For any business with its staff operating mainly on the road, there are a whole host of dangers and risks to consider. Just like an office environment, you’re responsible for your fleet of drivers and their safety.

Within the US, Australia, and EU countries in general, work-related motor vehicle crashes contribute to at least one-quarter to over one-third of all work-related deaths. Being cautious and putting in preventative measures is a smart move for any trucking business or company that oversees a fleet of drivers.

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How do you protect those that are out of sight? It’s not like you’re able to check in on them as you could do in an office or on a work site. In this guide, we’ll look at the top tips that help keep your trucking business safe and secure. From the employees driving the vehicles to the trucks themselves, all aspects of the business need to be protected.

Some trucking vehicles may also carry more valuable cargo than others, making them a security risk. Implementing the right protocols and safety features will help keep your staff safe and the cargo protected from theft.

The risks for your trucking business 

Running a trucking business isn’t just a risky one for safety and security on the road. There are plenty of other risks that come with owning a business type such as this one. These include:

• Maintenance fees – Repairs and maintenance costs are high with big vehicles like trucks
• Insurance costs – Additional insurance is required to cover employees on the road
• Regulations – Depending on where your cargo is traveling, different countries will enforce various regulations and laws

As well as this, finding the right drivers who are qualified for such a mentally intensive job is hard to do and it’s important to look after their well-being too. Risk is part and parcel of any business, so it’s good to be proactive with your company operations. 

9 tips to keep your trucking business safe and secure

As a trucking business, there are many opportunities to strengthen the security and safety of both your vehicles and employees. It’s been found that more than one in three drivers have had a serious truck crash during their career, so employees can’t be too careful.

Here are nine of those tips to keep your trucking business moving and mitigate any risks where possible.

1. Get all of the relevant insurance necessary.

Insurance in life is a must-have, whether it’s personal or business-related. For trucking businesses and those with a fleet on the road, there may be additional insurance that is required to provide that extra coverage.

Like all insurances though, they cost money and what coverage you do get will depend on what the business is able to afford every month/year.

A few insurance types to have for your trucking business include:

• General liability
• Commercial auto
• Cargo insurance
• Non-trucking liability

Car hauler insurance is another one to consider as the cost to use a car hauler is damaging to the business financially. Do your research though when you’re looking at how much is a car hauler insurance and any insurance for that matter. Different providers will offer a variety of costs, so it’s useful to compare quotes.

2. Screen all your new employees with care and detail.

With your employees driving on the road, they may pose a risk to themselves, the vehicle, and other drivers or pedestrians. They, therefore, need to be properly qualified to drive such a large vehicle. They also need to be sound of mind to do the job professionally and responsibly.

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Screening all your new employees is something you want to do with care and with detail. Any accident that ends up happening on the road will mean the business comes under scrutiny. 

If your business was found to have skipped corners on screening employees and the employee was a miscreant, then reputational damage is a strong possibility. Do background checks and ensure every employee is suitable for the job at hand.

3. Provide your drivers with regular training in safety on road.

For any driver, bad driving habits will often formulate upon passing their test. While this is common, it’s something that should be corrected where possible, especially for drivers carrying such heavy loads on the road.

As a trucking business, you should be delivering regular training for driver safety on the road. From speed awareness courses to refresher driving lessons on occasion. Even those with years of experience as truck drivers need their driving skills to be updated and brushed off.

Delivering regular training also covers the company’s back to show that they have done everything possible to ensure their drivers are safe on the road.

4. Monitor their driver performance with asset tracking.

When it comes to a trucking business or any company where staff members are on the road, monitoring their progress is difficult without the use of technology. 

Fleet telematics was invented back in 1974 and has evolved greatly since then. The early years of GPS tracking are methods that are still used within the modern technology available today.

Asset tracking platforms are great for monitoring driving performance and keeping track of the driver’s progress on the road. There are a variety of tracking platforms available nowadays, with Teletrac Navman being a suitable example. 

In addition to asset tracking platforms, transportation companies can significantly benefit from implementing a transportation management software suite. This software can help streamline logistics operations, including dispatching, routing, and scheduling, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings.

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Business operations and those responsible for the management of the fleet, are able to see real-time data on the drivers. From time spent on the road, to tracking their speed for safety, there’s an abundance of features to utilize. Implementing a comprehensive guide to fleet management can further optimize these functionalities, ensuring maximum efficiency and safety across the fleet.

5. Have security protocols in place to protect the employee and cargo.

Security protocols are useful to have in place to protect both your employees and the cargo being transported. Despite whether or not the cargo is worth a lot of money or not, security is critical to avoid any loss.

Informing your staff of security protocols will provide them with the best chance of getting out of a situation unscathed. 

It gives your employees peace of mind that should they find themselves in a situation where they’re threatened or perhaps involved in an accident, they know what processes to follow.

Having a good truck accident attorney is also incredibly useful if accidents do happen. They can help you handle the situation smoothly by managing any legal issues and guiding you through the process. With their support, you’ll have someone knowledgeable to rely on, ensuring you and your employees are protected by someone who knows what steps to take. This makes dealing with the aftermath easier, knowing there’s a plan in place if things go wrong.

6. Install security alarms and CCTV on all vehicles.

Talking of security, all trucking vehicles should ideally be fitted with security alarms and CCTV. This is useful in any situation where a vehicle has been compromised. Whether the employee is in the truck at the time or not, implementing this security equipment is beneficial for insurance purposes and as evidence when a crime has been committed.

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According to supply chain intelligence from BSI, road freight either in transit or parked, accounts for 87% of all cargo thefts in the supply chain. 

Security alarms and CCTV are particularly important to have when the cargo itself is of high value. More attempts made toward your business vehicles result in bigger losses and damage to the company.

7. Keep working hours to a safe level at all times.

Truck drivers often spend a lot of time driving on the road to ensure deliveries and pick-ups are made on time. Working hours should be kept at a safe level at all times, regardless of how tight some turnarounds might be.

You’ll want to check in regularly to ensure truck drivers are taking regular breaks and that they’re getting enough rest. Driving for too many hours and on little sleep makes them a danger to others on the road, including themselves. 

Being tired at the wheel is just as dangerous as being drunk and driving. That drowsiness is something that could be a killer, so safe working hours are crucial to monitor.

8. Offer employee perks to keep drivers happy and healthy.

As a business, you want to keep your employees happy and healthy on the road. After all, driving for hours behind a wheel isn’t exactly the healthiest position to be in for that long.

With the average salary for truck drivers being around $58,000 a year, more should be done by businesses in their generosity. Consider regular pay rises for those who have been in the business for a while. 

You may want to look at employee perks that help look after their physical and mental well-being.

9. Switch up routes and timings to avoid being tracked by criminals.

To touch back on the security and safety of employees and their trucks, try to switch up routes and timings. Setting up routines will make it easier for the trucks to be tracked by criminals, especially if the cargo is of high value. 

Work with your fleet management team to create flexibility in routing and timings to mitigate the risks of criminals targeting your business vehicles and the employees driving them.

Strengthen the safety and security of your trucking business this year

With the US trucking industry being one of the biggest and valued at over $700 billion, it’s a business that is highly sought-after. As a business, the more you do to protect your trucking business, the better. 

For tanker owner operator jobs, prioritize safety and security by implementing rigorous driver training, regular vehicle maintenance, advanced security systems, and fostering a safety-conscious culture within your organization.

Utilize these tips to help prioritize safety and security for your company and its employees this year.

Author Bio: Natalie Redman (LinkedIn)

Natalie is a freelance writer with two years of experience in web page copywriting for businesses across many industries. She’s also an owner of two blog websites and a Youtube content creator.