Overseeing an entire company’s transit operation is a difficult-enough job for the UK’s fleet managers, and at times of great stress – as with any job – it’s possible that certain checks may slip. The most important thing for any transport-led business, naturally, is driver safety. While this is always at the top of the list of priorities for any company, there are still an incredible number of things to take into account – and overlooking just one of these could result in a serious accident, or worse.
So, what can you do to minimise risk across your fleet, keeping drivers safe and business ticking along smoothly? Here are our six top tips…
Ensure drivers have maximum drive times each day, and take regular breaks. This is one of the most obvious things to mention, but it’s incredibly important. Driving while tired is bad enough, but it can also lead to driver stress levels rising, leading to rash decision making. By guaranteeing that drivers have regular breaks every two or three hours – and only work a maximum number of hours each day – ensures cargo is transported safely, jobs get done, and everyone gets to bed safely on an evening.
Route planning around vehicle types. While pointing a satnav at a chosen address is all fair and good, road choices may only be well-suited to a car-derived van, but not a Luton or an articulated lorry. Make sure you pick out the best route for your chosen vehicle.
Planning around weather. While Michael Fish’s prediction still makes people distrust weather forecasts 30 years after it happened – and who can blame them, given the dinginess of British skies even at the height of summer – weather reports are more dependable than ever, and need to be taken into account, especially when it comes to ice, high winds and heavy rain.
Hands-free kits. Fleet drivers need their phones more than any other road user, but under no circumstances can they be used to their ears. Fleet managers must invest in hands-free devices, whether that’s speakerphones via Bluetooth, or headsets. Even then, care must be exercised, as “police can stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted and you can be prosecuted”.
Regular checks of vehicles, alongside recommended vehicle checks. While scheduled maintenance of vehicles every few thousand of miles (as recommended by the manufacturer) is part and parcel of any fleet manager’s routine, a driver should do a vehicle walkaround every day to make sure everything is fine. It depends on the vehicle, of course, though the DVSA provides handy sheets like these to look at possible issues both inside and outside the cabin.
Education and seminars. The HSE, Brake and RoSPA all offer detailed factsheets, training DVDs and presentations designed specifically for fleet managers to teach their drivers how to be safe on the road. And sure, you may get a few grumbles along the way, but there’s a good chance a few surprise facts may crop up for viewers. Given that 90% of accidents happen because of driver error, prevention should be high on any list, and this sort of training needs to be mandatory for all new employees.
