Preparing for the Cold Weather Ahead!

Sunday marks the first day of fall, making it the perfect time to prepare your operation for the cold weather ahead. Ensure your drivers are aware of the necessary steps to keep their trucks running smoothly throughout the winter months.

To prevent fuel jelling, additives should be added whenever the ambient temperature falls below 32°F. Power Service and Penray are two popular manufacturers of fuel additives, each offering a range of products available through Navistar and Idealease locations.

Power Service: 

• The "Red Bottle," known as Power Service 911, should be used only when the fuel in a unit has already jelled. 
• 911 is NOT to be used as a fuel additive that you would regularly put in the fuel tank to keep the fuel from jelling.
  
  
• Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement + Cetane "White Bottle" is to be added to the fuel at each fill when the ambient temperature is < 30 degrees F.
• This is the additive you should use on a regular basis during the winter months.

Penray: 

Winter Than Emergency Diesel Fuel Supplement 

• Dissolves already gelled fuel fast and reduces clogging of fuel filters. Prevents ice crystal build-up in fuel lines and filters by disbursing moisture. 
• Eliminates hard starting, pounding, excessive smoking and helps improve combustion. 100% compatible with low sulfur fuel and fuel blends. 

Winter Pow-R Plus Diesel Fuel Supplement

• ULSD compliant 
• Prevents diesel fuel gelling
• Prevents ice crystal formation 
• Reduces cold filter plug point by up to 30 degrees
• Enhances cetane levels
• Improves fuel economy 
• Utilizes HAFI® technology
• Aids cold weather starting 
• Stabilizes fuel and prevents corrosion 
• Helps reduce emissions 
• Improves lubricity

Everyone should carry a Winter Survival Kit in their truck. In an emergency, it could save your life. Here is what you need: 

• A shovel 
• Windshield scraper and small broom 
• Flashlight with extra batteries 
• Battery powered radio 
• Water
• Snack food including energy bars, raisins, and mini candy bars
  
  
• Matches and small candles
• Disposable Hand/Foot warmers
• Extra hats, socks and mittens 
• First aid kit with pocket knife
• Necessary medications 
• Blankets or sleeping bag 
• Tow chain or rope 
• Road salt, sand, or cat litter for traction 
• Booster cables
• Fluorescent distress flag and whistle to attract attention 
• Cell phone adapter to plug into lighter and or extra battery supply

Driving a Truck is a Dangerous Job!

When you think of dangerous jobs, what comes to your mind? Police officers, firefighters and construction workers might top the list for most people. Tractor-trailer truck drivers probably don’t come to mind, but Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that driving a truck is risky in ways you might not expect.

For example: 

• One out of every seven American workers killed on the job is a tractor-trailer truck driver
• In 2022, 625 tractor-trailer truck drivers were killed while working 
• 78% of these deaths were caused by transportation incidents

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers experience the highest number of nonfatal injuries and illnesses that require days off from work across all occupations. They rank 6th among occupations with the highest incidence rates of nonfatal injuries and illnesses involving time away from work, following police officers, firefighters, highway maintenance workers, correctional officers, and nursing assistants. Notably, truck drivers account for nearly one out of every 20 injury and illness cases nationwide that necessitate time off for recovery.

In fact, tractor-trailer truck drivers are three times more likely than the average American worker to experience an injury or illness that requires time off. The most common causes of missed work are slips, trips, and falls, followed by overexertion. Overexertion can occur when drivers push and pull containers, lift heavy items during loading and unloading, or repeatedly get in and out of their large vehicles.

Among all occupations, tractor-trailer truck drivers ranked 3rd for suffering from musculoskeletal disorders—injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, or spinal discs—that required days off from work in 2014. Contributing factors include overexertion from getting in and out of the truck, assisting with loading and unloading, and prolonged sitting in potentially poor posture while driving.

Recovery from injuries can take longer for truck drivers. Half of all truck drivers required at least 20 days away from work after an incident, compared to just nine days for workers in other occupations. Additionally, 42% of tractor-trailer truck drivers who missed work due to injury were out for more than a month (31 days or more).

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for reducing the number and severity of crashes involving large commercial trucks and buses. Alongside its regulatory oversight of commercial motor carriers, the FMCSA offers online resources to promote safe roadway sharing. Its safety education program, “Our Roads, Our Responsibility,” aims to educate all roadway users, including bicyclists and pedestrians.

For more information on preventing musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace, consult the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Data on work-related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses can be found on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website.

We hope this detailed information will assist employers in improving conditions for tractor-trailer drivers and empower workers with knowledge about potential hazards.

For questions or additional information about this data, please contact us.

Sean Smith and Patrick Harris
Economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Contributions from BLS employees Nicole Nestoriak and Erin Huband