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Grateful Above and Beyond Thanksgiving
by Tim Ward, Director of Sales & Marketing
 As we come to the end of November, enter the busyness of December, and look to close out another year, I can’t help but think about all that has happened in 2019. Whether it involves family, friends, work, church or community, there are many reasons for me to be thankful.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is the catalyst that drives me to focus on being thankful. It provides an opportunity to spend time with family, learning all that has happened since the last time we gathered. It is sharing not only the good and exciting things that we all have experienced since that last meeting but also the trying and challenging ones. It is understanding the blessing of having family and knowing that many in this world do not.
And this family can extend to the workplace as well. The people that you work with each day play a vital role in how you approach and live your life. You influence and challenge them, and they influence and challenge you. They are your family away from home.
That is why I encourage people to not only be thankful for the ones they share an office with but to put that thankfulness into action. Send them an email thanking them for the job they did on the latest project. Call them and tell them you appreciate them taking up the slack while you were out sick last month. You can even go “old school” and send them a note or card to express your thanks for their faithfulness to the company. We all need encouragement and a pat on the back from time to time and a simple statement of gratitude can make a lasting difference in a person’s life.
One thing that I have learned as I have grown older (and hopefully a little wiser), is that exhibiting thankfulness extends beyond me having a day off and a large meal on the fourth Thursday in November. It is a time for me to look around at all the people and experiences in my life with an attitude of gratitude.
I encourage you to try it this week. I believe you will find that it not only helps the person receiving it but the one sending the thanks as well.
Let me start the process by saying thank you for reading our newsletter. All of us at On Time Logistics hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!
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OTL Expands to Bethel Heights!
We have some exciting news! We recently opened a new location in Bethel Heights that more than doubles our docking capacity and makes us more centrally located in Northwest Arkansas. Read more about our expansion on our blog.
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Safety Bulletin:
7 Safe Parking Tips
(Article Courtesy Penske, Photo courtesy via Creative Commons license Todd Lappin)
From 2014 through 2017, large truck registrations increased by more than 5.4 million in the U.S. alone, according to the Federal Highway Administration. As the number of trucks keeps rising, the competition for safe truck parking spots tightens.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute’s 2018 Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry survey, truck parking ranks as the No. 5 concern among all respondents and it ranks No. 2 among commercial drivers.
Get ahead of the game. Try these seven tips to find safe parking on your route:
- Create a plan. The closer you get to dusk, the harder it will be to find parking. So, plan your route thoroughly so you’ll know where to stop. You may even be able to reserve parking in advance.
- Embrace technology. There’s an app for everything these days. And that includes truck parking. Search for “truck parking” smartphone apps in the Apple Store or Google Play store. Some identify open parking areas. Others allow you to reserve a spot in advance (you may need to pay for parking reservations depending on which app you use).
- Watch the roadside signs. Eight states in the Midwest—Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin— use a Truck Parking Information Management System (TPIMS). It posts truck parking availability at rest areas and parking areas on highway signs and updates the numbers in real-time. Other states (including Florida) use similar systems on interstates.
- Seek the light. Parking in a well-lit area reduces the risk of theft and other criminal activity. Some wise options: reputable truck stops and big box store parking lots.
- Choose the right spot. Avoid parking on the end of a row, where vehicle and pedestrian traffic will cross. Look for spaces that you can pull through so you don’t have to back up to park your truck. Make sure you park straight. Avoid spots alongside trucks or cars that are parked at an angle. And park with your cab facing the same direction as other trucks in the lot.
- Think safety first. If you’re parked overnight, lock all doors, close curtains or window screens, keep valuables out of sight and make sure your cargo is secured. Dashcams also may be a helpful crime deterrent.
- Know the “never” areas. Avoid parking on off-ramps or on the shoulder of a highway; both are illegal in most states except in the case of an emergency.
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Team Member Spotlight: James Crow
In this month’s team member spotlight, we are featuring a warehouse worker who has a long-term background in various forms of factory work before joining On Time Logistics.
James Crow started working with us in July as a temp worker and was hired full-time in September. He works in the warehouse unloading trucks, operating a forklift, and driving box trucks on some delivery routes as needed. Learn more about James on our blog.
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Searching for drivers in NWA & Little Rock!
Do you know someone who is looking for a job in the NW Arkansas and Little Rock areas? On Time Logistics is looking for drivers for both locations including seasonal, part-time and full-time. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Steve Jones at 479-717-2206 or by email at sjones@otlusa.biz.
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Birthdays and Work Anniversaries
for December
- December Anniversaries: None
- December Birthdays: Linda Gifford, 12/7; Larry Simmons, 12/7; Josh Thomas 12/7; Gary Harris, 12/22; Jaime Garcia, 12/27; Theo Tidwell, 12/28; Rogelio Soto, 12/30
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