December 2023
To our award winning professional Drivers:
As we approach the end of 2023, we would like to say THANK YOU for your hard work and dedication throughout the year. We appreciate your effort and commitment that keeps Heartland Express a leader in the trucking industry. Heartland Express continues to be the leading service provider, and we have received numerous CARRIER of the YEAR awards because of your efforts. We are known for providing the best ON-TIME SERVICE in the industry. We earn that reputation one load at a time, and that is what sets us apart from our competition.
We do have a few reminders as we approach the end of the year and begin 2024:
Security
Remember there is always somebody watching you. Never share what you are hauling on your trailer. Over the past couple of weeks, we have had numerous theft attempts on our equipment. Make sure you are following our security policies and procedures:
-Always stay hooked to your trailer (NEVER UNHOOK)
-Always use your tractor air cuff locking device when you are out of the vehicle.
-Back your trailer against fixed objects in a lighted area to keep the trailer doors from being opened, and always secure the latch on the right trailer door with a padlock.
-Send your Unit Security Message when you secure the truck for time off.
-Maintain seal integrity at all times – this is an integral service we provide to our customers. Before leaving your shipper, check the bills to make sure the seal on your trailer matches your paperwork. If you notice that the seal on your trailer is broken, YOU MUST REPORT THAT ISSUE TO DISPATCH IMMEDIATELY. Don’t continue to the customer, call dispatch, and let us help you with the solution.
Safety
Please keep the following seasonal safety items in mind as you prepare for the winter:
-Speed is the leading cause of accidents. Inclement weather causes slippery roads, so pay close attention to changing conditions, and slow down as needed.
-Lane changes are the second most frequent cause of accidents. Look ahead to make sure you are travelling in the correct lane – you can prevent potential accidents and DOT stops by changing lanes as little as possible. DOT officers are watching whether you are travelling in the correct lane.
-Perform thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspections. Protect yourself and protect others with safe equipment, always checking tires, lights, and for audible air leaks, which are three most common violations. Remember, the time you spend inspecting your equipment is never wasted – the problems you identify early could save you from getting put out of service at a DOT scale, from being broken down on the side of the road, or from getting in an accident. If you get interrupted while doing your inspection stop and start over, to make sure nothing is missed.
What is the temperature?
Is your product freezable? Colder temperatures also increase our exposure to freezing or damaging certain freight commodities. Be aware of the product you’re hauling. Alert dispatch immediately if you are hauling freezable product, and your dispatch requires extended transit into colder temperatures or if your assignment takes you home into colder climates.
Colder temperatures also require more attention to tire pressure and air lines. Please make sure when you do your Pre-Trip you are checking tire pressure with a tire gauge. This is the only way to get a true reading and be safe. Draining your tractors air tanks regularly during freezing temperatures will prevent air-line freeze ups and reduce instances of trailer brakes freezing up.
Shop
Make sure to go thru the inspection bays during shop hours Monday-Friday 0730-1700 and Saturday 0730-1200 anytime you have any equipment issues or simply want a professional set of eyes to inspect your equipment. We have the inspection bays to make sure we are catching the potential breakdowns before a DOT inspection does. This helps both you and Heartland Express improve CSA scores, so please help us by doing your part. Remember every day, every load, PRETRIP, PRETRIP, PRETRIP! This will not only save you time, but also the CSA score on
INSURANCE BENEFITS
· Bluebook Fair Price Rewards, formerly CareFinder – Go Green to Get Green – Receive gift cards ranging from $25 to $1,500 for searching and using high quality medical providers. This service works well for such things as elective surgery, MRI’s, CT scans, etc. Call Quantum’s MyQHealth Care Coordinators at 866-952-0359 to find out more.
· MyQHealth Care Coordinators are your healthcare experts who can assist with your benefits, medical bills, health concerns, finding healthcare providers, and information about all our programs. Contact them at 866-952-0359 (their phone number is on the back of your health ID card also).
· Hinge Health virtual physical therapy is great for anyone suffering from joint or low back pain. Hinge Health is more convenient and effective than traditional therapy, and is provided at no additional cost for employees covered on our health plan. Call MyQHealth Care Coordinators for more information at 866-952-0359.
