The transport industry relies on the people up there in the cab, driving vast distances, through calm and wild weather, all year round. And with so many moving parts involved in their role, it can be a complex process to ensure the safety of your operators.
At Rentco, we understand that your business is built on its people. So we’re dedicated to ensuring the safest, most reliable vehicles we can, to make sure your drivers stay safe out on the roads, and they go home safely at the end of their shifts.
Here’s how you can ensure the safety and wellbeing of your people behind the wheel.
Use safe and reliable trucks in your fleet
The number one way to ensure the safety of your truck operators is in the vehicles that you use.
It’s important that you utilise vehicles that you know are equipped with the latest safety equipment, that are finely tuned and serviced to ensure that they continue operating in peak condition. By undertaking proactive maintenance regularly, this means you reduce the chance for any malfunctions or problems to arise. And if the problem isn’t there to begin with, you’re already in a better place.
At Rentco, our vehicles undergo a complete safety review when they get back to our depots. This ensures we can identify any issues or problems that occurred during their use, and fix them as soon as possible—ensuring a safer, more reliable truck rental fleet.
Undertake regular brake testing
Regular brake testing is crucial to verify that your trucks’ braking systems are operating at their optimal performance level.
After all, your trucks can have massive weight behind them. So by testing your trucks’ braking systems, you ensure your drivers can maintain better control of their vehicles, improve their handling, and stop safely—particularly when hauling a heavy load, or in steep or challenging conditions.
Brake testing helps identify any issues or wear in the braking system early on, allowing you make repairs or replacements before anything goes wrong. It helps to enhance the safety of your operators and other road users.
Offer safe driver training
Proper training helps your drivers be more aware of potential hazards, have a better understanding of defensive driving techniques, and know what to do when responding to emergency situations.
Essentially, it means that your drivers are prepared to handle any situation.
Regular driver safety training provides means that your operators can work to a nationally-accredited standard. They’ll learn valuable techniques to improve the manoeuvrability of their vehicles, safe following distances based on the weight of their load, and how to navigate challenging road and weather conditions, improving their overall safety immensely.
They’ll learn to better anticipate risky situations, and how to avoid them, and how to employ defensive driving strategies in their day-to-day operations.
It also means they learn and understand the rules and regulations related to driving hours, speed limits, load weight, and vehicle maintenance—all critical to their overall safety in the cab.
Maintain clear communication
Clear communication between your truck operators and other personnel is critical in improving your drivers’ safety.
It helps to improve the efficiency and safety of everyone on your site: your drivers tell your teams where they are at all times, and your teams know where and when to expect your trucks.
We’re in a golden age of technology, it feels. With two-way radios, GPS tracking systems, and in-cab telematics, you get real-time tracking and communication between your drivers and dispatchers. This helps to improve your drivers’ route planning, helping to create a culture of safety.
Clear communication also helps to ensure a greater degree of situational awareness. By regularly communicating with your people about where they are and what they’re doing, your operators are more mindful of traffic conditions, weather changes, road signage, and potential hazards. This all works together to decrease the risk of accidents and allows your drivers to react smoothly to changing circumstances.
Ensure safe load protocol
Your truck operators are the front line of your operation, so they need to know how to safely manage their vehicles—particularly when it comes to securing their loads.
Whether they’re carrying a truck trailer, low loader, or taughtliner, proper load securing protocol makes the difference between a safe delivery and a catastrophic accident. Properly secured loads prevent cargo from shifting or falling during transit. It reduces the risk of accidents caused by loose debris on the road. And, importantly, it ensures the safety of other motorists sharing the road with your fleet.
Securely fastened loads also help to prevent damage to your cargo, and your trucks’ infrastructure and equipment. It means better vehicle stability, and helps your operators to control their acceleration, braking, and driving around corners.
Boost the safety of your drivers with our truck rentals
As operators of heavy machinery your truck drivers have a big responsibility. So prioritising safety in your operations is a critical factor that not only ensures the wellbeing of your drivers in the cab, but also your wider team, and other road users.
At Rentco, we have a culture of safety built into everything we do. Contact us to discuss how we can help you improve the safety of your people and your operations with our comprehensive, safe, and reliable truck rentals.
