Safety Always

By Kenneth Kern, Senior Manager, Safety and Regulatory Affairs, DCLI

“Safety Always” – it’s one of DCLI’s core values and is at the forefront of everything I do as the company’s senior manager of safety and regulatory affairs.

As a provider of marine, domestic and specialty chassis equipment to the U.S. intermodal industry, our focus on safety is one of the key factors driving the continual enhancements we have made in our fleet. Since our founding, we have consistently invested in upgrading our equipment. We've purchased brand-new chassis. We've converted equipment from bias-ply tires to radials, which enhances performance and reduces failures. And we've replaced incandescent lights with LEDs, which provides better chassis visibility on the road. These commitments to safety have delivered real, measurable improvements that make these chassis safer for our motor carrier customers and the motoring public with whom we share the road.

We have also upgraded our technology processes to promote safety. One recent change involved moving to the Intermodal Association of North America’s (IANA) Driver Vehicle Inspection Reporting system, streamlining how drivers who use our chassis report any defects identified in their post-trip inspections. Submitting these reports directly through IANA allows us to identify units requiring our attention more quickly so they can be removed from service and receive repairs. Keeping defective chassis off the roads is critical to safe business operations. As DCLI Chief Operating Officer Mike Wells said, “At DCLI, safety is paramount, and we have the results to prove it. In the past year, we achieved an industry-leading SAFER out-of-service rating of 3%, a metric we are constantly working to improve.”

Another way we drive safety is by working together with our motor carrier customers and industry organizations. By partnering with safety organizations like CVSA and the National Safety Council, we are able to share important safety messages and information via our social media channels. We always ensure that our own employees have the proper training, information and personal protective equipment to stay safe while they’re performing their jobs, which often interface with our motor carrier customers.

Our work in these areas ultimately drives highway safety and higher-quality chassis for use in serving the needs of the supply chain. These efforts ensure that "Safety Always" is more than just a motto – it’s something we can all stand behind.