Doing right by your drivers

Logistics is a massive category of employment in all modern economies. This is because proximity and location is important, no matter what the online space might tell us.

We still need to deliver physical products, sometimes meet for certain services, and ensure that your own belongings are transferred from one place to another with care. It might be that a business takes cash, and has a bank just down the road. It is still wise for drivers to use practical security solutions to transmit that cash from one place to another.

Doing right by your drivers, then, is an essential task. Not only can branching out into your own logistical needs save you money in the long term, but it can also help you extend that great customer service you have become known for. That is the essence of business growth, and could net you goodwill with your clients and customers. Let us consider how you might ensure the driver’s experience is a good one, so they can deliver the best service possible in the long term:

Do not overwork them

Logistics drivers, especially long haul truckers, are known for their work ethic. Some are more than happy to drive all day and night to earn money and to build their reputations. Depending on where you are, it’s essential to know what their driving limits are. For the most part, most drivers are not allowed to drive longer than eight hours without a break of thirty minutes. On top of that, they should never drive more than fourteen hours a day. On top of that, they should have a ten hour break between working periods as the legal minimum limit. But this isn’t ‘doing right by your drivers.’

This is the bare minimum you should absolutely ensure. It’s important to give them time to achieve their deliveries, to not push them to unrealistic standards. No matter what your client says, you NEVER override those legal limits for the promise of more pay. Instead, you ensure that driving staff are always care for by checking up on them, and ensuring they are taking their breaks. This gives them the chance to drive more safely and to avoid road burnout.

Cover them

Covering your drivers with great insurance is important. Ensure they can report any issue to you, that you provide them with dashcam options, that you give them comprehensive health and liability insurance. This can protect them thoroughly if something goes wrong.

Equip them

It’s important to equip them with functioning trucks and cars, but also to ensure they have the latest technologies to help them fulfill orders. GPS tracking can help them ensure they are on the right road, traffic reports and alternate route suggestions can help them avoid wasting time, and route optimisation can help them avoid getting lost or wasting even further time with outdated road information.

With this advice, you’re certain to do right by your drivers.