3 P’s of Winter Weather Truck Driving

Thursday January 10, 2019

Can you feel it? Winter weather is in the air. The temperature is dropping and you know that means it’s only a matter of time until snow and freezing rain are falling from the sky. In the transportation industry, this can mean a logistical nightmare for drivers, shippers, receivers, Fleet Managers and the list goes on…

So what can you do to make this Winter as successful and stress-free as possible for your fleet? The answer is simple: patience, planning & safety.

Patience

In today’s world, patience is perhaps the most difficult thing to both preach and practice. We live in a “right now” society with Amazon Prime Now, nearly instant food delivery and more. Technology has wired us to expect everything immediately and this carries into everything we do…especially on the road.

Just watch how many people speed through every yellow light. Take a look around on the highways and you’ll notice massive amounts of tailgating. Everyone is in a hurry. But being in a hurry during Winter spells disaster. We all will have deadlines, but we must practice patience during the Winter and recognize that some things are just out of our control.

Planning

We have more ability than ever before to plan ahead with all the technology available at our fingertips. While there will most certainly be unexpected incidents/weather that occur – properly planning for Winter driving with things such as the must-have survival items in your truck can go a long way when disaster strikes. Trip planning is always crucial to a professional driver’s success, but it’s even more important in the Winter.

The more you can plan ahead, the better prepared you’re going to be. If a Winter storm is moving in, maybe this means planning your hours so you can get a start on your route earlier in the morning. Or maybe it means working with your Driver Manager to adjust your route ahead of schedule.

Preventative Maintenance & Safety

Safety is at the top of everything we do here at Dickinson Fleet Services, and it should be at the top of everything you do as well. Part of ensuring safety during the Winter months means doing preventative maintenance checks to make sure things such as the defroster and heater are working properly. It is also imperative during snowy/rainy conditions to make sure wipers, wiper motor, lights, esp. brake and tail lights are working correctly. washer fluid is topped off, drain moisture from the air tanks, and, of course, make sure all brakes still have plenty of life remaining.

This can be accomplished by scheduling all of your truck routine maintenance and repair services through Dickinson Fleet. We will come on site to your location to make sure your trucks are ready for Winter during your “off” hours. This way, your fleet will be up and running as much as possible to maximize your company’s revenue this year.

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Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Dickinson Fleet Services has grown into one of the largest independent fleet maintenance and management companies in the country. Dickinson Fleet Services is the leading provider of on-site mobile maintenance and repair services nationwide. Offering mobile on-site maintenance and repair services for light, medium and heavy-duty trucks and trailers with over 400 mobile units operating nationwide.