Life on the Road - Trucking News Blog

Hello again. This is Clark Schoeder with Cerberus Subrogation Professionals, LLC with another article about trucking insurance issues. Over the last few weeks, we discussed a few topics that should help you and your company recover the damages that result from an auto accident. We discussed what a driver should do when they are in an accident to protect their recovery opportunities , we discussed what an insurance company owes you when you are in an accident, and we discussed what is subrogation and how it affects your money. This week we are going to start a series of articles discussing common trucking accidents that your insurance company or claims department needs to deny. Let’s get to it.

This week’s article is about “Right-hand Squeeze” Accidents. While I am sure that you all know what a “right hand squeeze” accident is, let’s go over it just to make sure that we are all talking about the same thing. A “right-hand squeeze” accident is an accident that occurs while an 18 wheeler is making a necessary wide right turn and another vehicle attempts to pass the 18 wheeler on the right side in between the trailer and the curb. The other vehicle fails to consider the off-track of the trailer and is consequentially “squeezed” between the trailer and the curb. As the 18 wheeler proceeds through his turn, the trailer drags alongside the other vehicle and causes considerable damage.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 15% [?]

Apparently the rumor is true. The EPA has killed Cat.

According to a Forbes Article Caterpillar has had enough of the hassle and ” Its Mossville, Illinois truck engine plant will stop producing the power plants on December 31, 2009 — just before even tougher clean-air rules take effect.”

This is sad.

Other articles covering this same news here, here, here, and here.

I guess I’ll keep my 3406E for a while longer yet.

Popularity: 35% [?]

Hello again. This is Clark Schoeder with Cerberus Subrogation Professionals, LLC with another article about trucking insurance issues. Over the last few weeks, we discussed a few topics that should help you and your company recover the damages that result from an auto accident. We discussed what a driver should do when they are in an accident to protect their recovery opportunities and we discussed what an insurance company owes you when you are in an accident. This week we are going to discuss the term “subrogation” and why you and your company should care about it. Let’s get to it.

Let’s start with the definition of “subrogation.” “Subrogation” is a legal concept under common law where one party transfers their rights of recovery to another party granting them the right to recover damages from a different third party tort-feasor. Not much help? I understand. Think of it like this. When you are in an accident and your insurance company pays for your damages, your insurance company gains your rights to pursue repayment from the party that caused the accident. Just like you would have the right to sue the at-fault party, your insurance company gains the same rights under the law that you have to pursue repayment.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 38% [?]

This is Clark Schoeder from Cerberus Subrogation Professionals, LLC ( www.cerberussubro.com ). We are a company that helps commercial trucking companies, owner/operators, and commercial auto insurance companies recover money that is owed to them by other insurance companies. We are writing a series of articles about trucking insurance issues. Last week, we discussed what you can do to protect yourself and your company when you are involved in an accident. What to Do When You Are In an Accident

This week, we are going to discuss “What does the insurance company owe you when you are in an accident?” The answer to that question depends on whether you are filing a 1^st party or a 3^rd party insurance claim. Let me explain the differences.

1^st Party Claims

A 1^st party insurance claim is a claim that you file with YOUR insurance company under your “collision” or “comprehensive” coverage. These coverages are a contract between you and your insurance company that states that the insurance company will pay to fix your vehicle regardless of which party caused the accident. Under this contract, the insurance company does not owe all of the damages that you suffered; they only owe certain damages that are stated in the policy.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 36% [?]

The oil companies….right?

Well, actually no.  The oil Companies, those eeevil oil companies that have invested untold billions of dollars in exploration, production, development, research ,transportation and retail of fuel, nope…not them.  They’re the LAST people that should be blamed.

They’re running as fast as they can while governments of all flavors heap extra taxes and fee’s upon them. Citizens groups and the Main Sewer Media heap scorn upon them and normal everyday folks complain.  What are they to do?

The government, aided and abetted by the greens won’t let the oil companies drill in several places where we KNOW there is oil.  ANWAR (what a misname.  A bleaker area you’d have to go to the moon to find and what wildlife?), the west coast,and  the east coast.  There’s oil and gas there but ;it’s off limits.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 37% [?]

