Have you completed your active duty? Wondering what comes next after discharge from military? Use the skills you learned serving your country and transform them into a fulfilling and successful career at Oakley Transport.
Veterans are a vital part of the Oakley Family. The same hard work and dedication you learned in the military is great preparation for a career in the trucking industry. If you were a Motor Transport Operator, you’ve already got additional experience with large vehicles that puts you ahead of others. Most military personnel are technically savvy, driven, and hard workers, and often have worked with heavy equipment. Even those who haven't worked with heavy equipment possess the grit and work ethic that many trucking companies are seeking in a Professional Driver. These are the qualities that allow veterans to promote more quickly through the company than most. Michael DeLucia is a Veteran and Professional Driver at Oakley Transport. He got a new truck to take on his OTR routes in Iowa. Check out what he has to say about being a driver at Oakley:
Oakley offers steady pay and great benefits. Most of our Professional Drivers earn on average $70,000 and more. As a Veteran, we offer potential drivers a military sign-on bonus paid out over 18 months from the date of hire.
You must provide one year of verifiable tractor-trailer experience and DD214 honorable discharge for the bonus. Learn more about our Veteran benefits and driving opportunities at Oakley Transport now: https://www.oakleytransport.com/employment.html#openpositions
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When it comes to over-the-road (OTR) driving, you spend a lot of time cruising through different cities at all hours of the day and night. Here are a few benefits of being an OTR driver with the Oakley Transport Family:
You get to know your truck When you’re an OTR driver, you get familiar with your Volvo pretty quickly. You’ll need to know (or learn!) things like how to complete a simple repair, change a tire, track your mileage, stay on track with your loads, and so much more. OTR driving requires time management, safety management, and efficiency more than anything. Exploring scenery One of the best things about OTR driving is taking in the different cities on your route. From driving down endless roads of trees and greenery to navigating through sandy terrains, there’s always something new to admire from your windows and at rest stops. Be sure to take a minute, press pause, and look around. Snap a photo and enjoy the destination when you’re there. Take advantage of those breaks. Establishing trust As you gain more experience as an OTR driver, you’ll add credibility and longevity to your career, which could lead to more flexibility in your routes and deliveries. The key is to show up, get the job done, and drive safely. Practicing safe driving and timeliness can go a long way. Ready to join the Oakley family? Check out our open positions and apply today! Oakley Transport celebrated Driver Appreciation Week Sept. 12-17. It’s an important time for the nation to show its appreciation and thank all the professional drivers around the country for their commitment to delivering goods timely, securely, and while also maintaining safety on the highways. It’s especially important to thank our Professional Drivers due to their significant role in keeping America fed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year. We had a blast celebrating Driver Appreciation Week! From the numerous social media contests and virtual scavenger hunts to the delicious breakfasts at all our terminals each morning. Our main goal was to ensure every one of our drivers felt appreciated and had some fun. Everyone enjoyed the #OakleyShineOn contest, funky face mask selfies, spirit day costumes, wear RED and Military-inspired outfit days and so much more. Thank you endlessly, Oakley family for a great week and more importantly, for your daily commitment to excellence and dedication to keeping our country running. We couldn’t do it without you. Check out some of the highlights from the week below!
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Brake Safety Week is August 22-28 and during this week, commercial vehicle inspectors highlight the importance of functioning brake systems by conducting inspections and removing commercial motor vehicles with brake-related violations from the roadways. August also happens to be Brake Safety Awareness Month.
During this week, enforcement officials will inspect trucks and place any vehicles out-of-service if they see that your brake system efficiency falls below the minimum of 43.5 percent. All vehicles that passing inspections will receive a CVSA decal certifying a passed inspection. Pay close attention to your brake hoses and tubing, which must be properly attached, without leaks, corrosion, or any type of damage. While it’s always important to check all tubes during your pre-trip inspection, really take the time to slowly inspect your air brake system and all brake components, contacting your supervisor if you come across any red flags. Here are the top items to visually check on regularly and during your pre-trip inspection:
CVSA provides a helpful brake inspection checklist. Check it out online and save it to your phone for easy reference before a trip. Properly functioning brake systems are crucial to driver safety and everyone else on the road. Remember, save the date: August 22-28 and be safe out on the roads, Oakley Family! We view every employee like family. When you join the Oakley family, you’re welcomed with open arms, professional training, and great benefits. Here are four reasons why you should join the Oakley family.
