Vertical Alliance Group is committed to ensuring you have access to the best training videos in the student transportation industry. This fall we have released two new safety training videos for you to utilize in your safety training meetings and in-services.  These two new videos are in addition to our new weekly safety series, From the Bus Driver’s Seat.

• Federal DOT CMV Medical Examination Requirements Check List
  Category: School Bus      Module: School Bus       Time: 4:09
  This video discusses the specific requirements that must be met during a Department of Transportation CMV medical exam. 

• Changing Lanes
  Category: School Bus       Module: School Bus       Time: 4:20
  This video discusses the proper procedure for changing lanes, as well as danger zones around the bus and how to properly plan your routes.

Please contact your client services representative at 877-792-3866, ext. 400, if you have any questions on how to access these videos in your learning library. If you are not currently utilizing the Infinit-I Workforce System to help enhance your school bus driver training with an online learning management system, schedule a demo to learn more.

Vertical Alliance Group is committed to ensuring you have access to the best training videos in the industry. This month we released six new safety training videos for you to utilize in your safety training meetings and in-services.

The first two new releases are designed to help with pre-trip inspections:

Module: Pre-Trip Inspection.
Title: Tanker Pre-trip Inspection – Part 1 T
his video details the rules and regulations involved in a pre-trip inspection. It walks the driver through under the hood and in the cab portions of a pre-trip inspection.

Title: Tanker Pre-trip Inspection – Part 2
This video details the items a driver should inspect during the walk-around portion of a pre-trip inspection. 

The additional 4 releases are part of our Real. Life. Lessons. series.  These videos are designed to help you educate your drivers about the avoidable dangers of driving a truck, while also ensuring safety awareness is top-of-mind.
New releases in this series for July include:

Module: Conducting PreTrip/Post Trip
Title: Snap, Crackle, Pop
Ted injures his knee after having to shift gears frequently and not reporting a problem with his clutch. Commit to reporting problems and potential problems with your equipment before they become real issues.

Title: Who Can You Trust
Harry was hit while walking around his truck. Even when you feel safe and secure, awareness should always be a top priority. 

Module: Slips, Trips and Falls
Title: Almost Made It
After enduring a very rough day on the job, Brandon makes it safely back to the company drop lot, only to trip and sprain his wrist. Always remain aware of your surroundings, especially when the coast seems clear.

Module: Driving
Title: Get Out, Get Under or Get In
Lennie chooses a commonly accepted, but incorrect, course of action when faced with a tornado, seeking shelter under an overpass. High winds are only increased when passing through a funnel like overpass. Instead, seek shelter away from your vehicle or in a ditch.

Please contact your client services representative at 877-792-3866 if you have any questions. View Our Revolutionary Training Library.

Did you know that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, truck drivers are missing more days of work due to on-the-job injuries than they have in the past? A 2014 study revealed drivers now require a median of 22 days away from work to recuperate from on the job injuries or illnesses – a number that is rising. Unfortunately, the nature of the trucking industry leaves complacent truck drivers more susceptible to slips, trips, and falls throughout the course of their workday.  Listed as three of the top injuries sustained by truck drivers outside of injuries obtained in a wreck, this trio of preventable accidents can cost trucking companies thousands of dollars in both productivity and increased worker’s compensation premiums. Additionally, high rates of on-the-job injuries can dramatically impact driver recruitment and retention efforts.

Real. Life. Lessons. Series Aims to Decrease Safety Awareness Complacency

To help Infinit-I Workforce System clients combat driver complacency in these often overlooked areas of ongoing safety awareness training, Vertical Alliance Group has teamed up with Midwestern Insurance Alliance to produce a series of training videos, Real. Life. Lessons., This series is designed to help trucking companies decrease their number of preventable on-the-job injuries. Most workplace accidents are preventable. Accidents in the trucking industry, however, are a bit more complicated. Unlike other industries, truck drivers and the companies they work for do not always have complete control over a worksite area.

The Real. Life. Lessons. series is designed to provide quick three to five minute video reminders about the dangers that can happen anywhere a trucker may be working. Drivers spend long hours sitting followed by the sudden need to do physical work.  Over time, this type of environment lends itself to driver complacency.  That is why ongoing reminders involving best practices for safety in and around the truck are important for not only the safety of the driver but also for the prevention of accidents that can lead to driver downtime and increased worker’s compensation premiums. The Real. Life. Lessons series can serve as your arsenal of simulation video training tools to help you educate your drivers about the avoidable dangers of driving a truck, while also ensuring safety awareness is top-of-mind.  Currently, there are more than 20 titles in the series, with 5 new titles being released each month in 2015.  New releases in this series for May include:

White Line Fever The driving lifestyle can offer several unhealthy challenges. Remember, you are the one who benefits the most from leading a healthy lifestyle.

There’s a Reason for Everything Mary Ann is injured and becomes medically unqualified to drive when she ignores directions and attempts to correct a loading issue herself.

Not Built to Climb Jim falls from his trailer while trying to get down after placing load locks.

It Looked Like a Good Idea Abe injures his leg while attempting to use a guardrail as a stepladder.

Deer, Dogs, and Damage Seth and George both crash their vehicles and are injured while attempting to avoid a collision with an animal. Swerving to avoid an animal most often results in property damage and personal injury.

If you are interested in learning more about how to most effectively utilize this new training series in your company, please contact your client services representative who will gladly help you create a unique lesson plan that will allow you to take full advantage of this new video training tool in your Infinit-I Workforce System.

Vertical Alliance Group is committed to ensuring you have access to the best training videos in the student transportation industry.  This month we released a new safety training video for you to utilize in your safety training meetings and in-services.

Title: Distracted Driving Awareness Do not use a cell phone or any electronic device while driving. Your career and your life, as well as the lives of others, are at risk.

Additionally, we recently replaced 10 of the older videos in your Training Library with newer versions.

Title: Basic Student Management This video discusses how to handle basic student management issues on the school bus. It goes over not dealing with on-bus problems while loading and unloading. It also gives tips on how to handle serious behavior problems.

Title: Driving in High Winds This video covers the proper procedures for driving in high wind. It details acceptable instances for backing a school bus as well as the procedures and dangers involved. It also defines tail swing, as well as covering its dangers and how to correctly handle them.

Title: Backing This video goes through simple steps to make backing a school bus in tight corners easier, while stressing the importance of paying attention to surroundings while backing a school bus.

Title: Emergency Evacuation (Driver) This video outlines the proper procedures for a school bus evacuation drill. It details the necessary equipment, driver qualifications, systems, and the recommended number of students. It also summarizes proper post-evacuation activities.

Title: Emergency Evacuation (Student) This video covers the procedures to safely evacuate a school bus from the perspective of a student. It defines an evacuation for students and gives them various reasons why the bus might need to be evacuated.

Title: Instruments & Brakes This video details the correct procedures to check all bus instruments and brakes before starting a route.

Title: Mirror Adjustment This video discusses proper mirror management, the danger zone, and details the 7 mirror system.

Title: Pre-Trip Inspection This video discusses giving the bus a proper pre-trip inspection. It is a detailed walkthrough that must be performed before each route.

Title: Post Trip Inspection This video discusses what you are looking for during a post-trip inspection. It details the most important things to look for in a post-trip inspection: children, damage, and trash.

Please contact your Client Services Representative at 877-792-3866, if you have any questions.