What if a fire occurred at your trucking company, causing destruction to your vehicles, property, and more? Not only do you need a comprehensive truck insurance plan from Wolpert Insurance, but also an understanding of what precautions to take in order to prevent such a disaster in the first place. Unfortunately, one local company was ignited with damages and losses due to a blaze.

According to the Martha’s Vineyard Times, Carroll’s Trucking of Shrewsbury suffered from severe damages due to a fire caused by a boat parked behind the company. As workers were demolishing the watercraft, it set off a blaze, which damaged a boat nearby and a truck.

The employees were using an excavator to break up the fiberglass boat when a spark ignited gas inside the fuel tank. This resulted in a fiberglass fire, producing thick, heavy, toxic smoke. The tractor trailer truck that was destroyed contained lumber and railroad ties, heightening the fire. Luckily, there were no injuries, but the fire was difficult to put out since the sole fire hydrant was located far away from the scene.

Has your trucking company taken the necessary preparations to prevent such an incident from occurring? Here are some tips to ensure the safety of your business, equipment, and employees:

• Create an emergency fire plan which includes a communication system to alert employees of a fire, explains evacuation routes, extinguisher usage, and prevention controls.
• Regularly review the plan to ensure everyone understands it and can execute it correctly.
• Inspect your facility for fire hazards and if risks are discovered, correct them immediately.
• Install a building sprinkler system and test it on a regular basis.
• Place the appropriate number of fire extinguishers around the facility and in each truck.
• Enforce a “no smoking” policy on the premises and while driving for your employees to reduce the risk of fires.
• Keep your trucks on a maintenance schedule so equipment can operate safely.

Remember, if a fire does occur within your trucking company, contact the fire department immediately. Once the blaze has died down, it is a good idea to give one of our agents at Wolpert Insurance a call. We can guide you through the process of moving forward from such an accident. No matter how small or large the damages may be to your property, the losses will be covered with one of our reliable solutions. Trust us to protect you no matter what happens.

At the end of May, it was announced that the city of Boston will be getting more bike lanes and Hubway bike share stations. Since bicycles are one of the main forms of transportation in the bustling metro, it is important to find safer means for travelers to get around. However, with increased bike lanes comes more precautions for drivers, specifically for commercial truckers who navigate through the city.

Boston plans to add up to 20 miles of new bike lanes, 20 new Hubway kiosks, and potentially install cycle tracks on major roadways from Roxbury to the Public Garden. Also in the works are more divided bike lanes, which separate bicyclists from motorized traffic. In March, officials announced plans to install new warning signs, reflectors, and lane markings along busy streets to keep bicyclists safe following a number of accidents. Boston Police Capt. John Danilecki said most of the recent fatalities have involved large trucks or buses.

What if one of your commercial fleet drivers got into an accident with a bicyclist? This is an incident you don’t want to happen for many reasons. Rather than leaving your trucking company exposed to such risks, you should protect it with fleet insurance. In addition, you should train your drivers to have heightened awareness in the city as well as around those on bikes. Here are some tips to help avoid potential accidents:

• When you come to a stop sign, do not pull out too far. If you do so, you could risk hitting a cyclist by failing to yield or turning in front of an oncoming bike. To avoid this accident, as you approach an intersection, stop with enough room for a bicycle to get by.
• Truckers or even bicyclists who ride without their lights on at night put themselves in danger of a collision. This is because it will become harder to see anything, let alone a cyclist, on the road with no light. To avoid this accident, make sure your truck headlights function properly and stay extra focused on the road at night.
• If your truckers travel to the city often, they may be required to make stops along side streets. Since bicyclists enjoy riding down these smaller roadways, they may be very close to the truck. This is why when opening the commercial vehicle’s door, you should be extra cautious and not swing it wide open. The last thing you want to do is hit a cyclist going by.

At Wolpert Insurance, we these tips help your fleet remain safe on the city roads. As a truck driver and owner of a commercial trucking company, keeping your safety in mind could help you avoid major collisions and injuries.