1) Family-first Culture When you work with Oakley Transport, you’re not just a number, you always have a support team who’s got your back. We’ll even give you a call on your birthday. As an employee, you’re our most valuable asset, and we’re committed to offering you a better quality of life with better benefits, better equipment, and better pay. 2) Benefits As a member of the Oakley family, you’ll receive great benefits, competitive pay, safe and advanced equipment, and plenty of other perks. Here’s a look at just a few of your benefits as a member of the Oakley family:
3) Great Equipment We believe in investing in the best equipment possible to keep drivers and customers happy. Oakley’s Volvo tractors are on a regularly scheduled preventative maintenance and trade cycles, keeping our fleet near 600 tractors fresh, up to date and ready to keep you rolling. We also have a state-of-the-art tractor repair facility, with more than 20 well-trained and qualified technicians to take care of maintenance repairs. Our technicians can acquire Volvo certification on-site through the customer service portal (known as Volvo University). 4) Ongoing training to keep you safe Your education is the foundation for future success. When you’re part of the Oakley family, training is ongoing. You’ll have access to advanced training courses to make sure you’re safe and confident on the job. You have the opportunity to experience operational training and our driver training program known as X Class. With exceptional courses, we can improve the transportation industry together and you can continue learning throughout your career. Ready to join the Oakley family? Check out our open positions and apply today! When you’re busy jumping from assignment to assignment, stress can creep into your driving job. Here are a few tips to help reduce stress so you can be out on the road with a clear mind.
Keep you and your truck fueled Make sure your truck is filled up with enough fuel before each job so that’s one less thing you have to worry about on the road. Even more important, start your day off with a good meal. Eat a mix of protein, carbs, and healthy fats to stay alert during your drive. Take breaks With a desk job, employees might be advised to take breaks throughout the day by stepping away from their computer screens and walking around to keep their bodies in motion. The same goes for a driving job where taking breaks can give you the time to reset mentally and physically. Pull over somewhere you feel is safe and well-lit where you can grab a snack, walk around, and refocus your mind before getting back on the road. Practice small stretches outside of the truck. Also, try a few breathing exercises to clear your mind and focus on being physically present. Get Some Rest Sleep is essential to rest and rebuild each day. Wind down each day with a routine. Grab a bite to eat, freshen up with a shower or bath, and then relax. Dim the lights in your room, turn off device notifications, and eliminate as many distractions as you can. Getting a good night’s sleep can help you feel well-rested and ready to take on the next driving job with plenty of energy. LAKE WALES, FLORIDA (May 13, 2021)—Oakley Transport, Inc., the premier leader in liquid, food-grade transportation is the only bulk food transporter in its industry to be certified twice with the International Standards Organization for ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 22000:2018. ISO certifies their management systems and operation processes, and services meets all requirements for standardization and quality assurance. In 2015, Oakley started preparing for ISO certification, achieving the goal in 2017, Oakley became the first and only bulk food transporter to be certified to such standards. Never resting and continually auditing all processes for improvement, Oakley was once again awarded re-certifications to the newest versions of ISO certifications ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 22000:2018 in March of 2021. ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 22000:2018 are stipulations to certify superior operations management, food safety and food defense. Both ensure Oakley’s consistency in operations, services, and their ability to meet and exceed all customer and regulatory requirements. “Being ISO certified demonstrates Oakley's ability to follow procedures and processes,” Thomas Oakley, president and chief executive officer said. “It empowers employees with clear direction and the ability to drive improvement. It ultimately is an affirmation to customers of our focus on their cargo, our services, food safety and defense.” This accomplishment reflects Oakley’s dedication to customer satisfaction and the integrity of customers' products throughout the entire transportation process. “We feel these certifications add such a value to our customers,” Bob Osburn, chief operation officer said. “They know our diligence in maintaining the safety and integrity of their cargo. From the groves to the processor, the distiller to the bottler, and its final mile onto store shelves and into the homes of the American consumer.” Oakley Transport continues to set itself apart and challenge old ways of thinking, refining every process for more efficient transportation and operations. Their identity lies in serving all its customers thoroughly and to their maximum satisfaction. “The commitment from our entire organization to achieve this certification was and still remains inspirational," Matt Tocci, director of customer relations said. "To have us all focused on one dedicated goal of superior quality and safety ensures our clients that we not only care, but we strive to be the finest transporter of bulk food on the planet.” For more information please visit: https://www.oakleytransport.com/iso.html ###
