Driving In Bad Weather
Every truck fleet manager has to thoroughly inspect each truck before they go out on the road. Your inspectors have to be skilled in determining the extent of any problem that your trucks are currently experiencing. You have to make it a point to get all your trucks inspected before they go out on long road trips. Trucks endure a lot when they're on the road for an extended period of time. The last thing you will want to have happen is for your truck to break down in the middle of a trip. Your schedule is important and you can't miss any of your stops.
Whether you're dealing with torrential rain, freezing rain, ice, or snow, there are some rules that apply across the board. By taking the time to educate yourself on how to drive safely in bad weather, you are protecting yourself and the other drivers on the road.
As part of every truck inspection, you have to dig deep into the inner workings of each truck to catch problems that would have gone unnoticed during a less thorough inspection. It's understandable that you might not want to go so deep every time. The cost of paying inspectors is significant, so you have to determine the best way to perform thorough inspections without giving them unnecessary responsibilities. At the same time, you wouldn't want your inspections to be so cursory that they fail to catch important repairs.
Take your vehicle to be serviced and 'winterized.' If you operate a fleet, you can work with fleet management services to help you get your fleet ready. Know what equipment and emergency supplies you need to have in each vehicle so that you have chains for tires or an ice scraper when needed. Preparation is always the first and best way to make sure that you are ready for winter driving.
Sometimes, in the instance of a complete blowout for example, the issue will be readily apparent. However, if the problem with the tire is not so obvious a driver may have to inspect each tire for air leaks or other damage in order to determine the source of the problem.
Knowing When to Replace Your Trucks
Coming up with a budget for maintaining your fleet has to address the possibility that you will need to replace your trucks at some point. Performing minor repairs on your trucks over time will reduce their overall level of stability. Above all else, you need to repair your trucks the right way the first time around. Patching up your trucks is a way to cut costs, but it will create some problems later on. Bringing in the right people to repair your trucks is a costly venture. It's worth it when you consider what these individuals can bring to your business.
Make sure that when on the road, you leave plenty of space between you and other drivers. Don't be in a hurry. Speeding cars and bad conditions cause more accidents than anything else, and keep in mind that speeding in bad weather may mean that you are going too fast even if you are 15 mph below the speed limit.
Your trucks will last much longer if they have good people driving them. There's a difference between hiring people who have resumes that read like they're good truck drivers and bringing in people who are actually good at driving trucks. You should hire the people that read like good candidates and then train them in the ways your company does business. Your training protocols have to be thorough and revisited on a regular basis. Older training protocols need to be improved over time to address the current concerns of the industry.
Whether you're dealing with torrential rain, freezing rain, ice, or snow, there are some rules that apply across the board. By taking the time to educate yourself on how to drive safely in bad weather, you are protecting yourself and the other drivers on the road.
As part of every truck inspection, you have to dig deep into the inner workings of each truck to catch problems that would have gone unnoticed during a less thorough inspection. It's understandable that you might not want to go so deep every time. The cost of paying inspectors is significant, so you have to determine the best way to perform thorough inspections without giving them unnecessary responsibilities. At the same time, you wouldn't want your inspections to be so cursory that they fail to catch important repairs.
Take your vehicle to be serviced and 'winterized.' If you operate a fleet, you can work with fleet management services to help you get your fleet ready. Know what equipment and emergency supplies you need to have in each vehicle so that you have chains for tires or an ice scraper when needed. Preparation is always the first and best way to make sure that you are ready for winter driving.
Sometimes, in the instance of a complete blowout for example, the issue will be readily apparent. However, if the problem with the tire is not so obvious a driver may have to inspect each tire for air leaks or other damage in order to determine the source of the problem.
Knowing When to Replace Your Trucks
Coming up with a budget for maintaining your fleet has to address the possibility that you will need to replace your trucks at some point. Performing minor repairs on your trucks over time will reduce their overall level of stability. Above all else, you need to repair your trucks the right way the first time around. Patching up your trucks is a way to cut costs, but it will create some problems later on. Bringing in the right people to repair your trucks is a costly venture. It's worth it when you consider what these individuals can bring to your business.
Make sure that when on the road, you leave plenty of space between you and other drivers. Don't be in a hurry. Speeding cars and bad conditions cause more accidents than anything else, and keep in mind that speeding in bad weather may mean that you are going too fast even if you are 15 mph below the speed limit.
Your trucks will last much longer if they have good people driving them. There's a difference between hiring people who have resumes that read like they're good truck drivers and bringing in people who are actually good at driving trucks. You should hire the people that read like good candidates and then train them in the ways your company does business. Your training protocols have to be thorough and revisited on a regular basis. Older training protocols need to be improved over time to address the current concerns of the industry.
About the Author:
When the California Air Resource Board's diesel emissions regulations first came out, Michael Schwartz, now President of FleetServ, started getting calls from panicked Fleet Managers looking for straight-forward info and compliance assistance. While FleetServ (formerly known as ACT Compliance) was originally formed to meet this need, over time it has evolved into much more.
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