productivity

Millions of companies rely on cars, vans and trucks for all manner of business. Food vans, delivery and logistics are prime examples. And sometimes, your vehicle is your business, and you depend on it for your income. However, staying productive means looking after your four-wheeled friend to make sure you guarantee a quality service for your customers.

Make Sure You Have Enough Fuel

One of the most common reasons a vehicle breaks down is simply because you have run out of fuel. It’s crazy to think that this happens with so many service stations around, but it does. In fact, in the UK alone, over 800,000 people per year run out of petrol, diesel or charge while driving on British roads. However, you can store your fuel safely for commercial purposes. Petrol and diesel drums hold up to 200 litres of your required fuel so you can fill up at your business before every trip. So, no more waiting at busy petrol stations when time is against you.

Efficient Time with GPS

Global Positioning Satellites used to be something only the military used. However, in the mid-1990s, the United States opened up its systems to the domestic market. As a result, you can now use satellites in space for location triangulation. And because of this, you always know where you are in relation to your destination. Also, expensive GPS systems are no longer required. Instead, your smartphone can install excellent GPS apps like Google Maps. These apps will give you additional information about road closures, traffic jams and incoming weather.

Know Your FLOWER

You can and should perform a FLOWER check before heading out on each trip. No, this doesn’t mean filling your vehicle with tulips. Instead, an easily remembered acronym for the basic checks you should carry out:

• Fuel: check there’s enough fuel or electric vehicle charge.
• Lights: make sure all lights are working.
• Oil: dip your oil.
• Water: check coolant water levels.
• Electrics: test interior electrics and engine battery.
• Rubber: measure tread depth for grip. 

Of course, a vehicle is more complex than these basic features. However, you can ensure your vehicle is at optimal safety when driving out for pickups or deliveries. 

Listen to Weather Warnings

Further to incoming weather, make sure you always listen to local weather reports since adverse weather can be dangerous. At the very least, a storm is likely to add some time to your delivery schedule or perhaps stop you from using roads altogether. But by getting ahead of the reports, you can make plans around the weather. For instance, you can inform customers that their delivery might be late. Or you can inform your drivers that they should stay at home for the day. If the recent UK storms Dudey and Eunice are anything to go by, they alone make the case.

Check Your Drivers

Running a business means you are responsible for pretty much everything. And that means checking your employees are fit for purpose. For a company that depends on vehicles for making money, your drivers are essential. Therefore, you should hire drivers with a clean license and no history of reckless driving. And given how dangerous the roads can be, it isn’t a bad idea to mandate regular drink and drug testing. Finally, all drivers need a license for the country they are in. For example, a Polish driving license isn’t valid in the United Kingdom.