Operators of United Drilling of Plumsteadville, Pa., say the company has improved its DOT Safe Stat rating significantly using Arsenault's Dossier fleet maintenance management software to direct and document vehicle maintenance.

The company said its rating has gone from above 75 to near and often below 50.
"The rating is important when a unit is stopped by an officer who punches our DOT number into his computer," said Tim Weaver, United Drilling's fleet safety director. If the rating is above 75, the officer is urged to make a full inspection. A rating between 75 and 50 is regarded as good, but an inspection is optional. A rating below 50 is excellent and a full inspection is not recommended. "Of course, the decision to inspect always lies with individual officers," Weaver explained.
United Drilling operates 27 Class 8 heavy vehicles through 30 eastern states..
Safe Stat, short for Motor Carrier Safety Status Measurement System, evaluates and saves data on crashes, roadside inspections, on-site compliance reviews and enforcement history. The system, administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, quantifies the safety status of carriers. The goal is to focus enforcement resources on carriers with the greatest potential safety risk.
The Dossier system provides on-site inspectors with documentation of preventive maintenance, repair histories and the like, but its impact on fleet safety is more than merely statistical.
"We began using Dossier in 2003. Within a year we had lowered our Safe Stat rating significantly below the deficient mark. By tracking our PM schedule we also were doing more intentional observation and catching routine items that were often overlooked by drivers. It's good to avoid lengthy roadside inspections, of course, but our fleet doesn't just appear safer, it is safer," Weaver said.
United Drilling, a 20-year-old company, drills holes for hydraulic elevators. Its mobile drill rigs gross 66,000 to 73,280 pounds each.
Arsenault has provided maintenance management expertise since 1979. Dossier manages a variety of vehicles including tractors, trailers, trucks, buses and autos, plus construction and material handling equipment.
For more information, visit www.arsenault.biz.