INTRODUCTION: The Truck Group was originally commissioned to determine if a maintenance program for the GTA vehicles would be more cost effective than replacing vehicles on a rolling stock basis. Under the rolling stock program, vehicles were replaced every few years, even if they had very low mileage on them. The members of the Truck Group, Karen Johnson, Gaylord Novak (GTA Treasurer), Scott Thede and Bruce Hassis have fleet, construction and/or budget experience. When the Truck Group began to delve into its assignment, several additional issues came to light. These included safety, OSHA and training matters. As a result of the additional issues uncovered by the Truck Group, the report below covers many issues, not just vehicle maintenance issues. INITIAL TRUCK OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. The NexTraq demonstration took place at the July 29th Board meeting. It was an eye opening presentation for everyone. There is no doubt in the Ad Hoc Truck Advisory Group s mind that this technology should be brought on-board for ALL GTA owned vehicles because of all of its features. We recommend doing so as soon as possible. NexTraq or Fleetmatics will allow the GTA to do scheduling and dispatching, keep track of its fuel use in a more efficient manner, keep track of vehicle maintenance requirements, fuel consumption per mile, location of vehicles, reduce the fleet insurance cost, keep track of payroll hours for the field maintenance workers, etc. It is the Group s collective thinking that this technology will pay for itself very quickly. Karen Johnson has been using this technology in her company for at least 25 years. The technology/software has come a long way in this period of time and continues to offer more and more tools to help any business manage its fleet more efficiently and effectively. The GTA is currently paying $39.95 per month per vehicle for each of the security squads to utilize NexTraq. Karen was able to negotiate a $32.95 per month per vehicle price to add it to the remaining GTA vehicles. The $32.95 per month price would also apply to the security vehicles. 2. We asked if any vehicles could be eliminated from the Fleet. Joe Mattingly advised that the Chevy Equinox could be eliminated and would not require replacement. We recommend moving forward with the sale of the Equinox. 3. We advised that the truck Jason Kevern drives should have the permanent GTA decal affixed to its doors as required by Illinois State law. 4. The Truck Advisory Group does NOT recommend extended warranties for the vehicles. We feel this would be a waste of money because the cost of the warranties is generally weighted in favor of the provider of the warranties. {01617128.DOCX / }
5. We observed that the maintenance facility has suitable facilities for performing all vehicle maintenance. This includes oil changes, tire rotation, a lift to raise the vehicle for other repairs such as brakes or any under-carriage work. We recommend better records be kept of the maintenance that is performed. NexTraq provides maintenance software that would be appropriate for the GTA s needs. 6. Joe Mattingly offered to do a walk-through of the maintenance yard after the July 22nd meeting. Later during the meeting, he said he was no longer available to do the walk-through. When the meeting was over, a handful of Truck Group members decided to conduct the walkthrough anyway. We found three (3) trucks and the Equinox parked outside in the asphalt parking lot of the yard with the keys in the ignition. There were other keys on the key chains which were for the locked maintenance facility, possibly the gas tanks and the front gate. We confirmed one key opened the maintenance building, but did not check the fuel tank or front gate. Regardless, this is a questionable practice which we recommend not be continued. 7. At our July 29th walk-through with Joe Mattingly, everything we discovered the previous week had been cleaned up. Trucks were all parked inside of buildings and the yard was significantly more organized and cleaned up than the previous Saturday. On the July 29th walkthrough, we recommended to Joe Mattingly that since in excess of $100,000.00 per year is spent on fuel, the fuel tanks should have motion-activated cameras monitoring them. This would be a small expense to satisfy both safety and security reasons. There is an electrical conduit on a post between the two (2) fuel tanks which would be a suitable location to install two (2) cameras. AS A RESULT OF THE GROUP S WALK-THROUGH OF THE MAINTENANCE YARD, THE BELOW OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BEING MADE: 1. We strongly recommend that daily safety checklists be utilized for several reasons. The GTA/GTA has an unfavorable 1.09 (EMR) Experience Modification Rating with the (NCCI) National Council on Compensation Insurance. This means our Worker s Compensation (W/C) claim expense ratio is 9% higher than the average company. It also means that the GTA/GTC is paying at least 9% more for its W/C insurance than the average company. Use of safety checklists are designed to help get this problem under control, reduce our W/C claims and claim costs which will ultimately save the GTA/GTC and the owners money on the W/C insurance. Karen Johnson provided Susan Miller with a number of sample checklists. 