27/08/2024
🚐Travel Tip Tuesday - Journey Management (Planning your journeys before & during your travels)🚐
Are you ready for that Road Trip? Is your driver ready for that Safari? Are your customers ready for that safari? How do you know and what does it take to be ready? At World-Trotters, the safety and comfort of our customers is very vital; and we will work/partner with the best brands to ensure our customers travel SAFE!!!
Good Journey Management is all about defensive driving skills, preparation (of your customers, drivers, journeys and vehicles) and attitude. The ability to respect traffic laws, to be alert at all times, to be patient and courteous to other drivers, to use correct judgement and most importantly, to drive defensively! If you can do all this, you are already a good journey manager.
As a Certified Logistics & Transport specialist, my 12 years so far working in different fields; the Oil & Gas Industry mostly, I have been taught one important thing - SAFETY FIRST!!! There is not any one moment that I let my drivers depart with personnel or cargo without a Journey Management Plan and a SAFETY briefing (A Tool Box Talk). Tool box/Safety briefings are informal group discussions that focus on a particular safety issue. They enable us to remind and up-skill drivers prepare for an upcoming journey and to better manage challenges on the roads. This has always been a company/business culture. If we didn't carry it out physically, we would do the talk on phone. At World-Trotters, we have applied the same culture.
So, how do you prepare for that Road trip or plan your journeys?
1. Get your vehicle road ready - Perform regular maintenance checks like oil changes, brakes, lights, engines, battery and tire pressure checks. If you’re not sure what to do, have a qualified technician inspect your vehicle. Make sure you or your driver and the vehicle are ready for the road. Also, consider the type of fuel you fill your tank with. Better to stick with reputable brands that have over the years proven to supply good quality fuel.
2. Get your driver road ready - Is your driver well rested? in good health? is your driver well facilitated? Have you checked their documentation like valid driving permit, valid passport, valid certificate of vehicle insurance (Third-Party). Is your driver sober, well rested, in perfect health? Is the vehicle in good mechanical condition?). These are all very vital.
3. Plan your route - Have you planned which route to take. Did you carry out a route survey? Is it a safe route? What is the road condition along that route? Are there any foreseen loopholes? How many stopovers do you plan to make for rest, meals, refuel etc?
4. Focus on the road - Encourage your drivers to be aware of the conditions around them (to Watch out for other road users, road construction sites, road signs, extreme weather conditions i.e. heavy rain, snow, fog etc).
5. Eliminate distractions (Emphasize to your drivers the dangers of talking on the phone, eating on wheels, grooming self while driving.
6. Prepare your drivers emotionally and physically. (An angry, anxious, fearful, fatigued or stressed driver is a Red Flag on the roads. Say NO to road rage! Say NO to fatigued driving! Say YES to calm, relaxed, rested and alert driving).
7. Plan an escape Route - When climbing up or rolling down the highway, especially in heavy traffic, always plan an ‘escape route’. You do this by keeping a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you.
8. Keep an emergency kit in your car. Especially before you head out on a road trip, prepare for the unexpected by keeping these items on board: Cellphone and car charger, First aid kit, Flashlight, Flares, Jumper cables, Candles and matches, Non-perishable food items, Water, Blankets, Personal safety awareness (masks, sanitizers, medicines, personal effects, Vital documentation (Passport, National I.Ds, Vaccination cards etc).
8. ALWAYS, ALWAYS use your best common sense and correct judgement.
You, and the people that you move are very important. Please plan your journeys and stay safe on the roads. Always REMEMBER, SAFETY FIRST!!!
Travel Tips brought to you by World-Trotters, a certified and registered business offering Safaris & Travel Services in Uganda and beyond. Like and Follow our official page World-Trotters and also join our Facebook travel community World-Trotters to stay updated and enjoy the best the industry offers. For any questions or need for more clarity, Call/whatsapp World-Trotters on 0773 004001
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