Safety Meeting
At Coastal Plains Trucking we continuously strive to be the safest Motor Carrier every day. This relentless pursuit of safety begins with our Professional Drivers. To assist our Professional Drivers in that quest, our law enforcement partners from the West Texas office of Texas DPS conducted a safety meeting on January 19, 2023. During the meeting we acquired valuable insight on regulatory adherence and safe operation on our roadways. A special thanks to Trooper Ruiz and Trooper Rodarte with Texas DPS for sharing their time and information. We appreciate our continued partnership with Texas DPS!
Safety Corner
We are off to a great start in 2023. Our Professional Team Members are working together to make Coastal Plains Trucking safe every single day. There have been changes and we are implementing the changes together with positive results.
Let’s keep doing the right thing every day!
As your Safety Director I am very impressed to see these positive results. Let’s continue our commitment to ensuring we and those around us are always safe. The industry we are in can be very dangerous at times and it takes everyone working together to stay safe. Thank you for your hard work!
-Dave Lapora
Don’t wait! Hydrate!
With high temperatures comes the importance of staying hydrated. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink. Drinking fluids must be continuous before, during, and after your shift.
SUMMER SAFETY
Even though the end of summer approaches, intense heat will continue so do not forget to take precautions against heat-related illness. Watch yourself as well as others for any warning signs such as confusion, nausea, dizziness, and extreme fatigue. Our stewardship responsibility is to protect ourselves, our team, and the general public from unnecessary danger. Be aware and cautious in and near school zones, buses, and additional traffic for the school season.
Along with heightened awareness around heat-related illness, COVID-19 is also still a big concern and needs to remain front of mind. New variants can create sudden surges in cases. It is important to not drop our guard and to take precautions as needed, especially if you are going to be in crowded indoor spaces. Utilize face masks, vaccines, boosters, and social distancing as much as you can.
We should all be proud of the work we have done in finding the Intersection of Excellence, “where safety and production meet.” It requires the efforts of every team member, every day, to execute excellence. The success of the company is dependent upon our entire team, from professional dispatchers to professional mechanics to professional drivers to professional supervisors. Continue to trust in each other to make sure we hit the “Intersection of Excellence.”
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE SAFETY
As we transition through 2022, we will continue our focus on safety. While on the road, we are constantly responsible for keeping the motoring public safe, keeping ourselves safe, keeping our customers safe, and staying compliant with the Federal, State and Local regulatory requirements. As transportation professionals we agree that to accomplish our responsibilities we must remain vigilant and always keep safety in focus. This is how true professionals operate. 
Our relentless pursuit of continuous improvement will keep us at a level of best in class. To remain at this level, we must have collaborative relations in all areas of our business, and we must consistently look for opportunities to improve.
With all of us working together we will keep this organization safe and fulfill our commitment to keeping everyone around us safe. I look forward to working with each and everyone here at Coastal Plains Trucking! - David Lapora, Director of EHS and DOT Compliance
10 WAYS FOR DRIVERS TO STAY HEALTHY ON THE ROAD
In addition to their safety, truck drivers should be concerned about health and fitness. There are lifestyle changes that truckers can make to live healthier. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be challenging for truckers because they may not have the options or resources that people in other professions have, but living a healthy life on the road is possible. Follow these 10 tips to keeping a healthy routine.
1. Eat breakfast every day
Eating breakfast gives you the energy to start your day, prolongs your need to eat lunch and keeps you moving throughout the day.
2. Snack on healthy foods
Snacking on healthy foods throughout the day will help you cut down on meal portions. Healthy snack options that truckers can take on the road with them include hummus and veggies, hard-boiled eggs, dried fruits, mixed nuts, jerky, string cheese, dark chocolate, yogurt
3. Eat more leafy greens
Eating leafy greens two times per day will increase your focus They also help lower cholesterol and preserve your vision, an important aspect for truckers.
4. Drink a lot of water
Drivers should be drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day.
5. Don’t consume more than 2 cups of coffee per day
Coffee may help truckers stay awake but consuming too much caffeine isn’t good for anyone. Following all these other steps while getting an adequate amount of sleep should reduce the need for a lot of coffee.
6. Cut soda out of your diet
Soda dehydrates the body and is bad for your teeth. There are so many healthier beverage options including water, juice and tea.
7. Get enough sleep
Truck drivers should sleep for at least 7 hours per day in a dark and quiet place. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 1 in 5 deaths on the roadway are caused by drivers who fell asleep while driving.
8. Take a rest every two hours
To avoid restlessness while driving, take a short break every two hours. Pull to a rest stop and grab a snack or just stretch your legs and do some simple exercises.
9. Avoid fast food
Try to avoid this unhealthy option at all costs. If you must go through a drive-thru, make a healthier food choice such as a salad or avoid the salty sides.
10. Exercise
Drivers should exercise at least three times per week. While stopping for rest, drivers can take a short, 15-minute jog or fast-paced walk. These exercises do not require any equipment and can be done anywhere. If you need some direction, there are tons of workout routines on YouTube.
No matter how important a load, truck drivers shouldn’t neglect their health and fitness. Following these tips should be an easy way to live healthier.
DEFENSIVE DRIVING TIPS
It's important to adjust your driving for the conditions on the road. Here are four tips for driving this fall.
DRIVING IN FOG
Make sure when driving in fog you can be seen by others. Ensure your headlights are on, but do not use your high beams. High beams reflect off the water vapor in the air making it more difficult for you to see.
KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE
A safe following distance is four seconds or more between you and the vehicle in front of you. You should at least double that following distance in the rain or fog and during the winter.
LOOK FURTHER
Don't get focused only the vehicle in front of you, keep an eye out further down the road - up to 4-5 cars ahead. This helps you see hazards or dangerous parts of the road before the vehicle in front of you gets there, giving you more time to react safely.
REGAINING CONTROL IF YOU BEGIN DRIFTING
Drifting can happen many ways, but you can regain control of your vehicle. If your car begins to drift, don't panic! Carefully turn the wheel in the direction of the drift and this will help slow the drift so you can steer out of it without over correcting. Once you've slowed the drift, turn against the drift to straighten out your vehicle and regain control.
