How To Build a Safe Driving Culture for Your Fleet

For a growing business, renting a small fleet of commercial vehicles helps meet customer demand without committing to ownership. But with that flexibility comes a challenge: ensuring every driver operates safely, even if they’re behind the wheel only occasionally.

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The good news is that establishing a safe driving culture is easier than most companies think. Let’s look at why it’s so important and explore three fundamentals that can shift your fleet safety program into high gear, protecting your drivers, your freight and the motoring public.

Why do businesses need a fleet safety program if they rent trucks?

Whether your company rents, leases or owns its trucks, your drivers must abide by the same federal and state regulations as all commercial motor vehicle operators. A fleet safety program provides a standard set of rules regarding hiring and training, along with company-wide policies to regulate the safe operation of vehicles. Benefits include:

• Less downtime
• Reduced risk of accidents
• Stronger driver recruitment and retention
• Better customer service

A culture of safety can even boost the bottom line and save lives.

• For every $1 invested in safety and health, organizations can expect $4 to $6 in cost savings and increased productivity, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
• Human error is a major factor in 94% of all fatal crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Ongoing training equips drivers with the tools to make better decisions behind the wheel and avoid hazards on the road.

Let’s look at each of the three aspects of a safety-first approach to professional driving.

1. Hiring Highly Qualified Drivers

The first step in establishing a fleet safety program is finding the right people to climb into the cab. All drivers should undergo a formal screening process — including current drivers and any new hires — regardless of whether they need a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to drive your company’s vehicles.

Best practices include:

Running a motor vehicle records (MVR) check.These checks will verify that your drivers hold valid licenses. They also give you insight into job candidates’ driving records. MVRs are issued by each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or driver’s license agencies. And while each state’s rules are different, most

Obtaining a Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report. The PSP is run by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). It goes a step further than an MVR check by showing federal roadside inspection data (including driver out-of-service violations) and crash reports, even if those crashes did not result in a citation. Each query reveals five years’ worth of crash data and three years’ worth of inspection data. This step is voluntary but highly recommended.

Companies using PSPs report an average 8% lower crash rate and a 17% lower driver out-of-service rate than those that don’t.

Querying the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. This online database, run by the FMCSA, provides employers with real-time access to information on any drug and alcohol program violations committed by CDL drivers. All companies that hire CDL drivers and are registered by the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) must register with the clearinghouse and check the status of all current and new drivers at least once annually.

Hiring managers should also contact a driver’s prior employers before making an offer. Another smart step is adding a road test to the interview process so you can evaluate a potential hire’s driving behavior and skills firsthand.

2. Training Commercial Rental Truck Drivers Early and Often

A safety-first mindset includes training new hires at onboarding and offering refresher training to current employees.

New drivers may benefit the most from time-tested approaches to safe CMV driving, such as the five keys emphasized by the Smith System Driver Certification Program: Aim high in steering, get the big picture, keep your eyes moving, leave yourself an out, and make sure other drivers see you.

Fleets with regular driver training report 50% fewer injuries.

Refresher training should take place at least quarterly. Topics include:

• Defensive driving, covering the importance of driving at or below the speed limit, planning routes in advance, and scanning the road ahead for potential hazards.
• Space management, including maintaining an adequate space cushion between vehicles and avoiding low-clearance hazards such as bridge strikes. This is especially critical for drivers new to large vehicles and for those operating in an urban environment.
• Distracted driving, with tips to avoid visual (texting while driving), manual (taking your hands off the wheel to eat) and cognitive (daydreaming) distractions.
• Fatigue management, including the warning signs, Hours of Service (HOS) rules for CMV drivers, and strategies to get a good night’s sleep.
• Cargo securement, offering tips to prevent cargo from shifting and rolling, such as using ropes, webbing, steel strapping or binders.
• Seasonal hazards, including how to handle snow and ice in winter, strong storms in spring and heat waves in summer.

Safety outside the cab is just as important as inside, especially for large trucks. That’s why fleets should also teach their drivers how to get in and out of their trucks safely by maintaining three points of contact at all times.

3. Establishing Policies To Govern Safe Driving Behavior

When drivers have questions about safety, they should be able to find answers in your company’s policies. These policies set the standard for how your drivers should act behind the wheel. At a minimum, businesses should implement these policies:

Clear disqualification criteria for hiring drivers and/or putting drivers out-of-service, including behaviors such as DUI convictions, reckless driving, tailgating and excessive speeding.

Distracted driving policy prohibiting cell phone use while behind the wheel per FMCSA regulations and setting other guidelines, such as not eating, drinking or programming GPS units while the vehicle is in motion.

Seatbelt usage policy, dictating their mandatory use.

Drug and alcohol policy covering the penalties for showing up impaired and driving while intoxicated, along with guidelines for ongoing testing.

Emergency and incident response, so drivers know who to call and what to do in the event of a breakdown or accident.

Driver maintenance policy that mandates pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections, including checks and timely repairs of key parts like brakes, lights and tires.

Put safety into practice across every mile

It takes time to build a safety-first culture, but clear standards for driver hiring, training and behavior are a strong place to start. In some cases, you may find that a commercial rental truck provider can help by recommending resources and best practices. Penske Truck Rental, for example, offers free apps to help drivers track their HOS and 24/7 roadside assistance in case your employees run into trouble on the road.

If you’re ready to put your highly trained drivers into a well-maintained vehicle, reserve your truck today.

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