The Official Blog for Penske Truck Leasing, Truck Rental and Logistics

With the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season just a month away, now is the time to get ready for potential storms, as preparation is key to keeping you and your property safe.

National Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 5-11, provides an opportunity to review your safety plans and make any changes long before a storm arrives.

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Road construction and maintenance projects are the keys to maintaining healthy roadways. Yet, these work zones can provide challenges to drivers.

New speed limits, traffic patterns and rights of way, as well as worker and vehicle movement, can all impact work zone safety.

National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 15-19, shines a spotlight on ways drivers can keep themselves as well as work zone workers safe.

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With Tropical Storm Idalia expected to strengthen to a hurricane Monday evening and make landfall Tuesday in Florida, fleet operators are encouraged to take steps now to brace for the storm’s impact.

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Road construction and maintenance projects are the keys to maintaining the health of the nation’s highways. Yet, these work zones can provide challenges to drivers and road workers alike.
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Penske Truck Leasing has been reaccredited by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), following a rigorous review process with industry education partner, the ASE Training Managers Council (ATMC), ensuring the company continues to meet or exceed the highest quality and performance standards for continuing service education. Penske is one of 45 organizations or institutions in the United States with an ASE accredited training program.

Penske was first accredited in 2008 with its flagship Technician Certification Program. This program was designed to enhance the skills of Penske’s vehicle maintenance technicians and customer service representatives. Since the initial accreditation, Penske has evolved its focus through the implementation of skill-gap assessments and needs-based training to meet specific business and critical job skill needs to ensure compliance and proficiency. The transportation company continually challenges itself to provide training content that delivers a modern learning experience – by virtual, in-person and mixed-reality training – and strives to advance the program by applying ASE accreditation standards within its entire technician training ecosystem.

“Our maintenance and technical training program is constantly being refined and expanded – it is centered on an assessment of business and technical needs specific to Penske,” said Holly Gerke, vice president of maintenance training and technical development for Penske Truck Leasing. “Achieving ASE reaccreditation is a continuum of our pursuit of excellence and an affirmation of our training program.”

The ASE accreditation program sets standards in which organizations and institution can continuously improve the quality of their performance standards and training program infrastructure and offerings.

“Penske met the ASE identified elements of organization, structure, and method which contribute significantly to the development of high quality continuing automotive service education,” said Matt Shepanek, vice president of credential testing programs for ASE. “Penske goes above and beyond the critical requirements to become reaccredited as an ASE provider of continuing automotive service education.”

The ASE accreditation program is based on a five-year cycle.

By "Move Ahead" Staff

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will conduct its annual Brake Safety Week from Aug. 21 -27 with a focus on brake hose/tubing chafing violations.

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Before getting behind the wheel of your rental truck, use these tips from Penske Truck Rental to help get you from point A to point B without the worry.

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Construction and maintenance projects are the keys to maintaining the health of the nation’s highways. Yet, these work zones can provide challenges to drivers and road workers alike.

New speed limits, traffic patterns and rights of way, as well as worker and vehicle movement, can all impact work zone safety, putting drivers and workers at risk.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has designated April 11-15 as National Work Zone Awareness Week to bring attention to work zone safety. This year’s theme is “Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down."

Preparation begins before sliding into the driver’s seat. The FHWA encourages drivers to research your route before you set out to your destination. Whenever possible, drivers are encouraged to avoid work zones and use available detours.

When traveling through a work zone, the FHWA encourages drivers to keep the following in mind:

  • Pay attention to work zone signs that indicate reduced speeds, lane changes and other important information.
  • Avoid distractions, including eating and drinking, cellphones, radio, GPS and other passengers.
  • Slow down when entering a work zone and keep an eye out for road workers. Lane closures, traffic patterns and reduced speeds are common in work zones.
  • Move into the open lane as soon as possible.
  • Be mindful of vehicles around you that could be in your blind spot and be careful not to travel in another driver’s blind spot.
  • Keep your distance. Rear-end crashes are common in work zones. Maintain extra space between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

In addition, the FHWA has these suggestions when driving large trucks in work zones:.

  • Take advantage of your driving height and anticipate braking situations.
  • Be prepared to slow down or stop suddenly in a work zone.
  • Get into the correct lane well in advance of lane closures.
  • Be cautious of motorists racing to get ahead of you in merged areas.
  • Be aware of your “No-Zone” areas where crashes are more likely to occur.

For more information on work zone safety, visit the FHWA website.

By “Move Ahead” Staff

Work zones help to maintain the health of the nation's highways through a combination of construction and maintenance projects, yet the zones can provide challenges for drivers.

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Advancements and updates in technology have added distractions to virtually every aspect of modern life, but they have become increasingly troublesome to drivers. And while 48 states have enacted texting bans to prevent dangerous and deadly consequences on the road, drivers continue to use their smartphones behind the wheel.

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Keeping associates safe is a top priority for Penske Logistics, and the company uses a mix of technology and training to prevent injuries and accidents among its 10,500 professional drivers and 6,300 warehouse associates.

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Less traffic on roadways due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders has led to some drivers being less vigilant about observing traffic safety laws, including speed limits, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).
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Penske Vehicle Services, a Penske Logistics subsidiary headquartered in Troy, Michigan, is the recipient of a $28,000 COVID-19 Mobility Solutions Grant from PlanetM, the mobility initiative of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

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For more than two decades, the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) has designated one week each spring as National Work Zone Awareness Week; and Monday, April 20, marks the beginning of this year's campaign.

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Jason Herr, Penske Logistics vice president of safety, will participate in an upcoming Transport Topics magazine webinar, Less Pain, More Gain: How Safety Culture Drives Operational Efficiency, which is being hosted by Worklete.

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Law enforcement across North America will be on the lookout for speeding and other questionable driving behaviors this week during Operation Safe Driver Week.

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For the second consecutive year, Penske Logistics held its Premier Driver Recognition Program, honoring 15 of its safest, professional truck drivers and inducting them into the company’s Driver Wall of Fame.

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Summer is a popular time for household and business moves, and with Fourth of July rapidly approaching, it’s important to note that Penske prohibits carrying or hauling hazardous cargo, like fireworks, into any of their rental trucks.

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