
Fleet Safety Over the Holidays
For fleet managers, the holiday season is a high-stakes time. Discover essential tips to tackle driver fatigue, boost vehicle reliability and streamline workflows during this busy and demanding period.

For most Australians, the holiday season means easing off, kicking back and soaking up the sun. For fleet managers, however, it’s one of the busiest and most challenging times of the year, with many fleets clocking up even more kilometres than usual.
Fleet management becomes a real challenge when shipping and delivery volumes increase at the busiest time of year, and fleets are often pushed to operate at full capacity to meet tight deadlines. As those demands grow, so do the risks – including driver fatigue.
Managing driver fatigue
Fleet driver monitoring is obviously vital at any time, but even more so in the busy holiday period. While your workplace should have a fatigue policy, it’s a good time to remind your employees that not being fatigued when you get on the road is just as vital as knowing the signs of fatigue while at the wheel.
Getting plenty of sleep the night before driving a vehicle is vital, and can get trickier at this time of year, especially with so many parties and events happening. Eating a balanced and healthy breakfast that will deliver a slow burn of energy throughout the day is also a good habit.
If drivers do experience signs of fatigue – lane drifting, unintentional speed changes, heavy eyes, yawning and loss of concentration – they must pull over and recover safely, and manage signs of fatigue, even if that means taking a power nap. A short 20-minute nap can help combat drowsiness.
Maintaining your fleet under pressure
It’s also important for fleet managers to keep an eye on the other part of your business that will be under stress: your vehicle fleet. The last thing you need at this time of year is a breakdown, so keeping up vehicle checks is a necessity.
This might also be a good time to think about hiring new drivers. The pressure on your fleet from people taking time off or all wanting holidays at the same time can make you realise how strained your fleet capacity is.
Streamlining workflow with smart solutions
Keeping your workflow under control is another top focus area during busy periods like the holidays. You can reduce paperwork by taking advantage of your Shell Card which makes business fuel tax claims easy, with streamlined GST tax statements and integration with accounting software. You can also manage multiple cards through the Shell Card Portal.
The holiday season can be a challenging time for fleet managers, but it doesn’t have to be. Proactive planning can help you manage this busy time smoothly, and streamlining your operations with tools like a Shell Card can help your fleet run much more efficiently.
Disclaimer
Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.
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