As the Memorial Day holiday is set to shift into high gear, drivers – including do-it-yourself movers – are encouraged to pack a little patience for the road.
<p>More than 37 million drivers are expected during the long holiday weekend, which starts today and continues through Monday – an increase of 3.5% over last year and the most on record for the Memorial Day holiday.</p><p>Penske and AAA have assembled tips for drivers – a Memorial Day travel survival guide – on how to navigate during the busy holiday.</p><p>“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer,” said Julie Hall, AAA spokesperson. “Many Americans will kick off the summer travel season by taking advantage of the long weekend to travel to favorite destinations with friends and family.”</p><p><strong>Trains, Planes and Automobiles</strong></p><p>AAA expects an increase in Americans traveling by train, plane and automobiles this Memorial Day weekend.</p><p>“This Memorial Day will be a busy one. Nearly 43 million Americans will start their summers on a high note with a Memorial Day weekend getaway. This long holiday weekend will see the second-highest travel volume on record since AAA began tracking holiday travel volumes dating back to 2000, trailing only the bar set in 2005,” Hall said.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0f5df1058125ac24edda7aa15be2016c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="d8e02" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5NDQ3Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzMxMDg1M30.-lQ1GspvEiBHiimnmUcrrlNa4rZiMtS2JAhpDwGgj4E/img.jpg?width=980"/></p><p>Overall, an additional 1.5 million more people will take to the nation’s roads, rails and runways compared with last year, a 3.6% increase</p><p>With drivers making up the overwhelming majority of travelers, INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, predicts travel delays on major roads could be more than three times longer than normal evening commutes.</p><p>The greatest amount of congestion is expected on Thursday and Friday in the late afternoon as commuters leave work early to get a jump on holiday traffic.</p><p>Recognizing this, preparation will be key. Hall has these tips for drivers:</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>Get plenty of rest before setting out on a road trip and schedule breaks every two hours or 100 miles to remain alert and avoid driving drowsy.</li> <li>Motorists should be aware of all traffic laws, particularly those related to handheld or other mobile device bans, for the states through which they will be traveling.</li> <li>Be aware of the dangers of cognitive distraction while driving. Hands-free and in-vehicle technologies can mentally distract drivers, even if their eyes are on the road and their hands are on the wheel.</li> <li>Drivers should designate a passenger to serve as their official text messenger and navigator.</li></ul><p>Joining motorists and do-it-yourself movers on crowded roadways will be professional truck drivers and their commercial vehicles.</p><p>Sharing the road takes on special significance during busy times like holiday travel seasons, so the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) developed the <a href="https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ourroads" rel="noopener noreferrer">“Our Roads, Our Responsibility”</a> program featuring road sharing tips for passenger and commercial vehicle drivers.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3bf244cfd3d2e3705b3c672a662d887d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="8c644" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMTk5NDQ3Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjgxNzM4Nn0.-oCG1t99RSRNRo_u5Kfj6gzD-z1DjYWnPHfsPCYJeZ0/img.jpg?width=980"/></p><p>Special emphasis is paid to improving driving behavior, learning to coexist on the same roadways, and working together to reduce crashes.</p><p><strong>Summer Moving Season </strong></p><p>Memorial Day also signals the start to the busy summer moving season, as do-it-yourself movers pack up for moves across town and across the country.</p><p>Penske’s helpful moving advisors are ready to help at each stage of the move from selecting the right truck, planning routes, and how to prepare for moving day.</p><p>Our moving experts offer these tips for Memorial Day do-it-yourself movers:</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>Pack up early so that loading can begin as soon as you pick up your truck.</li> <li>Give yourself enough travel time to account for potential delays, including road construction.</li> <li>Make sure you have snacks and drinks ready for the road.</li> <li>For cross-country movers, plan breaks to do a little sightseeing along the way.</li> <li>After you arrive at your destination, make sure you allow enough time to unload.</li></ul><p>Ready to get started planning your summer do-it-yourself move?</p><p><em>Penske Truck Rental offers </em><a href="https://www.pensketruckrental.com/discounts/unlimited-miles/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>free unlimited miles</em></a><em> on all one-way truck rentals, </em><a href="https://www.pensketruckrental.com/discounts/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>discounts</em></a><em> for AAA members, college students and members of the military as well as packing supplies and 24/7 roadside assistance. Are you ready to make a reservation? Visit the Penske Truck Rental </em><a href="https://www.pensketruckrental.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>website</em></a><em> for more information</em><em>.</em></p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon </em></p> </div>
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America’s Road Team Captains Help Young Drivers Safely Share the Road
February 13, 2018
Professional truck drivers know safe driving habits are important when traveling on roadways filled with congestion and other distractions, often situations that can be a challenge for new drivers.
