Prioritizing safety as a transportation business owner

The transportation and logistics industry has the potential for remarkably high profit margins, but it is also an industry with high safety risks. Owners and fleet managers must keep best practices regarding safety at the front of their minds each day because even with many policies and precautions in place, there is always the element of road conditions and other motorists that will be out of their control. Having a high priority on safety can also lend itself to employee retention and loyalty. Providing your drivers with evidence that you care about their wellbeing behind the wheel shows them that you value them on a human level and not just as a cog in the machine.

Take Advantage of Technology

Not every car, truck, or piece of equipment that you need to run your business day in and day out is going to come with the technology that you need to elevate safety. Consider adding software after the fact that can be customized to your specific needs and help your entire team work together to get the job done. Vehicle telematics are a great option to create a unified fleet management system that gives your managers a chance to have their eyes on the road to support your drivers in real time.

Technology can act as a virtual manager. By investing in software, you will experience increased safety, efficiency, and compliance. This investment will also help to bridge the gap between road and office staff by allowing data to be collected without a driver having to physically report it. Giving your drivers the tools they need to be able to concentrate solely on the road is an intentional way to emphasize safety first.

Get Help from the Pros

Licensing requirements will vary based on the type of business you own and the driving laws that are associated. Although the drivers you employ have already gone through the requirements as dictated by law to be able to drive for you, consider adding professional training once hired as an additional safety precaution. A huge benefit of adding driving lessons from a professional into your training model is that they can be customized to support the polices and procedures specific to your business.

You can decide if it is in the best interest of your business to implement this training one time or throughout the duration of employment. Some business owners have found that ongoing training is a great way to keep an element of freshness in the performance of their employees. Setting the expectation that there will be frequent check-ins regarding performance prevents staff from going on auto pilot.

Invest in Your Equipment

While driver training and development is essential for road safety, if your team is operating equipment that is not properly maintained safety issues will present themselves regardless. Even brand-new vehicles will require frequent checks due to the heightened level of usage they will experience. Beyond investing in professional routine maintenance,  investing in emergency roadside kits for each vehicle can help to mitigate smaller issues that can impede overall safety and performance.