2. We asked Joe Mattingly and Susan Miller whether anyone currently holds a daily or weekly toolbox talk with the maintenance workers. Tool Box talks are an OSHA requirement, so we recommend Brian Haase or someone else begins conducting these tool box talks as soon as possible. Karen Johnson gave Susan Miller a number of suggestions as to where she can obtain various tool box talks including our insurance agent and the internet. Karen also offered to provide Susan with number of them if requested. {01617128.DOCX / }
3. We also found numerous plastic gas cans on trailers in the yard and elsewhere. Use of plastic gas cans is NOT recommended. These cans should all be replaced immediately with OSHA approved metal or polyethylene safety cans. Safety cans include key safety features such as flame arresters, self-closing lids, pressure relief and 100% leak testing. Karen Johnson provided information on proper gas cans. 4. We also recommend a safety manual be developed for the employees to read and sign off on. Ideally, they would be provided with a copy of the manual as well. 5. Field maintenance personnel should also wear appropriate clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the tasks they are performing. This would include long pants, NO shorts, no ripped or torn clothing, short or long sleeves are okay, but no sleeveless shirts, hard hat when appropriate, safety goggles when appropriate, gloves when appropriate, construction work boots and hearing protection when using any power tools or working in an area with prolonged noise above 85 decibels. 6. We have another question as a result of our walk-through of the yard which is: how does the GTA/GTC maintain OSHA compliance for its workers? 7. We recommend first aid kits for each of the vehicles the GTA owns. They can be small and kept in the glove compartment of each vehicle. The first aid kit contents will need to be replenished periodically as well. 8. There should be a fire extinguisher inside of each vehicle. The GTA will have to monitor the dates on the fire extinguishers as well for re-charge or expiration. 9. There should be a larger first aid kit inside of the maintenance building that has the meeting room. All maintenance employees should know where the first aid kit is kept. 10. Employees should undergo OSHA 10 hour training, first aid and CPR training. The OSHA 10 Hour course can be taken on-line. These courses are important as they assist in developing a safe work awareness, culture and environment within the organization and its staff. We suggest that the GTA/GTC employees develop a zero-accident mindset when they are working in the field. CONCLUSIONS: {01617128.DOCX / }
The organization s loss history is problematic and even Tate Featherstone said the GTA account was not a profitable one during his presentation at the June Board meeting. As such, we recommend the GTA/GTC implement all the above suggestions in order to protect the safety of our workers in the future and to reduce both the frequency and severity of injuries on the job as well as near-miss accidents. Finally, the Truck Group looked at the pros and cons of keeping the boom truck. We were not able to reach a consensus so we present our observations below: Pro's and Con's: Pro's to get rid of the boom truck: The original usage plan did not cost justify the truck. Including the cost for changing light bulbs at SRC should never have been included as justification because we do not believe that the GTA is responsible for changing the SRC lights. The original cost justification said we saved money by not buying a different truck. That means two things: we did not need to replace a truck as management said it was not needed. Purchasing the boom truck without the savings from this other truck says the boom truck justification could not stand on the boom truck alone. The revenue from the sale of the truck could be used to purchase a man lift. A boom truck cannot get into all areas where height is a requirement. A specialized boom truck is being used as an everyday pick-up. A boom truck has more insurance requirements/costs. There is no supervision on the truck at the job site or for job purpose. A boom truck has higher maintenance expense. The GTA did not purchase a boom truck for gutter cleaning and all the jobs listed from GTA management. A man lift would work just fine and if not the GTA/GTC could send the work to a contractor who does that work. Pro's for keeping the boom truck: It is paid for so we can use it where needed. It prevents usage of ladders in some instances. But, based on our insurance rating the GTA/GTC should not accept jobs where a ladder is required. {01617128.DOCX / }