Few people outside the freighting industry fully appreciate how difficult truck driving is. While it may seem like a simple matter of taking cargo from Point A to Point B, professional trucking requires a tremendous amount of concentration, vehicle expertise and attention to detail. As is the case with every profession that involves driving, trucking isn’t always safe. Drivers are often tasked with navigating enormous vehicles through potentially perilous road conditions and inclement weather. Furthermore, in light of the long hours many truckers put in, physical burnout is far from uncommon. Freighting companies looking for effective ways to keep their workforce safe would be wise to heed the following pointers.
Invest in Fleet Management Software
As any seasoned trucker can attest, few things are scarier than getting sick or injured or becoming hopelessly lost while en route to a destination. In this scenario, knowing that someone has your back can provide tremendous peace of mind. This is where fleet management solutions enter the equation. As the name suggests, this cutting-edge software enables companies to keep track of fleet vehicle locations at all times. So, whenever a driver finds him or herself stranded or unable to drive, you’ll be completely abreast of their location and have the ability to send help immediately. No freighting company that purports to value driver safety can be without high-tech fleet management tools.
Have Your Vehicles Regularly Serviced
While there’s no denying that drivers are a company’s most essential asset, the actual vehicles are a close second. The absence of reliable vehicles stands to compromise driver safety and negatively impact the timeliness of deliveries. In other words, vehicles that aren’t properly maintained can put both your drivers and your company’s reputation at serious risk. With this in mind, make a point of having your vehicles thoroughly inspected after each big delivery and serviced accordingly. This will help ensure that little problems are caught before they become bigger issues, thereby saving your company money and keeping your drivers safe.
Discourage Drivers from Putting Themselves in Danger
Some truckers won’t hesitate to plow through hazardous road conditions or patches of dangerous weather for the sake of meeting a deadline. Although they have the best of intentions, these drivers are putting their own safety – and the safety of their fellow motorists – at risk. If one of your drivers is headed into a potentially hazardous situation, encourage him or her to pull over or retreat to a safe location until the danger has passed – even if it means missing a deadline. Under no circumstances should timeliness take priority over the safety of your drivers.
At first glance, trucking seems like a relatively easy profession. However, as many new drivers quickly discover, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Professional trucking requires a level of expertise and dedication that many of us simply don’t possess, and drivers face a daunting assortment of dangers on a seemingly constant basis. That being the case, their safety should be their employers’ foremost priority. In the quest to keep your drivers safe on the road, fleet management software, vehicle maintenance and avoidance of dangerous driving conditions can go a long way.
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