CALLING ALL LADY TRUCKERS !!! AKA TRUCKING DIVAS

Overdrives Most Beautiful Female driver contest submissions deadline extended to Monday March 24th so hurry and get you or a friend submitted.

In 2013, more than 70 women vied for the top honor. Each contestant had a different story to tell, the field was varied and the decision was tough — but through a combination of audience voting and a judging panel, independent owner-operator Maggie Stone of Galva, Iowa, was crowned Most Beautiful.

2014 is looking to be an even tougher crown to get a hold of. Good luck to all the Lady Diva Truckers !!

To submit yourself or a friend follow this LINK and submit away.

Remember Berrier Insurance is a full-service commercial truck insurance agency and our goal is to keep truckers informed and save them money. If you or a friend would like to see if we could save you money on your truck insurance or motor truck cargo insurance, please call one of our friendly Insurance agents today (800) 750-1812. We are here to help truckers understand their insurance coverage. 

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Berrier Insurance-Grateful For a Happy Reunion

We are happy this story had a happy ending - Berrier Insurance, commercial truck insurance specialists.

A dog accidentally left at a rest area waited there for two days before his truck-driving owner was able to locate him.

Rambo, an 9-month-old Yorkie, apparently jumped out of Michael Siau's rig when they stopped at a Missouri rest area late last week.

"Didn't even cross my mind that he might jump out—he never has before, I jumped back in the truck, put it in gear and drove off. And I just thought he was in the back asleep."

Several hours later—170 miles away in Cedar Rapids, Iowa—Siau realized Rambo was gone.

"I was freaking out," said Siau who admits he was sobbing during the ordeal "I had to calm down and think about how he could have possibly gotten out. And it came to me that was the only time that I could have got out and I wouldn't have seen him. I was just sure he was there."

But the Arkansas-based truck driver feared he'd lose his job if he turned around. He called authorities, eventually reaching a local animal control officer who went to the site on Sunday.

"Sure enough, little Rambo was there, sitting patiently." He was taken to an animal shelter in Hannibal until Siau could collect him.

According to the animal control officer, Tim Ledbetter, a family that had stopped at the rest area had offered to adopt Rambo. "In about 60 seconds, he would have been gone," Ledbetter said.

Siau returned Tuesday to pick up Rambo, who "began to whimper, tremble and squirm" when he heard his owner call his name.

Visit Berrier Insurance for a free quote today!

Roadchecks

Truck and bus safety inspectors will be on the road night and day during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 72-hour International Roadcheck on June 7-9, checking vehicles and their drivers at inspection sites along major highways across North America.

In addition, roving patrols will inspect vehicles and drivers traveling other roadways.

Since its inception in 1988, the roadside inspections conducted during the annual Roadcheck have numbered more than one million. It also has provided for the distribution of educational literature and safety events to educate industry and the general public about the importance of safe commercial vehicle operations and the roadside inspection program.

With the recent increased attention on driver hours of service and electronic on board recorders, this year’s Roadcheck will emphasize checking driver logbooks and underscore to drivers the importance of maintaining their logbooks, taking breaks, preventing fatigue, and driving without distractions. Also, Roadcheck 2011 will include added emphasis on finding carriers of household goods who may be operating under the radar by using improperly marked rental vehicles and/or operating as a property carrier rather than a HHG carrier.

First posted on TruckersNews.com

Get a free quote for commercial trucking at berrierinsurance.com or call one of our experts at 530-823-8000. We can offer you the lowest and most comprehensive coverage for your trucks, business, or personal autos!

International Towing Museum

The International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum in Chattanooga Tennessee is a true testament to the history of commercial trucking. An awe inspiring visit to say the least featuring restored antique wreckers and equipment, industry related displays of collectible toys, tools, unique equipment, and pictorial histories of manufacturers who pioneered a worldwide industry. Chattanooga is known as the birth place to the first wrecker, where it was fabricated and patented by Ernest Homes in 1916 establishing the Ernest Holmes Company. Visit the Museum in Chattanoogs’s historical downtown and you may get a personalized tour from Manager Frank Thomas, the man who knows all the best stories.



For more information visit their site International Towing and don't forget to check out our site too! We specialize in commercial trucking insurance including tow trucks! That's not all we do though, we can also get you coverage for your motorcycle, ATVs, personal auto, and boats! Visit us at BerrierInsurance.com and call us for a quick free quote at 530-823-800

Trailer Skirts: A Proven Fuel Saver

In tight economic times drivers are trying anything to save a few dollars, one trend that is catching on and has been proved effective are trailer skirts. Designed to streamline the trailer and reduce drag, this system provides an average 7.4% fuel savings at highway speeds. Freight Wing, one of the industry's largest suppliers of trailer side skirts now has about 10,000 units on the road with sales up threefold over the past year.

Currently trailer side fairings available in three types of material: aluminum, plastic, or fiberglass. Each has its strengths and its fans. The skirts effectiveness depends upon ground clearance, the closer to the ground the better savings. In SAE track testing, Freight Wing found its older-style aluminum fairings with 16 inches of ground clearance yielded a 4% fuel savings while its new Aeroflex product that rides just eight inches off the ground delivers a 7% fuel savings.

