With school back in full swing for many people, roads are busier than ever. And these busier roads mean an increased likelihood of accidents. During peak times like early morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups, the risks are even higher. For fleet managers, the start of the new school season is a great time to reassess truck and trailer safety strategies. In this blog, MICHELIN Connected Fleet shares three ways to enhance safety measures, protecting not only your drivers and vehicles but everyone sharing the road.
A good place to start is ensuring real-time visibility into your fleet’s location to support effective fleet management and safety. In the event of a traffic incident, knowing the exact location of your trucks and trailers is paramount. With real-time tracking, you can directly pinpoint the precise location of your vehicles for faster response and assistance dispatch, preventing further escalation.
Real-time tracking also optimizes trailer detention times, keeping trailers moving and reducing delays that can lead to driver fatigue and increased traffic incident risk. Overall, real-time location visibility is essential for enhancing fleet safety, ensuring the smooth operation of your vehicles and protecting everyone on the road.
During the back-to-school season, truck and trailer maintenance is necessary due to increased road activity. Operating with overworn or underinflated tires, faulty brake systems or damaged equipment not only leads to costly downtime and delivery delays but also increases the risk of potential roadside incidents.
Implementing regular vehicle preventative maintenance in your operations helps reduce the number of breakdowns, minimizes downtime and enhances driver safety while managing costs effectively. Encourage your drivers to complete post-trip reports to determine areas needing repair or improvement. Using fleet management software data, you can make informed decisions on when to replace critical parts like door sensors, TPMS sensors, GPS tracking and truck and trailer links. Conducting regular inspections, including oil changes, brake system checks and tire assessments can help maintain safety and keep roads secure during this busy season.
Ensuring drivers operate vehicles safely and efficiently is crucial, especially during busy travel times. Driving on congested and overcrowded roads can lead to poor driving behaviors such as speeding, harsh breaking, rapid acceleration and distracted driving, all of which increase the risk of collisions and injuries.
By integrating fleet tracking solutions into your operations, you can analyze driving behavior data and monitor these patterns with real-time alerts and notifications. This data allows you to evaluate driving performance, identify improvement areas and offer targeted driver training programs. By addressing these behaviors, you can enhance fleet safety and reduce vehicle wear and tear while also improving productivity, cost-efficiency and overall safety.
Driver and vehicle safety should be a top priority for all fleet managers, especially during busier times of the year, like back-to-school season. MICHELIN Connected Fleet offers top-tier safety strategies and solutions to ensure your drivers and fleet operate at the highest safety standards while maintaining efficiency and productivity. Our comprehensive solutions, including vehicle tracking tools, preventative maintenance and driver safety alerts, can equip truck and trailer fleets to safely share the road with everyone else.
Ready to give your truck and trailer safety strategy a boost? Contact MICHELIN Connected Fleet today at 800-358-6187 or visit us online to learn how we can support your drivers and vehicles on and off the road.