We are often discussing driver retention strategies and how fleet management solutions like SynX can really motivate your drivers to stick around, as it makes their life much easier (as well as the rest of the team’s), but we are now going to shift our attention on just how to create a great driver orientation process. In other words, let’s look at how to start off on the right foot with a new team member!
Companies who have a successful fleet definitely have an effective system in place for training newly hired drivers. Some companies might think this is not necessary, as do some of the seasoned drivers, but we are going to review a number of strategies you can incorporate into a driver orientation process that will become a valuable tool to benefit your company.
#1 - Checking new hires’ driving records
This needs to happen before the training period; it is definitely a good way of checking what areas a driver will need training up on or the type of problems they have experienced in the past.
#2 - Make sure part of the training is devoted to safety
You can use the occasion of the new hire training to emphasize how driving style has an impact on safety as well as on other factors such as costs (particularly fuel consumption) and how safety has to always come first. This would be the first step toward ongoing safety and risk assessment programmes that should help to protect drivers and other road users as well as make your company responsible and reliable.
#3 - Do a “quick tour” of a working day with new hires
This is a very good tool to make sure drivers understand all their daily tasks and know how to carry them out: start the day by showing how a vehicle check is carried out; run through the vehicle features; if loading vehicles are involved, demonstrate how to do it safely and how to secure loads as well. Do not take it for granted that the new hire is already familiar with certain procedures. If training is done properly, you will quickly see the benefits!
#4 - Take drivers through the different policies active in your fleet
This should not be just a mere handing-out of papers to be signed; take the time to run through the different points in the policies and make sure drivers understand before they sign them.
#5 - Use different ways of repeating and reinforcing the message within your company
Reiterate the message to your drivers with newsletters and bulletins, meetings and internal magazines if you have them; don’t make the good principles that are at the base of the program a “one-time” thing.
Use your driver orientation process as a reminder about the usage of vehicles, fleet policies, safety, preventive maintenance, and after-accident procedures. If you do not have an orientation process in place, although it can seem time-consuming to implement, you will definitely see results if you make the effort!
To learn about how to downsize the process of your fleet, see our blog post here.