When skirt shopping, there are many things to consider, including weight, ground clearance, durability and ease of installation and repair. Some systems consist of multiple panels, which make repairs easier and less costly than replacing the entire system, but may break apart and look flimsy at highway speeds. Once you've installed a system, its suggest inspecting trailer fairings as part of the normal trailer inspection process, looking for loose fasteners and damaged brackets. For the most part, trailer fairings should be worry-free.

In addition to using the trailer skirts some drivers are also switching to low rolling resistance tires and reducing top speeds to 62mph, showing a collective 8.94% improvement! With fuel prices rising each month every little bit helps the pocket. Added up the money saved by switching to more efficient methods can pay for its self in about a year.

If you are in need of great rates on truck insurance, stop by at BerrierInsurance.com and ask for a fast, free quote. We have been specializing in trucking insurance for almost 30 years and will be here to continue providing our customers with quality truck insurance and the lowest price possible.

Safest Driving Year Ever

Some great news for the trucking industry: the latest statistics show a huge leap of improvement for safe commercial driving. 2009 saw the lowest commercial truck crash rates ever recorded in the US, and the truck involved fatalities were disproportionately much lower then that of passenger vehicles for the first time in decades! Historically the trends between commercial truck and passenger car related fatalities have been falling at similar rates until 2009, when passenger vehicles only had an 8.5% improvement while commercial trucks had an amazing 20.4%! Compared to the modest drop between 2004 and 2008 of 1%-5% it’s the largest single year drop since crash data records began in 1975. There has yet to be an explanation for the drastic change, some analysis say it’s just a fluke and that we should never trust just a single factor explanation. Its possible that because of the economic hardships companies are dealing with, they are letting go of their lesser qualified drivers to cut costs, and as a result there is now a smaller more experienced work force out on the roads. The data also goes onto reinforce what truck drivers have always known, that car drivers are overwhelmingly at fault when involved in a crash with a truck. Similar to companies cutting costs, families are doing the same by taking their young drivers off the road--fewer parents are now able to buy their kids a shiny new sports car for their 16th birthday. In effect there are far fewer inexperienced drivers out on the roads which corresponds fewer crashes, compared to past years. Whatever the reason may be we are thankful for all the safe and responsible drivers out there.


An accident can happen anywhere and at any time. To make sure you are properly covered contact us at Berrier Insurance and we will review your commercial trucking insurance with you. We can offer you the best rates on commercial auto insurance and provide detailed answers to any of your questions about insurance. Call us today 888-472-4915.

Welcome to the Worlds Largest Truck Stop

IOWA 80

Founded in 1964, it was originally a small facility that housed a small truckers store, one lube bay, and a restaurant. Since its purchase by the Moon family in 1984 it has undergone numerous expansions, the largest in 1994 of $4 million which closed the gap as the largest truck stop in the world. Now almost 50 years later the place has become a tribute to the trucking industry with antique trucks, pumps, toys and hundreds of photos displayed throughout. The truck stop currently serves 5,000 customers per day and spans 220 acres, 2.5 times the size of Disneyland, with a 67,000 sq ft main building. It boasts the Iowa 80 Kitchen, it’s new 300-seat restaurant with a 50-ft. salad bar, one-of-a-kind Truckers Warehouse Store, 24 private showers, Dolby Surround Sound® movie theater, Driver’s Den, Game Room, Embroidery Center , Barber, Dentist, TA Service Center, Truckomat, CAT Scale, Fuel Center with 15 fuel pumps, Wendy’s Restaurant and Dairy Queen in the Food Court and a Blimpie located in the Fuel Center.


Wow! talk about a truckers paradise, it has just about everything one could ever want from a truck stop and more. Except they forgot about one thing, truck insurance made easy! Maybe we should set up shop there! The Berrier Insurance Divas would have a blast in a place like this while helping out our trucker friends, making sure that they are covered at the best rates for their commercial trucking insurance. Is this place really as amazing as it seems?

Truck Drivers With Diabetes - What are the CDL rules?

There appears to be a lot of confusion on whether or not truck drivers with diabetes can obtain a CDL license. For years, there was a ban that prevented truck drivers with diabetes who used insulin from driving commercial vehicles within interstate operation. In 2003, the FMCSA introduced the Diabetes Exemption Program which allowed individuals with insulin treated diabetes the ability to operate a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce. But there was a lot of confusion as to who could drive. You had to have three years of previous commercial driving experience. In late 2005, everything changed.


Due to the effort by the American Diabetes Association, President Bush signed into law, doing away with the three year requirement. There is no longer any need to show previous commercial driving experience, even if you are on insulin. However, there still are 57 other screenings, guidelines and provisions that one must pass in order to be granted the exemption for truck drivers with diabetes. Also, one must abide by any particular state requirements in regards to the commercial driver license.


Individuals with insulin treated diabetes will have to demonstrate that they have control of the diabetes while on insulin. For those with Type 1 diabetes, they are required to have been on insulin for two months before they can apply for the exemption. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are required to have been on insulin for at least one month.


As you can see, one or two months is much better than the three year driving rule! If you have type 2 diabetes and do not use insulin, you do not need to apply for a diabetes exemption. You must still meet all other licensing and safety requirements as dictated by the state agency that issues your CDL. Read more at [link]


Insure your truck with Berrier Insurance! We love them big rigs and we specialize in commercial trucking insurance. Call us today for a quick comparison quote 888-472-4915.