Van Pools Blog

Posts Tagged ‘safety’

Houston Hosts Vanpool Safety Meetings

December 8th, 2011 0 Comments

As part of VPSI’s ongoing efforts to promote safe driving, Cecilia Cannon, VPSI’s Houston Project Manager, hosted several vanpool safety meetings for volunteer vanpool driversin the month of October. The meetings were at Marathon Oil, the Harris County Appraisal District, the Houston VA Medical Center and the Houston Veterans Administration Regional Office. Ms. Cannon was accompanied by VPSI Account Managers Henry Moz and Jeffrey Miller. Andy Bawden, a Vanpool Safety Instructor for VPSI, conducted the meetings.

Each of the 70-minute meetings began by asking the drivers to identify the different sizes of the vans used, the lengths of the commutes, the number of drivers in each van and where the vans are parked when not at the workplace. With this information Mr. Bawden provided instructions on how to safely handle a van in many situations. He then presented The Vanpool Difference, VPSI’s three-part 14-minute safety video. At the beginning and end of each part the drivers discussed what they had seen and offered comments relative to their own vanpooling experiences.

Houston Safety

VPSI thanks Ellen Meyer at Marathon Oil, Charlene Fields at the Harris County Appraisal District, Martha Barragan at Houston VA Medical Center and Mittie Gregory and Jo Ann White at the VA Regional Office for all their help and support in organizing these meetings recently and in the past.

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Posted in Commuting, Vanpool | No Comments »

Winter Driving Tips

November 21st, 2011 0 Comments

By Mark Kreindler
VPSI’s Risk Manager

Winter weather is (unfortunately) fast approaching and snow has already started falling in some parts of the country. It’s a good time to review some basic winter weather safe driving tips. Here are some pre- trip tips to make sure your vehicle is in top winter driving shape:

First, check the battery, coolant and wiper blades. Fill the washer fluid and always keep the gas tank at least half full. Next, check the tires for wear and proper inflation and be sure to keep a snow scraper/brush in vehicle.

Now for the driving tips:

  • Always clear snow from your vehicle, including the roof
  • Keep windshield and windows clear of ice and snow
  • Allow extra time for your trip and slow down
  • Avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes
  • Watch for icy bridge decks and slippery shady areas on roadways
  • Leave extra room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you
  • Turn on headlights during wintery weather
  • Did I mention to slow down and drive for conditions?

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Posted in Commuting, Vanpool | No Comments »

Time Change Affects Drive Times

November 7th, 2011 0 Comments

Andy Bawden

By Andy Bawden
VPSI Vanpool Safety Instructor

Now that you’ve set your clocks back an hour, you’ve gained and hour of daylight drive time in the morning. You also lost an hour of evening daylight for the drive home. This grand tradition was started to save electricity during summer months by extending evening hours and allowing school kids more opportunity to go to school in the daylight. It can affect drive times and you need to change with the times.

As fall makes its way towards winter the days will become shorter until the third week in December. Until then the days will become shorter and daylight will be limited. As a vanpool driver you need to make sure you are well rested before driving and prepare yourself for other challenges.

Other changes and adjustments that will need to be made:

  • Adjust your tires’ pressure to recommended levels found on the driver’s door post.
  • Approach intersections carefully and be prepared to stop or slow down.
  • If you stop – stop before the limit line to allow other drivers and pedestrians a clear and unobstructed pathway.
  •  Limit the number of lane changes.
  • If you change lanes – signal well ahead of time.
  • Increase the following distance.
  • Maintain a safe and consistent speed.

Andy Bawden is a Vanpool Safety Instructor and is now a guest contributor to VPSI’s Commuter Chronicle newsletter and van-pools.com blog. He is certified by the National Safety Council as a Defensive Driving Instructor. He was previously VPSI’s Loss Prevention and Vanpool Safety Manager.

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Posted in Commuting | No Comments »

Our Favorite Movie Chase Scenes

October 25th, 2011 1 Comment

Last week, we posted about the measures VPSI, Inc. takes to ensure that vanpoolers are safe and well protected during their commutes.

With that in mind, we thought it might be fun to look at some of the more exciting, outlandish – and hilarious – car-chase scenes from movie history. These are some of our favorites. What are yours?

(And, it should go without saying – but we’ll say it anyway – that VPSI, Inc. does not endorse any of the driving techniques found in these clips. As they say, “Kids, don’t try these at home.”)

Bullitt:

Trains, Planes and Automobiles:

Gone in 60 Seconds:

Live and Let Die:

The Blues Brothers:

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Vanpooling: Safer, Greener, Cheaper

May 24th, 2011 0 Comments

VPSI, Inc.’s very own Steve Pederson is quoted at length in this very informative article from Safety.blr.com that cites vanpooling as the safest, cheapest and greenest way to commute to work.

Keep up the good work, Steve!

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Posted in Commuting, Green Employee Benefits, Sustainable Transportation | No Comments »

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