2020 is here and we are continuing to make safety our priority! This month’s safety meeting was focused on reviewing some important topics from the end of 2019 and discussing student/passenger safety inside and outside of the bus along with some critical parts of pre-trip inspections. The overall theme of the meeting was staying focused and minimizing distractions of any kind.
The agenda started with a discussion about vehicle
preparations in winter weather and how extra time is needed to prepare for the
day’s driving. It is imperative that snow and ice are removed from the vehicle
– especially windshields and windows – before departure. Any sort of debris can
cause impaired vision and distractions will driving.
When on the road, it is important for drivers to be aware of
their environment. Even in situations where there is seemingly no risk of
danger, drivers must be on the lookout and always anticipate something
happening. Most situations, when reviewed, have an identifiable “critical
decision point” that was made, and if the choice was different, a different
outcome would have been achieved.
Another important topic covered
was student safety management. This encompasses the safety of the students
prior to getting on the bus, when they are on the bus, and when they exit the
bus to go to school or home. Drivers are trained to watch where the students
are walking at all times, and if they can’t see the students, to not move the
bus. They are instructed to clear their dangers zones, make eye contact with
students as they cross in front of the bus, and to watch for oncoming traffic
that may put the students in harms way.
Part of keeping students safe includes doing child/passenger
checks. Child/passenger checks are to be done by both the driver and the
assistant after the end of each route and again at the bus yard. This procedure
prevents students/passengers from being left unattended. We are committed to
ensuring all of our passengers are kept safe on a daily basis. At our January
meeting, a child/passenger check quiz was distributed to test and review
employees’ knowledge on this procedure.
Some of our Wyandotte safety pin recipients
At the end of the meeting, employees who have had no preventable accidents or injuries for 1, 2, or 3 years received a safety pin. By eliminating distractions, it’s possible to achieve zero fatalities, zero unattended children, zero preventable accidents, and zero preventable injuries. Our employees are committed to putting safety first and making the roads safer for our communities. We commend all of our employees for everything they do to keep our passengers safe!
Throughout the course of 2018, we’ve held safety meetings every month to educate our employees and review important safety material. In November, we focused on driving conditions and how to be a proactive and defensive driver. The safety message for our meetings was “Look farther up the road. Stay focused on your driving. Think ahead and be ready.” To go along with the November safety message, we started off the meetings by reviewing LLLC Defensive Driving:
Look ahead
Look around
Leave room
Communicate
We advise our drivers to look 15 seconds ahead at all times (equals out to one city block), focus on what is happening up ahead, identify hazards early, slow down, and avoid panic stops. By practicing these habits, it gives drivers extra time to avoid accidents. Drivers should be changing their focus every two to three seconds, making them aware of their surroundings so they can anticipate problems, react timely, and remain alert. Leaving room and maintaining a cushion of space all around the vehicle gives drivers extra time to avoid collisions. The easiest place to leave room is in front of the vehicle. Drivers communicate by making sure other drivers and pedestrians know where they are, use signals and horn to communicate intentions, and make eye contact.
Changing seasons leads to changing driving conditions. It’s important to be aware of hazardous driving environments, watch for changing road conditions, and to drive to match the conditions of the road. Be aware of roadways with soft shoulders and stay in the lane at all times. With winter approaching, the precipitation and weather can cause adverse driving conditions. Slowing down is important when the roads could be slick and if visibility is low. Defensive driving comes into play when the weather changes the conditions of the road – look ahead, look around, leave room, and communicate.
The meetings ended with local CSC updates from general managers and maintenance, then company updates. November’s safety meetings provided vital information that will help our drivers keep our roads and communities safe this winter. At Trinity, we strive to practice safe and defensive driving every time we are out on the road!
