As you may have noticed, this year’s winter has been particularly full of snow, ice, and cold temperatures, which can make managing your fleet drivers and fleet vehicles more difficult than usual. Our fleet fuel card company has a few tips that can make your winter operations run smoother:
Update your accident documents
Driving in winter weather means there’s a greater risk of an accident. That’s why it’s important to make sure all of the accident documents in each vehicle are up to date. These documents should make it easy for a driver to know what to do during an accident and have an area to record the information of the other driver (if there is one).
Equip with GPS
When you have a GPS tracking system in all of your vehicles, you’ll be able to know exactly where each of your drivers is located, how fast they’re going, if they’re approaching traffic, and more. This knowledge can help you guide them through winter weather conditions so they can arrive safely at their destination.
Stock up on emergency items
Each of your fleet vehicles should have a first-aid kit, an emergency kit (including warning triangles, jumper cables, and flares) a blanket, and a snack (such as a granola bar or dried fruit) in case of an emergency breakdown during cold temperatures.
Allot extra time
Roads that are covered with snow and ice require many more driving precautions than ones that are simply wet. Drivers travel slower in these conditions, which means you may have to allot extra time for your fleet driver to reach their destination.
Give drivers a fleet fuel card
Fleet fuel cards (like the ones from Fuel Express) give your drivers the freedom to choose from over 320,000 fueling and maintenance locations. They also make it easy for you to plan the fastest and most direct destination routes.
Inspect regularly
Cold temperatures cause vehicles to work harder when they operate, which can put stress on many vehicular parts. That’s why it’s important to inspect each of your fleet vehicles on a regular basis. Make sure their fluid levels are topped-off, their tire pressure is even (especially since many road potholes appear in the winter), their GPS features are working, and there’s no major damage anywhere.
Educate on winter driving
It never hurts to educate or re-educate your drivers on how to drive safely in the winter. Read our blog, Driving Safely in Winter Weather and teach your drivers about headlight tactics, traveling distance, and breaking protocol, along with what to do if you skid or get stuck.