I think that’s how a broker should answer their phones, don’t you think? As with anything in the transportation business, you will have two sides to the story when it comes to dealing with brokers.

There is the drivers view: I’m being ripped off! And then there’s the broker’s view: I have to make a profit to keep the boss happy!!

When I first started out brokering, I thought it was a breeze. I had been a telemarketer before and my greatest accomplishment was a million dollar sale I had made at the age of 18. So I knew I had the drive to get the money. Ok, I should say the greed was there. Think of the profit checks and the money in my pocket for me and my family!

The first few transportation loads I brokered I have to be honest, I had no clue what I was doing. Then I sat down with my husband and started talking to him about what he would expect out of a load. At that time he was a company driver. I did my own research and educated myself on what I thought was “fair.” The first company I brokered for had no preset expectations for profit just simply that I make one and get the load moved. At times it was just that I get the load moved. So I never had any problems or complaints. If I had complaints, it was the general complaint a driver would have like sitting to long, not getting loaded, etc. The stuff you EXPECT to happen.
Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 28% [?]

Before I start the article I would like to quickly introduce myself since this is the first article I am posting to this site. My name is Clark Schoeder and I am the President/CEO of Cerberus Subrogation Professionals, LLC. We are a company that helps commercial trucking companies, owner/operators, and commercial auto insurance companies recover money that is owed to them by other insurance companies. I am going to be writing articles on trucking insurance, the issues truckers face in the insurance industry, and how you can protect your recovery interests. I hope you find these articles helpful and come back to check out future posts. Let’s get to the article.

I suppose we will start at the beginning. What should a driver do when they are involved in an accident to protect themselves and their company?

1.) Do not admit fault to anyone other than your safety department or your insurance company. This includes saying something as simple as “I’m sorry”. I have seen cases lost because the other party has a witness saying that the truck driver admitted fault at the scene even though they were not at-fault for the accident. I cannot stress this enough. Let the insurance company determine which party is at-fault.

2.) Do not talk to the other driver about the accident. You should only ask them if they are hurt and if they need medical assistance. If they say “yes” to either of those questions call 911 and request medical assistance. Beyond that, exchange your insurance information and say nothing else.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 29% [?]

Some of the results actually shocked me, while others didn’t. But here are the results:

1) What percentage of profit do you think a Broker aims for?

Percentage 10% 25.0 14% 0.0 18% 0.0 20% 50.0 25% 0.0 26% or more 12.5 Whatever they can get away with 12.5 Other

The fact of the matter is - a lot of the larger, more recognized companies aim for anywhere from 10% to 14% profit. But, if you want to get in the good graces of your boss, you shoot for at least 18%.
Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 27% [?]

You’re really, really not going to like this. The gloom and doom folks are getting pretty prevalent. Pretty well positioned and fairly authoritative too.

High Gas Prices are here to Stay.

says, in part, that:

“NEW YORK, April 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - CIBC (CM: TSX; NYSE) -
Increasingly tight oil supplies will continue to push the price of oil
higher with the cost of crude hitting US$150 a barrel by 2010 and soaring
to US$225 a barrel by 2012, forecasts a new energy report from CIBC World
Markets.”

Home in Texas the Houston Chronicle reports:

< There’s more to $120 oil than speculation

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 26% [?]

If you are in the transportation business, you have heard of the term “JIT Freight.” To those who are not familiar with the term it simply means “Just In Time.”

Just in time freight was created to cut costs for manufacturers. With this type of freight movement, the manufacturer does not need to worry about warehousing (or the costs associated with having a warehouse) nor do they have to worry about inventory costs because there is no inventory sitting around.

The idea of JIT works like this: a product is made - in order to make this one product there are several materials that are needed to make it and the materials are to arrive ‘just in time’. A lot of the automakers use JIT freight. A driver may pick up parts (say something like door handles) in the morning and he has to drive straight thru to the manufacturer because as soon as his appointment time arrives (or perhaps even when he arrives at the manufacturer) he is unloaded because they will need the freight he is hauling in order to manufacture whatever they are working on.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 19% [?]