National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is when America takes the time to honor all professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment in tackling one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs.

At Oakley Transport, we truly believe the cornerstone of the transportation industry starts and ends with the professional driver. We take tremendous pride in being an industry leader in our segment of transportation.

We wanted to take this opportunity to truly thank our drivers, from the bottom of our hearts, for being the backbone of our company and for continuing to represent Oakley Transportation as a leader on the industry. Thank you for your hard work and dedication and thank you for being part of the Oakley Family. Happy Driver Appreciation Week! 

“We are so very proud of this driver and his actions,” Zane Schwenk, national customer service manager at Oakley Transport, said. Sometimes the most valiant heros arrive in the most ordinary forms. Oakley driver, David Fredericksen was logging miles during a typical day of work when he witnessed a horrible catastrophe. With a courageous heart, Fredericksen put his life on the line to save another. Read more about the story from June Rivers on Little Things.com

Trucker Sees Horrific Crash And Goes Running, But Notices His Dash Cam Caught A Miracle

David Fredericksen, a professional truck driver, saw a car going the wrong way on an interstate in Biloxi, Mississippi. He watched in horror as the vehicle slammed into a truck and exploded before his very eyes. His dash cam recorded the tragic crash.

Within seconds, the entire car was on fire. David prayed, left the safety of his truck, and rushed to the scene with a fire extinguisher. He was terrified of what he would find, but he didn’t hesitate to help.

“God, please don’t let me have to deal with somebody halfway burned alive, screaming,” he thought to himself.
David thought the two people inside the car — an elderly woman and her 1-year-old granddaughter — were surely dead. But then something incredible caught his eye: he saw a little head pop up in the back window.

David tried to yank the door open as the metal began to melt. He prayed even more before climbing into the back seat, where he grabbed the little girl as the fire raged on.

There are many reasons why David says what happened next is an absolute miracle.

Click this link to watch the video.

The training is finished; the job-offer is signed; the truck driver career has commenced; and now  there’s so much to remember as you turn the ignition and drive out into your future. Stepping foot into the trucking industry can be daunting. What advice do you heed and what do you disregard? There is a lot of misinformation circulating. To make sense of the mess, we have assembled a “rookie driver survival guide” to put you in gear for a great future.

Standards that apply to veteran drivers are not the same for rookies, Brett Aquila from truckingtruth.com says. Amateurs are not expected to amass the same amount of miles as a veteran. The mind and body must first become acclimated to the demands of driving and the time management skills must be developed. So, here are a few things to recall to help refine your abilities. 

Parking is an issue. The lots fill up quickly and its not uncommon to waste time hunting for a nook among miles of other trailers, Aquila states. Even arriving an hour later in the evening can make or break the chance of seizing a spot. Its exhausting, aggravating, inefficient and wasteful. “It didn’t take long for me to realize that if I can manage to get parked early (6 p.m.), and get up really early (2 a.m.), I’ll save a lot of time, energy and frustration.”

Traffic is a stress stimulator. While it’s impossible to completely avoid, it can be alleviated. Foolproof your schedule, Aquila instructs, by being astute with your time. Maintaining unorthodox hours (like 2 a.m.- 6 p.m.) can be the key. Not only will you be able to find better parking, but you can bypass traffic, arrive at appointments early and get loaded/unloaded ahead of schedule. If you can nail that timing you’ll generate better customer service, garner respect for your dispatcher and make more money quicker, Aquila exclaims. 

Rest the mind and rest the body. “There is something critically important to know – the more exhausted you let yourself get, the less efficient your recovery time will be,” Aquila states. Listen to your body and sleep when you need it or else risk losing hours of energy and falling behind. “There’s a huge safety factor here too,” he claims. “You’re incredibly dangerous when you’re driving tired. Someone who has been up 24 straight hours has the same driving skills as someone who is legally drunk – it’s been proven through scientific testing.”

Drive Diligently. You have 60 feet of trailer behind you. Don’t narrow your safety margins by trying to slip into a tight spot in the lane next to you. Pass safely and properly, states an article from loadfti.com. And speaking of 60 feet, don’t get too frustrated when learning the art of backing up. It’s a technique the requires special maneuvering and calculating. Just remember to get out and look beforehand. Safety in the lot and on the highway should always be a priority. 

Be cordial with your dispatcher. Launching a career by creating respected, professional relationships will render a respected image as a person and a driver, an article from gorillasafety.com says, and it will ultimately lead to further opportunities and success. 

Lastly, be patient with yourself. Time management and tenacity behind the wheel are earned mile by mile. It takes perseverance and a willingness to learn along the way to evolve from a rookie to a veteran.

LAKE WALES, FLORIDA (August 2, 2017) — Oakley Transport, Inc., the premier leader in the liquid, food grade transportation sector with the synergies of complementary logistic services for more than 30 years, has become the first liquid food grade transportation company in the world to acquire International Standards Organization (ISO) certifications 9001:2015 and 22000:20005.

ISO certifies that a management system or manufacturing process/service meets all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance. The seal of approval is given after an organization proves it is compliant with the conditions of the chosen ISO system. Oakley Transport recently received two derivative certifications of ISO 9000 (QMS), ISO 9001:2015, a standard for superior management systems, and ISO 22000:2005, a standard for food safety management systems. Both confirm Oakley’s consistency in products and services and their ability to meet and exceed customer and regulatory requirements. 

“Achieving ISO certification symbolizes our determination to be the best in the industry,” Allen Warner, Oakley Transport’s Quality Director, said. “It establishes a baseline performance level that we are all committed towards and sets Oakley apart from our competitors.”

To ensure they meet proper ISO criteria, Oakley is devoted to systematizing operating procedures, providing proper training and focusing on performance. Not only does this reiterate their commitment to exceptional service and encourage customer confidence, but it also shows their dedication to delivering the product to the customer in the same quality as it was entrusted to them.

“Oakley Transport has redefined excellence in the food transportation industry” Thomas Oakley, founder and owner of Oakley Transport, said. “ISO certification reflects our dedication to customer satisfaction, food safety and the integrity of our customers’ product. We have raised the bar for the entire industry and that is something of which we are very proud.”

Oakley has proven itself as a pioneer in the industry numerous times as they continue their continual pursuit of excellence. For example, the company’s newly endorsed operations are a testament to their commitment and understanding of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a sweeping overhaul of food security codes to prevent contamination of products.

“We had the expertise and vision to address the growing significance of food safety for our company, our customers and the consumers years ago when we began the pursuit of our ISO certifications,” Ryan Walls, Vice President of Safety and Risk Management, said. “We anticipate the needs of our customers and continue to look at what may be on the horizon, which is why we were also an earlier adopter of Electronic Logging Devices (ELD), as well as SMARTDRIVE in cab event recorders. 

​For more information please visit www.oakleytransport.com/iso 
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About Oakley Transport, Inc. 
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Lake Wales, Florida, Oakley Transport has established itself as the premier leader in the liquid, food grade transportation sector with the synergies of complementary logistic services. The family owned and operated company enhances the customers’ supply chain with over-the-road and dedicated transportation services in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands. Oakley Transport prides itself in being an industry leader in the area of transportation, for quality, safety and driver appreciation. For more information on the company and its services visit: www.oakleytransport.com