Safety First: How TQ Logistics Helps Maintain a Safe & Efficient Transportation
The trucking industry plays a vital role in the economy, transporting goods across great distances and ensuring the smooth flow of commerce. However, with this role comes significant responsibility, particularly concerning road safety.
Safety regulations in the trucking industry are implemented to ensure drivers, other roadway users, and shipments are safe. And, to maintain safety in the trucking industry, it requires a preventive approach to identify and address risks before they cause accidents or injuries. 
How is safety regulated and enforced?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for regulating and enforcing safety and health standards in various industries, including the trucking industry.
In addition to OSHA, other federal agencies play a role in ensuring safety in the trucking industry. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that is responsible for regulating and enforcing safety regulations related to commercial motor vehicles, including driver qualifications, hours of service, and vehicle maintenance. FMCSA works to reduce the number of crashes involving large trucks and buses, and its safety programs save hundreds of lives and prevent thousands of injuries on U.S. roadways every year.
Safety is our Primary Focus
TQ Logistics makes safety a top priority and stays up to date with the latest safety regulations. Here are just a few of the regulations we enforce to help ensure safety in the trucking industry:
- Regular vehicle maintenance
Making sure trucks are in good working condition through regular vehicle maintenance is imperative. Trucks should be inspected regularly to check the performance of brakes, tires, and lights. We also make sure our drivers are carrying out daily vehicle inspections (as required by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations) and completing proper maintenance checklists. - Driver training
We provide proper driver training, to ensure they are aware of regulations, safe driving practices, and emergency procedures. We believe that training should be ongoing and include periodic refresher courses to ensure knowledge retention. - Strict compliance with hours-of-service regulations
Hours of Service (HOS) regulations limit how long a driver can operate a commercial motor vehicle continuously before requiring rest. Adhering to these regulations helps prevent driver fatigue, which is a common factor in trucking accidents. - Proper cargo loading and securement
Cargo must be correctly loaded and secured to prevent shifting while in transit. Unsecured cargo can cause imbalance problems, which can lead to accidents. - Regular safety reviews and audits
We conduct regular safety audits to identify areas in which drivers can improve, such as driver behavior, compliance with regulations, security of loads, and vehicle maintenance.
TQ Logistics provides a respectful work environment that is “Safety First” because we represent our customers in the public domain. We are proud to be rated amongst the highest quality motor carriers, as measured by the FMCSA, and consistently earn superior scores with the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program.
Additionally, we put a big emphasis on each of the safety-related components of the Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (also known as the BASICs) of the Safety Management System (SMS) that is used to evaluate motor carriers.