If there’s one thing which you don’t want as a carrier, it’s excessive downtime. Not only can it be frustrating and boring; it can make your working hours less efficient and see you finishing many of your shifts later than originally planned. As a result, we offer you 5 tips for minimizing downtimes for carriers.

1. Ensure that your truck is regularly maintained

Obviously, one of the main sources of downtime for carriers, new or seasoned, will be when their truck doesn’t play ball and they have to stop. Minimizing downtimes for carriers is often as simple as getting it inspected and repaired on a regular basis, ensuring that it is periodically maintained by the fleet management and maintenance providers responsible. If you think that your vehicle may be in need of some TLC, speak to the relevant authority and get your truck seen to before problems arise on the road.

2. Tell your boss if your truck is past its prime

Again, a truck which is getting toward the end of its working life is very likely to slow you down and see you being unproductive. Your managers should want to be minimizing downtimes for carriers, and part of this process is simply buying new vehicles when the time comes! It gets to a point where buying a new truck is more cost-effective than repairing the existing one, so don’t be afraid to point this out.

3. Drive at the speed limit

A lot of drivers would be lying if they said that they never break the speed limit, even if it’s only by a few miles per hour. Nonetheless, driving at the speed limit will not only keep you in your managers’ good books – it will ensure that you arrive safely at your destination at the time you’re supposed to.

4. Pay careful attention to your routes

We’ve all done it – you get distracted by the radio or a billboard at the side of the road and you miss your highway exit. If you’re driving in a particularly rural part of the country, you may find yourself having to drive for an extra hour so to turn around and get back off at the correct highway exit, resulting in excessive downtime. Sticking to your routes and paying careful attention to the road is a crucial aspect of minimizing downtimes for carriers.

5. Get your produce delivered quickly

Although you shouldn’t rush your deliveries, it’s not uncommon for refrigerated truck drivers to get caught up in conversations with retail workers as they make their deliveries. While this is fine, try to ensure that you’re only sticking around to talk for as long as is necessary to complete your delivery, before then carrying on your journey elsewhere. Remember that you’re on a schedule, and you’re only going to give yourself more delays later on in the day.

We hope you enjoyed these tips on minimizing downtimes for carriers, remember to drive safely and efficiently at all times!