The winter season is upon us and there’s no going back and, with its arrival, we can expect a number of changes out on the road. Routes may be changed or become trickier to navigate and roads might generally become difficult to drive along for the busy courier driver. The ice, snow and rainy weather are all well and truly on their way and it’s a timely reminder that we all need to be prepared.
As a courier driver, your working life revolves around the roads and your vehicle. If there is a problem with either, your livelihood can come under threat. Not only could any issues result in a loss of earnings, but the Christmas period is, of course, one of the busiest times of year, so any obstacle to a smooth workflow could turn into a real disaster.
To be prepared for the winter season, there are a number of things you can do to make sure things go as they should during this busy period.
Staying Charged Up
As you’ll likely be using your lights, heater and wipers more during winter than at other times of the year, it’s absolutely vital to ensure that your battery remains at a high, if not full, level. This is especially true if you’re frequently making journeys in the dark or if you’re sitting in traffic and turning your engine off and on again.
Whilst you should be replacing your battery every three years or so, there are a number of other ways to keep the charge level as high as possible whilst you’re out on the road. Make sure you switch off your wipers, lights and heating before you turn your engine off at the end of the day. Once you’re warmed up and the windscreen is clear, switch off the heating. You should also try to avoid excessive use of draining electrical items such as your iPod or satnav.
Checking Your Tyres
Making sure your tyres are performing well is absolutely vital for any courier driver, particularly when there is ice or snow on the roads. Ensuring you have a deep tread will mean that you are more likely to avoid the risk of skidding or losing control of the vehicle. This should be at around 3 mm, and should never dip below 1.6 mm.
It is a myth that lowering your tyre pressure will give you more control on tricky roads. In fact, you should ensure that they are inflated to a high level.
Servicing Your Vehicle
Finally, before the cold weather creeps in too far, it’s a good idea to have your vehicle fully serviced. Not only will this identify any potential issues that might need to be fixed before the busy period, but will also give you peace of mind that you are driving a fully-functioning vehicle that’s not suddenly going to encounter serious problems.
As a courier driver, taking on board these three top tips for driving in the winter season will put your mind at rest with the knowledge that you are doing what you can to prepare. Above all, taking extra care on the roads and being super vigilant is the best advice anyone can give to a courier driver.
Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day jobs for courier driver jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
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