Tags: National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
This month we celebrated National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. According to the American Trucking Associations, there are over 3.5 million professional men and women delivering goods. They play a vital role in providing the goods, resources and materials people need.
Stats from the American Trucking Associations’ website show the massive reach and impact truck drivers have:
- Domestic trucks shipped a total of 11.18 billion tons of freight in 2023
- 33 million single-unit and combination trucks were registered in 2002, representing 5% of all motor vehicles registered
- 27 billion miles traveled by single-unit and combination trucks in 2022
In a recent interview, Mike Mazzola, Director of Corporate Logistics at The Macomb Group, discussed our expansive transportation operation and the important role our truck drivers play in the success of our company.
Q: Why is transportation such an integral part of the success of The Macomb Group?
Transportation is integral to our success because it plays a key role in maintaining our reputation to deliver the right product to the right place at the right time. Timely and reliable transportation directly impacts customer satisfaction. Efficient delivery services help meet or exceed customer expectations for product availability and delivery times, which is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and building customer loyalty.
Q: In terms of logistics, how does transportation play a part?
Efficient transportation helps streamline the entire supply chain. It ensures that products are delivered on time with the right quantities, which minimizes delays and reduces inventory holding costs. This efficiency is crucial for maintaining a smooth flow of goods and meeting customer demands.
Q: What types of trucks does The Macomb Group use?
Fleet operations deploy the following types of vehicles: Semi’s, Stake Trucks, F-550’s, and Pickup trucks.
Q: What kind of runs do our truck drivers make? What other duties do they perform?
Our drivers’ primary deliveries include direct to customer locations, job sites and inter-branch transfers.
Macomb drivers are an invaluable extension of our Sales team. They have a presence in front of our customers on a more frequent basis than our outside sales team, ensuring our commitments are being met.
When our drivers are not on the road and have completed any vehicle related duties (light maintenance, inspections, washing, etc.), the goal is to cross train them within the warehouse operations processes. These activities include picking, packing, and unloading/loading. This adds value to their experience at Macomb, both for the individual and for the company.
Q: Can you explain the difference between the types of commercial driver’s license (CDL’s) truck drivers at The Macomb Group have and why?
The two main CDL Class licenses that operate our fleet are as follows:
- Class A – Allows the holder to operate a combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the towed vehicle exceeds 10,000 pounds.
- Class B – Permits the operation of a single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, or a vehicle towing a trailer with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less.
Q: Are there any other qualifications/requirements truck drivers at The Macomb Group have?
The CDL requirements help us to hire a higher qualified driver to deliver our material. The training that is required and the testing that is done gives us a better chance of putting safe and professionally trained drivers on the road. We have a wide variety of delivery requirements and having Class A/B drivers provides us with a road presence and customer service opportunities that some of our competition has to hire out or miss out on.
Other qualifications/requirements include DOT physicals, crane operator permits, and a forklift.
Thank a truck driver this month!