<p>Through <a href="http://www.trucking.org/Share_the_Road.aspx" rel="noopener">Share the Road</a>, a highway safety program developed by the <a href="http://www.trucking.org/" rel="noopener">American Trucking Associations (ATA)</a>, professional truck drivers teach teen drivers how to exercise good judgment when driving on roadways shared with commercial vehicles like tractor-trailers.</p><p>Members of the ATA’s America’s Road Team – including <a href="https://blog.gopenske.com/logistics/driver-embraces-trucking-safety-ambassador-role/" rel="noopener">Earl Taylor</a>, an America’s Road Team Captain and professional truck driver for <a href="https://www.penskelogistics.com/" rel="noopener">Penske Logistics</a> – draw on their experience and exemplary safety records to serve as program ambassadors and pass along tips to young drivers.</p><p>“If we teach teens at an early age, before they develop bad habits, they can be more effective drivers,” said Drew Mitrisin, manager of industry affairs for the ATA. “Even if kids take one or two things away from a Share the Road demonstration, we still think it will be valuable and potentially life-saving.”</p><p>Taylor recently visited with students at two high schools in Virginia, offering them a chance to climb into the cab of the official Share the Road tractor-trailer, explore the sleeper compartment and experience a commercial unit from a professional truck driver’s vantage point.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ca94fd4b5d7f227c70de0a185c2a2961" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="dcb6d" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyODQ4NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDI4MDg2Nn0.dj3HtNAMAhxewECHWQjVaDJwuzmPYgwmvXdf4_QBJsc/img.jpg?width=980"/></p><p>“We all want to be safe on the road, and the only way is for teens to understand what we are doing,” Taylor said. “We are professional drivers; we have a pretty good understanding of what to expect out on the road, but new drivers don’t have as much experience or exposure to commercial vehicles.”</p><p><strong>Driving Home Highway Safety</strong></p><p>The Share the Road program began in 1986 to teach the public how to coexist safely with large trucks on roadways, working with many highway safety partners, including state trucking associations and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.</p><p>“Once you understand the limitations of a truck, you will be able to better predict what a truck driver will do and how you can drive responsibly next to a truck driver,” said Mitrisin.</p><p>In addition to schools, Share the Road events are held during the year at state capitols, motorcycle and RV events, auto shows and truck driving championships. An official Share the Road tractor-trailer serves as a literal touchpoint of the presentation.</p><p>Some Share the Road program <a href="http://www.trucking.org/article.aspx?uid=9338fc87-cfbd-4719-95ae-2f0d9444a2db">tips</a> include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>When following behind a truck, remain 20 to 25 car lengths behind it.</li> <li>Leave enough space if you need to stop suddenly for an accident ahead of you or to avoid debris in the roadway.</li> <li>When passing a truck, and before moving back into its lane, make sure you can see the truck’s headlights in your rearview mirror before you move back over.</li></ul><p>“One of the big messages is to understand when you’re in a blind spot and try to get out of it quickly but safely. There is a blind spot in the front, and trucks take a long time to stop, so you want to make sure you give him plenty of cushion when you are cutting back into the truck driver’s lane,” Mitrisin said.</p><p>By having professional truck drivers leading the presentation, it gives teens an authentic voice and a glimpse of the important roles professional truck drivers play.</p><p>“This is really a good chance for our professional truck drivers like Earl, who have tons of accident-free miles, to talk to kids first hand and explain the fact that truck drivers are professionals and they do everything they can to get families home safely,” said Mitrisin.</p><p>Safe driving is not only a key component to Penske Logistics’ success, and the success of our customers, but it also ensures the safety of the company’s 4,650 professional truck drivers, including Taylor.</p><p>A big part of Penske’s safety initiative is encouraging drivers to participate in the Smith System training course. Smith System is a leading provider of collision avoidance driving training.</p><p>“Our professional truck drivers put a premium on safe driving to keep themselves safe as well as other motorists,” said Jason Herr, vice president of safety for Penske Logistics. “Safe driving is central to the professional, efficient and on-time performance we provide for our customers each and every day.”</p><p><strong>On a Safety Mission</strong></p><p>During his time in Virginia, Taylor spoke with 10th-grade students in the driver education programs at two high schools.