When you’re doing business from afar and have a fleet of drivers on the road delivering or servicing around the country or across seas, it can be challenging to keep up communication levels, make sure that they’re happy with their schedules, and also keep up morale.
Long hours on the road can quickly bring down motivation, and it can also cause someone to feel very disconnected from the rest of the team. However, if you look after your drivers you could have a team of trustworthy and happy employees for many years to come.
Looking after employees on the road is more challenging than those in say, an office setting, so check out these tips on how to look after your drivers!
Check alcohol consumption
We don’t need to tell you what the risks are when driving over the limit, nor do we need to tell you that alcohol can still be in the system even the day after drinking. However, while you can’t stop someone from enjoying an alcoholic drink in their free time, you can stop them driving if they’re over the limit.
Carry out frequent and random breath tests on your drivers to avoid them taking the chance of driving. It’s your responsibility to look out for the welfare of your drivers and other road users, and if your drivers are over the limit it’s also your role to make sure they don’t get in any of your vehicles.
Having regular breath tests will encourage your drivers either not to drink the night before a shift, or to consume their alcohol sensibly so that when it comes to getting into the driver’s seat, they’re not putting anyone in danger.
Conduct frequent risk assessments
Sometimes, no matter how safe your employees drive, there can still be accidents and this is can be because the vehicle itself isn’t safe to drive. Your drivers should be conducting daily checks on their vehicles to ensure they’re safe to drive.
However, you should make sure that your drivers report any issues as soon as they crop up, and that you’re having them serviced regularly to ensure that there isn’t any risk of danger. Semi trucks are especially hazardous because of their size and weight, so make sure that you’re carrying out regular risk assessments.
To make sure you’re doing things properly, speak to a semi-truck accident lawyer so that you can be sure your legal obligations are fulfilled.
Make it easy for them to communicate
Being on the road frequently can quickly make someone feel disconnected from the rest of their team, especially if they’re the only one taking trips away from the office. While you shouldn’t use phones or other devices while driving, you should make it easy for your drivers to communicate with people in the office.
Investing in a high-quality Bluetooth headset will allow them to freely communicate with other staff members. Not only will they no longer feel like an outcast, but it’s a safe and convenient way of making sure relevant information can get to your drivers on time.
Check on their health!
You probably know yourself how hard it can be to drive when you’re not feeling too well, and you should always take this into consideration for your drivers. While it’s perfectly okay to drive with small ailments such as the common cold, you should insist that nobody drives when they’re under the weather, even if they feel like they are well enough for a day of work.
Take note of the health of your drivers, and arrange yearly health checks so that you know your drivers are fit and healthy and most importantly, not causing a risk to themselves or other road users.
Give them fair schedules
Finally, and possibly most importantly, something many drivers struggle with is unfair schedules, and not only is this bad for morale and motivation, but it’s also dangerous. It’s imperative to give your drivers time for essential and basic human needs such as eating, drinking, and using the bathroom when they need to.
Not only that, driving for long periods of time is tiring, and your drivers will need to take regular short breaks to refresh their minds and continue safely. Remember to include plenty of breaks within their schedules so that you’re not inadvertently putting them at risk.
Follow these tips and you’ll have a happy, healthy and most importantly, a safe team of drivers on the road!