For the safety meetings this month, each of our general managers led the meeting at their terminal. Per usual, the meetings started with local news and updates (operational and maintenance), then the first topic covered was preventing a rollaway. A rollaway is when a vehicle moves without the driver in the seat, which can happen when drivers are distracted and do not set the handbrake/parking brake. The next topic of discussion was pedestrian/bicyclist awareness and safety. We always teach our drivers to “Be A.W.A.R.E.”:
Always make a complete stop before turning
Watch for pedestrians’ body language and if they are distracted
Anticipate the direction of the pedestrian
Right-of-way always goes to pedestrians
Eliminate blind spots and establish eye contact
Our company’s safety performance key performance indicators (KPIs) were reviewed, first overall then by terminal. The GMs went over their terminal’s performance feedback from the different programs we use to track performance and discussed where they are at in relation to their goals.
The general managers did an awesome job conducting the safety meetings this month. Our employees reviewed and learned important information they will take with them every time they’re on the road!
September’s safety meetings took place the week of September 24th and provided important information for our drivers and aides. The meetings were led by Chief Operating Officer Dave Holls and began with local updates from each terminal’s general manager.
After the local terminal updates, Dave delved into the topic of slips and falls. Slip, trip, and fall hazards can occur in virtually every type of workplace. Injuries that can occur due to these hazards are sprains, strains, bruises and contusions, fractures, abrasions, and cuts. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, slips, trips, and falls make up the majority of all work-related injuries. There are 95,000,000 lost work days per year due to these incidents and they account for 15% of accidental deaths and 25% of all reported injury claims. Slips, trips, and falls, can be avoided by taking extra caution, being aware of your surroundings, and fixing anything you see that is a hazard. It is also important to walk defensively and wear proper shoes.
The next topic discussed was danger zones of the school bus. The entire perimeter around the school bus is a danger zone, with the most dangerous zones being the left and right sides of the rear and the area in front of the nose of the bus. This is why it’s imperative that our drivers teach students the proper way to behave in and around the bus. The best way to exit the bus is to walk out 15 feet from the door to a sidewalk, then turn in the direction you need to go. If something falls/drops in front or around the bus, students are to tell the bus driver before picking it up. Our bus drivers are taught to be extra aware and to always check their mirrors and surroundings, and to do head counts every time students enter and exit the bus.
The meeting ended with safety key performance indicators, performance feedback, and employee handbook updates. With the start of the school year under way, we are ready to make this our best year yet!
Every year, Trinity Transportation prepares for the new school year by hosting our annual Back to School Meeting for school bus division employees. During the meeting, company protocol, procedures, and safety measures are reviewed to ensure our employees put their best foot forward for the upcoming school year.
“As an organization, we understand the importance of thorough planning and preparation. That is why each year, before the start of school, we bring together all of our school bus division employees for a back to school startup meeting to review policy changes and receive continuing education training”, Chief Operating Officer Dave Holls stated. “At this year’s meeting, crisis de-escalation and student management on the bus were two highlighted training events everyone participated in.”
Our meeting this year had over 500 attendees, including two special guests from our parent company, National Express: Vice President of Safety Kevin Kilner and Head of Transit Maintenance William Diamond. The day started with an introduction from Dave Holls, who discussed safety initiatives including our ongoing Target Zero campaign. He also discussed the performance of our terminals; what employees should do before, during, and after their routes; and reiterated the Driving out Harm program. Kevin Kilner delivered an important safety message, touching on how imperative it is that we follow all of the guidelines and procedures put in place in order to keep our communities safe.
After lunch, Area General Manager Kevin Dunbar gave training on blood borne pathogens, which prepared employees for cases where bodily fluids are involved. The training took employees through the process of what to do in a medical emergency and how to handle bodily fluids with precaution. Next up was DriveCam coaching, conducted by Dave Holls, and then customer service training from Sales Director Pete Rudnik. The meeting ended with educational videos on preventative techniques for crisis intervention and a discussion about student management.
During the meeting, there were periodic breaks for some fun! Upon arrival, employees were given raffle tickets for a chance to spin the prize wheel and win prizes. A total of 13 prizes were given away, including a Keurig set, Amazon Fire Cube, tablets, a record player, and a five-piece luggage set.
To see more pictures, check out our Facebook page! If you’re interested in being a part of Team Trinity, you can view our open positions and apply here!
