How To Prepare The Fleet For Winter Weather

Winter has well and truly begun, with temperatures dropping to single digits and ski fields opening early. Which means it’s time to prep your fleet.

From cold temperatures and intense winds, to heavy rain and snow, weather conditions pose unique challenges to fleets. Fleet management software can help you to both prepare for when a weather bomb hits as well as respond quickly. Before your company is side-lined by a storm, prepare your drivers and vehicles with these four tips:

1. Brush up on driver safety

Most crashes are caused by a combination of contributing factors. According to the Ministry of Transport, driving too fast for the conditions is a contributing factor in around a third of all fatal crashes and 15 per cent of all injury crashes.

Before drivers head out on the road, make sure weather-related safety procedures and expectations are clearly communicated to your entire fleet. For example, safe and reasonable driving speeds during the summer can become dangerous during poor weather. Consider lowering the speed limit for an over speed event during winter months – and use the in-cab device to alert drivers in real-time.

Figures from the Queensland Government Department of Transport and Main Roads illustrate that a driver’s speed directly impacts how long it takes them to stop, and it’s made worse on a wet road.

For example, if a tree has fallen on the road ahead or you spot black ice and need to brake suddenly:

· Driving at 100km/h on a dry road, you need 98 metres to stop: 42m in reaction distance, 56m in braking distance.

· Driving at 100km/h on a wet road, you need 122 metres to stop: 42m in reaction distance, 80m in braking distance.

So reiterate expectations to drivers on dramatically reducing their speeds, wearing a seat-belt at all times and leaving an appropriate buffer between other vehicles.

2. Prep the cab

Even the most experienced driver is not immune to weather-related mishaps, so encourage drivers to create and keep a personal emergency kit in their vehicle, including a torch, emergency foil blanket, first aid supplies, work or winter gloves, non-perishable snacks and water, etc. Check this kit is up-to-date and any food is within expiry date at the beginning of each winter.

If your fleet is operating in the central North Island or the lower South Island, consider upgrading to snow tyres, or adding chains to installed tyres. Make sure that there are snow chains in the vehicle, along with high vis clothing and road signage in the case of a breakdown.

3. Check vehicles receive necessary maintenance

Take the time to check that all vehicles requiring maintenance are serviced well ahead of the winter season. Unexpected storms can strike at any time, and vehicles that haven’t been properly prepared could end up broken down and out of service, putting the driver at risk and causing costly delays.

Using fleet management software with GPS trackers can help fleet managers be proactive about maintenance by creating regular schedules for service based on engine hours or odometer readings. Based on engine diagnostics and fleet maintenance history recorded in the system, companies can recognise the symptoms of equipment failure in advance and plan maintenance services to prevent malfunctions during severe weather.

Proper maintenance also extends to tyres. Fleet managers should make sure that tyres are in good shape for driving in winter conditions and that they’re replaced or rotated when necessary.

4. Develop a winter weather communication plan

If the weather is very bad, some roads may be closed altogether, and drivers will experience significant delays. If this occurs, a winter weather plan can help businesses stay on track to fulfil orders. A contingency plan ensures a work flow management strategy is in place to answer customer inquiries and provide updates on potential delays in real-time; GPS fleet tracking tools can also reroute drivers helping them stay on schedule.

If weather conditions do affect drivers, GPS fleet tracking means fleet managers can ensure recovery services locate a disabled vehicle quickly if asset maintenance or medical attention is required.

With effective fleet management and the help of a few tech tools, businesses can stay productive through winter without chilly surprises.