For those working in fleet management, ensuring compliance can often feel like a double edged sword. On one hand, safety standards help to maintain fleet integrity, reduce repair costs and mitigate the likelihood of a surprise malfunction. But on the other hand, keeping your trucks up to code can sometimes feel like an over the top, ‘box ticking’ activity that makes life more difficult for all involved.
One key part of truck compliance are driver walkaround checks, but unfortunately for fleet managers, little to no truck drivers got into the industry for their love of admin. This is one of the many reasons that these important checks get neglected. Fortunately, however, there are several ways to overcome this issue and ensure that even the busiest of drivers complete accurate daily checks.
Go Paperless
Clipboards will only get you so far when it comes to walkaround checks, and one way to reduce the hassle involved is to switch to a paperless system. Checks that rely on paper necessitate extra steps, such as sourcing the document and handing it in. Paperless checks carried out on a mobile app mean that drivers can automatically pass on essential information at the press of a button. Plus, if there is a problem, photos can be uploaded to speed up the maintenance process.
Emphasise the Benefits
Getting workers to engage in any form of administrative task can be a challenge for all managers. Most often, the easiest way to sell these kinds of tasks is to emphasise the perks. Luckily, in the case of walkaround checks, there are potentially a few at play. The most obvious benefit is reduced downtime and fewer unexpected issues to run into, but this isn’t particularly tangible and the advantages are more gradual.
However, keeping a record of walkaround checks allows fleet managers to incentivise and reward drivers for both consistency and quality. Having a more substantial perk can be very effective in encouraging employees to engage with routine tasks.
Remind Them of the Reality
Of course, compliance is the law, and walkaround checks are a big part of compliance for fleet management. In the event that a daily check isn’t completed and a driver runs into an issue, the driver will bear the responsibility and could face fines, or even a prison sentence. While this isn’t a particularly nice point to hammer home, it’s important that drivers understand the gravity of the situation should they not complete checks.
Stay Compliant with Transcare
We understand how important it is to work with a fleet management company you can trust. Whether you own or manage a fleet or run a logistics company, it’s vital you can rely on your fleet maintenance company to help you remain compliant with regulations and stay ahead of your competitors. That’s why Transcare offers comprehensive truck servicing and lorry testing to help you stay on track. For more information, please get in touch.