Our safety meetings for May were conducted the 21st through 26th and were packed with vital information for our drivers and aides! The meetings were executed by Dave Holls, chief operating officer, and Carl Ingram, Detroit area safety director. Our safety meetings always start with a little introduction then local news and updates from each terminal’s general manager and maintenance department.
After the local updates, Dave talked about distracted driving and showed a news video regarding a recent school bus accident in New Jersey. This horrific accident was caused by a driver who was recklessly driving on the interstate, and is an instance of what could happen when someone is driving distracted. It is not worth the risk. This is why our parent company, National Express, implemented the Target Zero campaign in February. Target Zero is the next phase of our Driving out Harm program and was put in to effect to eliminate fatal accidents from our company. Target Zero is a call to action that encompasses all of our efforts to reduce distracted driving and make the roads safer for our communities.
To piggy-back off of safe driving habits, Dave discussed performance feedback for the month of April. After Dave went over the numbers, Carl reviewed the Driving out Harm program and reiterated the Golden Rules for our drivers (they’re listed in this blog post). Carl then addressed our company’s safety performance KPIs (key performance indicators) for the month of April and talked about the heat risks of summer as the new season approaches. He covered the symptoms of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyperthermia, and dehydration and how to prevent them. Carl also mentioned how there will be more people on the roads since school will be out soon and discussed different ways drivers can be more alert to the extra bicyclists, pedestrians, cars, and motorcyclists.
An acronym our company uses to ensure safe driving habits is LEFTS:
Let others know your intentions by signaling
Ensure oncoming traffic is clear; do not rush
Fully check your blind spots by leaning forward and backward (rock and roll)
Turn only when you are sure there are no pedestrians in or about to enter the intersection
Stay alert; look around and recheck your mirrors during your turn
Summer is also the season of roadside inspections by Michigan State Police, so Carl covered the various responsibilities drivers have, including carrying their credentials at all times, completing thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspections, and being extra aware of their surroundings.
To finish the presentation, Dave returned to remind drivers of our upcoming company activities. First is attendance bingo, where employees get a stamp for every date on their card for which they have perfect attendance during the month of May. Once an employee has a bingo, they turn in their card and have three chances to win awesome prizes, the ultimate grand prize being a 55” Smart LED TV with a Blu-Ray player and complete sound system! Second is our first annual Detroit Tigers company outing, which is taking place on June 2nd. If you’re at that game, keep a look out for a large group with purple shirts – that’s us! And lastly, Dave announced Trinity’s 22nd annual company picnic, where we have food, fun, and prizes!
We’re excited for the fun things ahead and to continue with our safety mission!
It’s that time where our operations and safety teams host our monthly safety meetings! Our April meetings took place the week of the 23rd and were full of pertinent information. Dave Holls, chief operating officer, and Carl Ingram, Detroit area safety director, led the meetings, covering various topics from “getting back to basics” to child checks – and even informing employees of a wage increase!
The meeting started with a brief introduction from Dave Holls then segued into local terminal updates from each terminal’s general manager and maintenance updates from each terminal’s lead mechanic. Dave then talked about core responsibilities: on-time transportation and excellent customer service – things we prioritize at Trinity. The terminals received a little pep talk from Kid President to help encourage arriving to work with a positive attitude and the right mindset (it’s super cute – you can watch it here)!
Distracted driving was a main topic, reiterating how important it is to keep the kids of our community safe while on the road. One of our programs is called Driving Out Harm, which encourages staff to make sure their workplace is safe and to put the safety of customers and colleagues first at all times. The Golden Rules for our drivers are: “I will always put the safety of passengers first; be fit for work; check my vehicles and only drive if it is safe; drive safely and defensively; and report all accidents, injuries, and near misses”.
Child Checks were also an important topic covered. At Trinity, we have a policy in place that requires school bus drivers and aides to do child checks after the last stop of each route or field trip and upon returning to their terminal. Child Checks ensure that no child is left on the bus and each child gets home safely. Our entire school bus staff has signed the Child Check Pledge!
Here at Trinity, we are committed to keeping our kids, roads, and community safe, and our monthly safety meetings are a vital part in doing so!
