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Where did I put my cell phone?

By David A. Kolman - Monday June 17, 2013

Here's a statistic I found startling: Every minute in the U.S., 113 smartphones are stolen or lost. That is according to research from Protect Your Bubble ( www.protectyourbubble.com ), an insurance company that, among other things, covers smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Along with the cost of replacing a missing smartphone comes the loss of important data and information. That includes such things business transactions, contact lists, account information, e-mails, business documents and so on. Plus, there is that sense of devastation that comes about because there are a number of people who have become very dependent on the information stored in their mobile devices. Add to that the worry about whether or not the...
Unwanted help behind the wheel

By David A. Kolman - Monday June 10, 2013

Seems there's a survey on just about everything. For example, one survey found that couples who marry in January, February and March tend to have the highest divorce rates. Another determined that two out of three people sleep on their sides, and they're about equally divided as to which side. About 40 percent of the U.S. population has never visited a dentist, a study found. A poll found that about one in four American workers, if they could do so, would fire their boss. Now, a recent study by Insurance.com ( www.insurance.com ) has rated backseat drivers. According to the Worst Backseat Drivers ( www.insurance.com/auto-insurance/safety/worst-backseat-drivers.html ), spouses are the most annoying backseat drivers. Imagine...
Where did I put my cell phone?

By David A. Kolman - Monday June 10, 2013

Here ' s a statistic I found startling: Every minute in the U.S., 113 smartphones are stolen or lost. That is according to research from Protect Your Bubble, an insurance company that, among other things, covers smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Along with the cost of replacing a missing smartphone comes the loss of important data and information. That includes such things business transactions, contact lists, account information, e-mails, business documents and so on. Plus, there is that sense of devastation that comes about because there are a number of people who have become very dependent on the information stored in their mobile devices. Add to that the worry about whether or not the data in these devices has been...
Nationwide top 10 driver and vehicle violations

By David A. Kolman - Monday June 3, 2013

In a recent industry presentation, Stephen Keppler, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), noted the top nationwide driver and vehicle safety violations as revealed by data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ( www.fmcsa.dot.gov ). The top driver violations were: 1. Log form and manner. 2. Driver's record of duty status not current. 3. Driver not in possession of medical certificate. 4. Non-English speaking driver. (I find this amazing.) 5. Speeding (6 to 10 mph over posted speed limit). 6. Failing to use a seat belt. 7. Over the 14-hour on-duty limit. 8. Failing to obey traffic control device. 9. False record of duty status. 10. Expired medical examiner's certificate...
Nationwide top 10 driver and vehicle violations

By David A. Kolman - Monday June 3, 2013

In a recent industry presentation, Stephen Keppler, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), noted the top nationwide driver and vehicle safety violations as revealed by data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ( www.fmcsa.dot.gov ). The driver violations were: 1. Log form and manner. 2. Driver's record of duty status not current. 3. Driver not in possession of medical certificate. 4. Non-English speaking driver. (What a world that this is in the top five.) 5. Speeding (6 to 10 mpg over posted speed limit). 6. Failing to use a seat belt. 7. Over the 14-hour on-duty limit. 8. Failing to obey traffic control device. 9. False record of duty status. 10. Expired medical...
Is your equipment ready for CVSA's annual enforcement blitz?

By David A. Kolman - Monday May 20, 2013

Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial vehicles in the world, with approximately 14 trucks or buses being inspected, on average, every minute from Canada to Mexico, during a 72-hour period in early June. An annual event, this year's Roadcheck, themed is set for June 4 to 6. That is when the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and its members will be aggressively enforcing compliance with commercial vehicle safety regulations, removing those high-risk carriers from the roads to ensure the public's safety. The theme for Roadcheck 2103 is Enhancing Truck and Bus Safety Throughout North America , and there will be an additional focus on motorcoach inspections and overall traffic enforcement. The CVSA is...
Are your vehicles prime targets for theft?

By David A. Kolman - Monday May 13, 2013

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) recently released the latest annual Hot Wheels - its list of the 10 most-stolen vehicles in the U.S. The report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center and determines the vehicle make, model and year most reported stolen. For 2011, the most-stolen vehicles in the nation were: 1. 1994 Honda Accord. 2. 1998 Honda Civic. 3. 2006 Ford Pickup (full size). 4. 1991 Toyota Camry. 5. 2000 Dodge Caravan. 6. 1994 Acura Integra. 7. 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (full size). 8. 2004 Dodge Pickup (full size). 9. 2002 Ford Explorer. 10. 1994 Nissan Sentra. Hot Wheels is the only report that examines all theft data without regard...
Put your thumbs down and drive

By David A. Kolman - Monday May 6, 2013

I have a number of friends and business associates that believe they’re being more careful when they use the voice-to-text method rather than manual texting while driving. That may seem safer, but new research findings suggest that voice-to-text applications offer no real safety advantage. The study was sponsored by the Southwest Region University Transportation Center (SWUTC) and conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI). SWUTC is a part of the University Transportation Centers Program, which is a federally-funded program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration . Actual driving The first of its kind study was based on the...
Business change initiatives

By David A. Kolman - Monday April 29, 2013

As part of my job, I do a lot of flying. While waiting at airports and on aircraft, I read books - the hard or soft cover kind. On a recent flight, I read the book, Selfish Altruism: Managing & Executing Successful Change Initiatives . Written by change management consultant Moe Glenner, it examines the often-ignored human element in business change initiatives and offers advice on using personal motivation to produce lasting results. “If we define altruism as ‘for the greater good’ and selfish as ‘me first,’ then even a selfish act can be altruistic,” Glenner says. “Even though an employee could be facilitating a change for a higher salary (selfish), it will benefit the organization (altruistic). “Intent is...
Wrench bragging rights

By David A. Kolman - Monday April 22, 2013

Technicians enjoy talking about their toolboxes and the amount and diversity of tools they have. Inevitably, such discussions turn into contests to see who has the largest toolbox or the largest collection of tools. Now, there could be a new contest, thanks to Channellock, which has introduced its largest, most powerful wrench: the Channellock 30" 830 Adjustable Wrench. Established 127 years ago, Channellock is a worldwide leader in manufacturing high-quality pliers and hand tools. The new "big boy" Channellock 830 wrench, which complements the company's existing adjustable wrench line, is a full 6" longer than the previous offering and has as a jaw capacity up to 3". The 830 is 1.5" thick, 6.3" wide and has a 12-lb steel...