Through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, there are many options for free apps to make your life easier while out on the road. There are so many options, it can be overwhelming to decide what will work best for you based on recommendations, reviews, or just what you’ve used in the past. We broke down our favorite six into a list of travel must-haves to download for free today:
Trucker Path Trucker Path is a great app that helps drivers plan their trips. It’s built for truckers, by truckers. The app includes information on truck stops, available parking, fuel prices, and weigh station statuses. It also has a GPS feature for finding routes specifically for your truck height, width, weight, and type, to avoid small roads, sharp turns, and more! Waze Waze gives real-time traffic conditions and route planning, like when you should leave to arrive on time for a trip. It can also be used as a pre-trip tool, as drivers can see exactly where they are going and avoid hazards and more on your drive. Audiobooks.com The Audiobooks.com app offers over 8,000+ free audiobooks and more for a fee. Simply download or stream all your favorites and choose from a library of fiction, crime, mystery, thriller, politics, and more. Make sure you download your choice ahead of time so you can listen whenever, regardless of whether you have a cell signal. Spotify A favorite for music streaming! Through Spotify, you can make and share your playlists of all your favorite songs or choose to browse through listener-made playlists or artist radios. Spotify’s choices are endless so there is always something new to discover each listen. Some features vary with a paid versus a free plan. Weather Channel The Weather Channel app gives real-time rain notifications and provides future forecasts up to two weeks in advance to help you plan. Their radar tracks real-time weather conditions right on your phone so you know when a storm is coming or going. MyNetDiary We love MyNetDiary because you can set a weightless goal and you’ll be set up with a personalized daily calorie budget to help you stay on track. You can track food intake and even document meals with their handy barcode scanner so you can easily upload nutritional information on food labels. It keeps track of all exercise and steps as well to get you towards your best shape while on the road. Winter is here and that can mean less than ideal weather ahead. Make sure your cab has everything you need to stay safe on the roads.
Make sure to have these items in your truck: Windshield Scraper - always keep a sturdy scraper on hand to scrape off ice and ensure maximum visibility on the road. Kitty Litter/Salt - These items are great for traction and really make a difference is slippery situations. Warm Clothes - You probably know this but it is so important to have warm clothes with you. Jackets, gloves, hats, sweaters, socks and waterproof boots are all great items. Sturdy boots/shoes - cold weather mixed with snow and ice can make the simplest tasks difficult. Maintain three points of contact when entering and exiting the cab to help keep you on your feet when it’s slippery out. Cell phone - make sure your cell phone is charged and don’t leave it in the vehicle for extended periods of time. Cell phone batteries can freeze in extremely cold weather. Tool Kit - keep a toolkit on you at all times. You never know when you’re gonna need it. Keep it organized and easily accessible. Foldable shovel - when the snow comes, it is always a good idea to have a shovel handy. Flashlights and batteries - flashlights and batteries are helpful to have at any point during the year. Our Oakley family is helping spread holiday cheer this year by donating toys to the Lake Wales Care Center. The spirit of the season is truly exemplified through the kindness and willingness to give out of the goodness of our hearts.
The Oakley team showed up and showed out this year by collecting over 300 individual gifts for local families in need. Our driving professional, Kelli Ragnarsson donated $1,800 worth of presents this year and all of his Love’s Travel Stop points towards the cause. This year has taken a toll on a lot of people, but when we are able to come together and embrace such a worth cause it puts 2020 into perspective. The world is a better place because of the people we call family; the Oakley Transport family. |
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