Safe Travels
Commercial transportation can be a dangerous business, and it’s up to a Transport Safety Supervisor to prevent transportation related accidents and promote safety awareness and education to fellow employees. “I accomplish this by supporting transportation safety programs and initiatives planned or being taken by executives and managers within their respective teams,” said Transportation Safety Supervisor Jonathan Frye. “I also serve as a consultant for leaders, logistics and supervisors.”
Additionally, Frye is responsible for ensuring employees follow DOT safety laws. He helps create policies for a safer work environment, as well as identifies potential transportation related work hazards and improves existing conditions.
A Transportation Safety Supervisor’s typical day involves working with the various business units to ensure drivers are compliant with the DOT regulations and company policies. “Every day I review Samsara data to make sure drivers have not exceeded the number of hours that they are permitted to drive,” Frye said.
Frye is responsible for reviewing video of any accidents, speeding or mobile phone usage, and communicating with business units to authorize company drivers and process driver fines and tolls. He also attends safety committee meetings to provide data and feedback on areas needing improvement.
“The most enjoyable aspect of my work involves helping our internal customers resolve transportation related issues that they encounter and finding new ways to improve upon a current process or procedure that results in better driver behavior,” Frye said.
The biggest challenge is drivers becoming complacent. “We have drivers who are good for several weeks or months and then their driver scores will fall,” Frye said. “The challenge is, how do we motivate them to be consistently good?”
Frye’s initial start was in state government, where he worked for several years with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office while attending law school. “From there I transitioned to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) as a hazardous material investigator specialist. After approximately 15 years as a hazmat specialist, I was appointed to the position of PUCO’s Chief of the Transportation Compliance Department,” he said.
By the time Frye joined MPW in November of 2019, he was well-versed in the incredible complexity of transportation regulations. “The best advice that I can give someone wanting to become a Transport Safety Supervisor is to always remember that knowledge is power,” Frye said. “With that, learn as much as you can about the subject matter by taking as many online classes and seminars as possible.”
Extensive traveling and education have provided Frye with a unique perspective. “It’s allowed me to meet people from all walks of life,” he said. “As a result of these experiences, I have a greater appreciation and respect for those companies that put an emphasis on the fair treatment and full participation of all people, especially populations that have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination because of their background, identity or disability.
“I spend my spare time reading and following the Cincinnati Bengals,” Frye said. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Deb, who is retired from Columbus City Attorney’s Office, and daughter, Jazmyn, who is a prosecutor for Dekalb County, Georgia.