Staying Warm on the Job Can Prevent Employees from Coming Down with Illness. Take Precautions!
Your terminal tractors may not need to be dressed for the winter weather, but your rigs do. Are yours ready? The frigid temperatures of winter deliver snow and ice that make trucking tasks increasingly difficult and dangerous. Many accidents on America’s congested roads lie at the hands of such weather, with 467 fatalities annually resulting from icy conditions, and nearly one-quarter of vehicle crashes caused in whole or part by inclement weather according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Luckily, however, with a bit of preventative winterization maintenance, you can limit risk.
Seven Ways to Prepare Your Fleet for Cold Weather:
Maintain Tire Health
Responsible for 1-of-11 crashes, watch for uneven tire wear indicating alignment or bearing/kingpin issues. Be sure to check tire pressure as temperatures drop as well: Tire pressure decreases with temperature, increasing rolling resistance and impacting fuel economy.
Watch out for ‘Fuel Gelling’
In cold weather, fuel molecules can gel or wax-up and cling together. Winterize fuel to prevent fuel filter clogs and protect MPG with the right additives/fuel treatments.
Keep Water Out of Fuel Sources
Water will settle into the lowest point of fuel filters, tanks and hoses, freezing. To ensure fuel gets safely to the engine, water contamination must be eliminated.
Check Battery & Fluid Levels
Monitor charge levels, replace washer fluid with ‘no-freeze’ alternatives, and ensure proper coolant levels.
Ensure Maximum Visibility
Always keep windows clean and clear.
Stock Your Cab
With extra water and non-perishable food in the event you may become stranded.
Drive Differently
Slow down and use extra caution when driving in rain, sleet, snow, ice, fog, and wind, as other drivers struggle with the weather.
Increase safety from dockside to doorstep. Learn more about terminal tractors from DJ Products today.