</p><p>“They are excited about driving. They want to get their license. They want that freedom – to be able to go when you want, to come back when you want and not have to depend on someone to pick you up,” he said. “Freedom is a luxury.”</p><p>During Taylor’s presentation, the students’ curiosity grew once they could climb inside the tractor. “They became interested in the emission control systems and the electronic logs. They wanted to know about the volume of the trailer,” Taylor said.</p><p>For Taylor, the event allowed him to indulge one of his passions – promoting safety and impacting the lives of children.</p><p>“When you see a kid who understands the safety part because of the information you have personally given, there is no greater feeling than that.”</p><p><em>Interested in a driving career with Penske? Visit </em><a href="https://www.gopenske.com/drivers/" rel="noopener"><em>gopenske.com/drivers</em></a><em> for employment opportunities. The company offers competitive wages and a wide range of</em><a href="https://www.gopenske.com/careers/employment_benefits.html"><em> </em></a><a href="https://www.gopenske.com/careers/employment_benefits.html" rel="noopener"><em>benefits</em></a><em>. Penske is an Equal Opportunity Employer.</em></p><p><em>By Bernie Mixon </em></p></div>
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While attending the Mid-America Trucking Show, Penske's Neil Kirk (left) met F. Scott Darling, acting administrator for the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
<p><a href="http://blog.gopenske.com/?s=Neil+Kirk">Neil Kirk</a> knew that the climates are vastly different in Minnesota and Louisiana. What he didn’t know was that he would experience its extremes on the<em> same</em> road trip. While on his latest goodwill tour as an <a href="http://www.trucking.org/article.aspx?uid=d03b92f7-bdbe-43a3-992f-d45eb4f135c9">America’s Road Team Captain</a> for the American Trucking Associations, the <a href="http://www.PenskeLogistics.com">Penske Logistics</a> truck driver was asked to drive the <a href="http://www.trucking.org/Share_the_Road.aspx">Share the Road</a> tractor solo from Minneapolis to New Orleans.</p><p>When he arrived in Minneapolis from the New York metro area via airplane in April, the thermometer read 5 degrees. “It was snowing and I didn’t pack enough warm clothes,” recalled Kirk. Previously, he had driven a truck east-west across the United States. This would be his first time traversing the country north-south.</p><p>He knew he was leaving the cold weather because Kirk saw trees that started to fill out while driving. “In New Orleans, it was 80 degrees and people were wearing flip-flops and shorts.”</p><p>In just a span of three days, Kirk picked up an amazing 75 degrees heading south.</p><p>This was Kirk’s first visit to New Orleans. Among the highlights:</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>A lover of jazz music, he saw the best live band of his life</li> <li>Kirk tried both alligator (“thought it was good, tasted like chicken, but a little more gamey,”) and crawfish (“seemed like a lot of work to me,”) for the first time</li> <li>He enjoyed his “best-ever” catfish, Cajun style of course</li> <li>Set his personal benchmark for high-quality jambalaya, and was not deterred by spiciness</li></ul><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="73a6dd79191ebefb6e81dcd767009334" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="507d1" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyNzk3OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDA3NDA2NH0.Pu9rtn8VMMmvBRtR22-Obat5DPVs4q_2B-R5UMYf5dA/img.jpg?width=980"/><small class="image-media media-caption">Penske Logistics truck driver Neil Kirk preaches driver safety to Minnesota high school students.</small></p><p>While in Minnesota he spoke at three high schools. “The Share the Road events are the best things I’ve ever done,” Kirk stated. “I talk to the kids about distracted driving and blind spots. They aren’t driving yet so they don’t have bad habits.</p><p>“Distracted driving is so much more than people being on their phones,” he continued. “It’s using the radio, putting on makeup and parents talking to kids in the backseat. It is all the things that cause the driver to take their eyes off the road for a second.”</p><p>Prior to making his most recent journey, Kirk attended the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky. He spent time in the ATA booth, talking up the industry to attendees, and also meeting <a href="https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/leadership/acting-administrator">F. Scott Darling, acting administrator</a> for the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).</p><p>These public appearances continue to enhance Kirk’s speaking ability and if given a choice, he has derived more enjoyment speaking to the youth. Kirk kiddingly points out that online, he continues to “be the face of trucking,” for family and friends.</p><p>It is easy to see why Kirk is a Road Team Captain and an ambassador for the transportation industry.</p><p><em>By Alen Beljin</em></p></div>
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