Whether you are the owner of a large courier company or a small door-to-door courier, you most likely have a fleet of trucks with a number of drivers.
If you transport goods over long distances you will need to educate your drivers on what is needed for long distance travelling.
That means that you will have to prepare them and the truck before they leave to the destination.
Before you release the truck on the road ensure that you check all the vitals of the truck and the trailer.
It is wise to do a mini service or check to ensure that all the parts of the truck and trailer are functioning properly.
Things to check include the tyre pressure, wheel alignment, the engine and to listen for any unusual sounds.
If there are any unusual sounds while the ignition is turned on, you will need to have it checked out by a professional truck mechanic.
You should not ignore any strange sounds coming from your truck before you set out on a long journey.
This may be a faulty or damaged truck or trailer part that needs to be replaced or repaired.
If you do replace it, ensure that you invest in quality truck parts that will be reliable throughout your journey.
Replacing truck and trailer parts with substandard ones could lead to more damage to the vehicle.
Also do an oil service and check the water.
Check that the trailer is properly hooked onto the truck and that all the lights such as the brake lights and reverse lights are functioning properly.
Prepare your truck driver before the journey too.
Train them on the basics of truck mechanics such as what the lights on the dashboard indicates and what could be wrong when they flash.
Train them on the truck and trailer parts that they need to identify in case it breaks down so that they can inform the mechanic of what the cause could be.
They should be able to identify the truck axle and other major truck engine parts.
Give your driver an emergency number to contact if something goes wrong.
It must a number that is accessible 24 hours.
Remind the driver to pull over at regular intervals so that he does not get exhausted and to fill up the tank to ensure that he does not run out of fuel.
Ensure that on the next journey the truck driver, the truck and the trailer all need to be in good shape before venturing long distances.