Car breakdowns and accidents are common occurrences everywhere. In situations like these, people are likely to seek assistance from a tow truck. As a result, this creates a high demand for tow truck drivers around the country. However, there are a few challenges that professionals in the towing industry may face. Therefore, we are going to discuss the risks and challenges tow truck operators and businesses face daily.
Challenges in the Towing Industry
The following are some common challenges in the towing industry you should be aware of.
Accidents and Injuries
Being a tow truck driver can be dangerous given oncoming traffic and bad weather. This can cause drivers to get in accidents and injured on the job. Although a lot of these situations can be out of your control, there are some preventative measures you can take. Therefore, you need to ensure that your drivers get sufficient rest and sleep. A lack of sleep can cause a driver to be distracted and possibly make a bad move.
You should always check your drivers’ logs to ensure they aren’t being overworked.
Keeping Track of Your Trucks
Keeping an eye on all your vehicles’ locations is more difficult than you may imagine. Luckily, there are devices you can use to track your trucks, communicate with your drivers, and get real-time updates from them. As a result, you’ll be able to better locate your vehicles, reduce unnecessary overtime, and prevent detours.
False Liability Claims
There’s always a chance that you could land yourself in a dispute with a customer over damage to their vehicle.
False claims can be very detrimental to a business’s reputation. It can also cost you time and money; therefore, it’s best to implement a management software system. With the use of the software, towing companies can easily deal with customer disputes by identifying their vehicle’s arrival time and the time it took to complete the job.
Communication
Fleet communication is an integral part of ensuring real-time updates throughout the day. It’s best to implement a device that allows voice navigation and 2-way messaging functions. This way your drivers can avoid detours, wasted fuel, and several other factors that can impact your business’s cost and efficiency.
Road Safety
The biggest challenge for tow truck drivers is navigating a route safely. This may include issues with the weather, road conditions, traffic, and much more. It would be wise to keep a navigation system going at all times so you can be alerted on road conditions and traffic. Also, using a weather app can allow you to get real-time weather updates in your area.
It’s important to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Driver Fatigue
Driver fatigue is a serious concern in the towing industry because they drive long distances and work odd hours. This has an impact on the quality of rest they get and can cause driver fatigue. Therefore, ensuring your drivers get plentiful rest and take breaks is crucial.
You can do this by monitoring their work log and setting limits on the number of hours they can operate without a break. This simple change will help you improve the functionality and efficiency of your tow truck company.
Bottom Line
The towing industry is quite profitable but it also comes with several challenges for the drivers and the business itself. You need to tackle driver fatigue, ensure better communication, improve navigation safety, fleet utility, and much more. These simple tips can help you tackle some of the main challenges that impact the industry.
Sources
https://www.actiontowingservice.ca/common-challenges-hazards-associated-towing-profession/