On March 10th, Trinity employees came together for a banquet focusing on safety initiatives and procedures at Burton Manor in Livonia. In attendance with Trinity’s employees were Kevin Kilner, Vice President of Safety at National Express, and Chris Pelligrino, assistant to the CEO of transit at National Express. Kevin Kilner discussed various National Express topics, which included operational updates, safety performance key performance indicators, visions and values in terms of safety, Target Zero campaign, distracted driving, Zero Tolerance Policy, and child checks. Stacey Bruwer, Director of Marketing at Trinity Transportation, discussed the #EyesOnTheRoad campaign to instill the importance of eliminating distracted driving. Prior to the banquet, each terminal received a vinyl banner displaying the campaign’s pledge, which they subsequently signed and were given a sticker that said “I took the pledge”.
Chief Financial Officer Phil Adkins, Marketing Director Stacey Bruwer, and President Jerry Sheppard hold the #EyesOnTheRoad campaign banner at our corporate office in Wyandotte.
Trinity’s Chief Operating Officer Dave Holls covered all things Trinity, including integration processes, the drive towards excellence, a group activity to think outside the box, and Trintiy’s new vision and “Simple Truth”. To add some fun to the day, employees won over 40 prizes, including the grand prize of a 55” flat screen TV!
At Trinity Transportation we pride ourselves in making safety our number one priority. Safety is the most important thing to be focused on and practiced when operating a vehicle. In order to ensure our drivers are taking the necessary precautions before, during, and after operating their vehicles, we have monthly safety meetings at each of our terminals.
In December, Trinity’s operations and safety departments put on their monthly safety meeting with the help of Safety Claus! Regional Operations Manager Dave Holls dressed up as Safety Claus to add a fun touch to learning about safety.
The meeting was required for all school bus employees and was headed by Safety Director Carl Ingram and School Bus Training Manager Derrick Ingram. They discussed the different tactics of staying safe on the road while driving a school bus (and being an aide!). Many topics were covered, including proper safety procedures, distracted driving, and having heightened awareness while on the road. There were even some fun quizzes thrown in the presentation!
Our employees are prepared to work together and practice all safety procedures learned in order to reach our goal of becoming the safest transportation company!
Christmas is an exciting time, with joy and love filling the air. It’s the season where we spend time with loved ones, celebrate the wonderful memories surrounding this wonderful holiday, and give to those in need if we can. To celebrate Christmas, each of our terminals held potlucks over the past two weeks, where Trinity provided the main dishes and employees brought in their favorite holiday foods!
Each morning started off with a safety meeting held by our very own Safety Claus! Safety Claus, Safety Director Carl Ingram, and School Bus Training Manager Derrick Ingram discussed the different tactics of staying safe on the road while driving a school bus (and being an aide!). Topics covered included distracted driving, proper safety procedures, and having heightened awareness while on the road. Our goal is to become the safest transportation company!
After the safety meeting, it was time to eat! Employees at each terminal reveled in each other’s company while enjoying some delicious food. The potlucks were full of laughter, joy, and plenty of holiday spirit.
For more pictures from our Christmas potlucks, visit our Facebook page!
National School Bus Safety Week is an educational program that encourages students, faculty, parents, and anyone interested to learn about and spread the significance of school bus safety. This week is important for publicizing the safety procedures and dangers associated with school bus transportation.
National School Bus Safety Week takes place every year during the third week of October. This year, October 16th through 20th was National School Bus Safety Week, and Trinity participated by practicing and reviewing school bus safety! This year’s theme was “Stop on Red”, a reminder to always stop when a school bus’s stop sign is out and the red lights are flashing.
Trinity Transportation’s school bus drivers and aides attended Special Saturday on October 14th to kick off National School Bus Safety Week. The day consisted of different classes and training focused on children with special needs, including bus evacuations, learning about children with different disabilities, positive approach to behavior management, and team building strategies.
School bus safety is extremely important, not only for students and bus drivers, but for parents, automobile drivers, and pedestrians. For more information about school bus safety, check out our article!
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