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Lower wages and worse working conditions for drivers and unfair competition among road freight companies. It is a problem because not only does it affect the driver directly but the company as a whole if these working conditions are not met. It can affect the company’s reliability and their reputation. Every company should treat their workers well. How can the company ensure that the needs are being met? There are a series of checklists and here are some of the major ones.
Allowing drivers the respite they deserve.
Rest is important and as the manager or CEO, you should be well aware of the regulations and ensure that the drivers are able to meet their deadlines without having to compromise on rest. Road safety is vital and should be instilled into all drivers prior to them leaving the warehouse/start location. Road safety can be divided into three parts: primary (or active), secondary (or passive) and tertiary. The drivers should be allowed rest so that they do not need to pull over as frequently.
Banning certain red flags that can cause accidents.
The use of phones during the journey should always be prohibited unless they are speaking through a headset. If calls are needed on route (frequently they will be), you should provide them with a headset to ensure safety. Answering a call and even sending an SMS or WhatsApp while driving misleads whoever is behind the wheel and makes them not pay attention to the road and this can cause crashes, making errors with their GPS or other types of collisions that may cause injury, or even death.
Ensuring exceptional maintenance of all vehicles.
Preventive maintenance basically means conducting regular inspections and repairs to avoid problems on the truck. These reviews are based on the time of your vehicle, fuel, mileage, engine and include actions such as lubrication, adjustment, cleaning, etc. If it is not done according to a schedule, the consequences are a reduction in the useful life of the vehicle and an increased risk of accidents. An 80,000 pound truck for example, would need regular checks ups because of its weight. The driver has a limited responsibility but still an obligation to themselves at least, to check certain things before they drive. They should try to detect potential problems and to do this correctly, the vehicle operator must be trained in the inspection procedures. The main components that you should always check are tires, oil, suspension, there is a long list, which can be found here.
As a business, do not be hindered by your own errors and mishaps by not taking essential care of your employees. This can lead to problems with clients, and may even lead you to penalties in the future. Look at ways to ensure safety and security and happy employees so that they can meet targets and enjoy working for you without having to worry about potential safety issues. It’s an essential way to take care of your business. A form of safeguarding, you will certainly not regret implementing this.