from different insurance companies, ask your agent which one works best with claims and service. Believe me, he will know. Price needs to be competitive, but I will gladly pay a little more for a company that will be there when I call. Trucking insurance is expensive, and even more expensive when you get lousy service for all your hard-earned money.

4. What deductible level is right? Physical damage insurance and cargo insurance normally have deductibles attached (how much you owe of each claim). If the deductible is higher, then the rate charged will be lower. At the inception (start) of the policy, that is an attractive feature; however, I ALWAYS advise my clients to choose the lowest deductible possible. Why? At time of loss, there can be injuries, irate customers, property damaged and a serious deficit in your ability to service your customer; having to deal with a large cash payout during these very stressful times will make you wish you had chosen to pay a little more.

If you have any questions about this post, or I can answer any of your questions, feel free to contact me.

Drive safe out there

Speeding

The June version of the Roemer Report (www.theroemerreport.com) is out, and I just finished reading one of the articles on aggressive driving. When insurance companies begin evaluating a company to provide a commercial auto quote, one of the most critical pieces of information they evaluate is MVR's on all of the drivers. Many trucking company owners, as well as the drivers themselves can become angry when an insurance company raises objections about drivers with multiple speeding tickets on their motor vehicle reports. The Roemer Report quotes a study that in 55% of fatality accidents, aggressive driving is the causative effect; and in those cases, speeding was the culprit 33% of the time.
Commercial drivers, fair or not, have a greater responsibility on the road. Their livelihoods, and other's lives depend on their attention to safe driving. Many times in a fatality accident, the truck driver is NOT at fault, and I don't mean to imply anything different. The safer everyone drives, the better off we will all be, and the more competitive our insurance rates will be.

Drive safe (everybody!) out there

The Roemer Report going green!

The Roemer Report, a monthly digest of motor carrier news published by Roemer Insurance (www.theroemerreport.com) has made the move to an email only distribution. The website looks very "old school" and really portrays the feel of the Roemer Report which we've been publishing for 30 years. This is a great newsletter, designed to give a quick update to truckers and the trucking industry about recent news affecting us all. Check it out and feel free to sign up to receive it monthly by email. I'd love to get your feedback on it.

Drive safe out there.

Michael

Opening Salvo

Afternoon everybody! Well, it's now up...my first attempt at youtube acclaim. Not as funny as alot of videos out there, but hopefully alot more informative than most. We just recently shot a video of Top 5 Tips for starting a Commercial Trucking Company. At our office, we specialize in providing competitive and comprehensive insurance coverage for trucking companies, and we see alot of start-up companies (or new ventures) come to us for insurance, and advice. With that in mind, we thought we'd provide a list of best practices for people looking to get into, and stay profitable, in the trucking industry. This is not meant to be a complete list, just an excellent start for those who've wanted their own business rolling down the road. See the video here, and please touch base with any comments or questions. Drive safe out there!

Michael