· Free Diabetic Testing Supplies and Lower Copays are available through our TrueLifeCare program – Sign up now by calling 888-788-4925, or at www.truelifecare.com/signup.
· Smart Connect – Did you know Medicare might be a better option for you than the company’s health plan? Medicare Resource Now Available – Call 877-374-2705.
ATTENTION NEW EMPLOYEES – HAVE YOU ENROLLED IN BENEFITS YET?
If you were hired 10/3/23, or after, you need to enroll in benefits before it’s too late. Those hired from 10/3/23 to 11/2/23 must enroll in benefits before 12/31/23.
To enroll in benefits, you can either enroll online through our ADP employee portal at http://employee.heartlandexpress.com or call the ADP call center at 800-553-9234 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday.
Heartland Express Inc. of Iowa Retirement Savings Plan Open Enrollment
This is a reminder that our open enrollment period for participation in the Heartland Express 401k plan with Fidelity Investments will run through December 31st for changes to take effect with your first payroll check in January. If your hire date was on or before December 31, 2022, and you are not currently participating in the 401k Plan, now is the time to call or visit Fidelity’s website to enroll or make changes. Please call them at 800-835-5097 or visit their website at www.401k.com. New enrollments or deferral percentage changes will be effective on payroll check dated January 5, 2024. It is important that you contact Fidelity by the deadline of December 31st, as our next enrollment period will not be until July 1, 2024.
If you have any questions, please contact Renae in the Benefits Department at 319-367-3131
2024 Annual Per Diem Enrollment
The 2024 annual Per Diem program sign-up is underway. We have sent you a letter on the program specifics by mail but wanted to alert you again to this potential benefit for 2024. We encourage you to read the 2024 Per Diem program letter, which contains more in-depth information, before deciding if you will participate in the Per Diem program for 2024. To participate, you just need to complete the enrollment form and submit it to payroll@heartlandexpress.com - before January 31, 2024. Please note that if you participated in the program during 2023, you will need to complete a new form to participate during the 2024 tax year. If you do not complete a 2024 Per Diem enrollment form, you will be removed from the program on January 1, 2024. Please keep in mind that the sign-up period is only available until January 31, 2024, as required by IRS tax rules. We also encourage you to consult your tax advisor for information concerning your individual tax circumstances.
New option for 2024 Per Diem enrollment using the ISAAC tablet!
Per Diem enrollment for our drivers to opt in and opt out of Per Diem is now available as an Activity on the front screen of your Isaac tablet!
LOG OUT AND LOG BACK IN to see the new activities as shown below in the lower right corner of the front activities screen:
Like the paper document, check/click on the option you would like to take for 2024 and click on each statement box to validate if you agree. Below is the confirmation email that will automatically be sent to payroll for the Opt In Request, as well as the Opt Out Request.
$$$ Driver Referral Program up to $3,000.00 per referral $$$
Dollar signs always get attention! As a Heartland Express driver, you have an opportunity to put more dollars in your wallet with our referral program. We get better contacts and hires from our existing drivers than any other source, and our referral program pays YOU to assist us in referring new drivers to Heartland!
Heartland Express pays a bonus up to $3000.00 for each Driver referral hired. The payout for referrals hired will be on the following schedule:
First Dispatch- $1000.00
Referral drives 10,000 dispatched miles- $1000.00
Referral drives 20,000 dispatched miles- $1000.00
We appreciate all referrals and your assistance in obtaining contacts and hires, if you need additional information, please contact the Recruiting Department at 800-441-4953, or your Driver Manager. Remember there is a chance to make $3000.00 for each referral hired!
Heartland Express on Social Media
We’d like to encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can find us on all three sites at “Heartlandexp,” to “follow” or “Like” our page. We use our accounts to post helpful reminders, thoughts, and suggestions, and we welcome your engagement with our posts. You can also email scenic photos from your travels across the country to social@heartlandexpress.co
We wish you a joyous and safe holiday season filled with love, laughter, and the warmth of family and friends. Your dedication to excellence has been the driving force behind our success, and we look forward to another year of shared achievements. Thank you for all that you do!
Happy Holidays!
Thom Kasenberg VP Eastern Operations
Mark Crouse VP Western Operations