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Reward Good Drivers by Tracking These 4 Metrics

Detailing practical methods like performance coaching and feedback systems to assess and encourage driver safety.

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It’s difficult to ensure that your drivers are operating in a safe manner.

Sure, you’re probably already doing a few things to encourage safe driving, such as performance coaching, thorough candidate screening for new hires, improved driver communication, and a feedback system – but these efforts aren’t enough.

Start an incentive scheme, that’s what you actually need to do. It doesn’t have to be something costly, like an all-expense-paid trip to Hawaii or anything; a basic gift card or an Employee of the Month plaque will suffice. A monetary bonus for safe driving at the end of the year is also a terrific motivator.

Any expression of gratitude will provide your drivers with the extra motivation they require to be extremely cautious. Crash costs include both the cost of the accident (especially if your driver was at fault) and the more abstract (but equally important) cost of being late to destinations and upsetting your clients, so cautious drivers will save you a lot of money.

But how would you assess your drivers and determine who is deserving of a reward?

It all comes down to knowing which metrics to focus on. The four metrics listed below are particularly useful for assessing driver safety:

1) How Serious They Are About Online Safety Awareness Training

It’s one thing to assign online safety awareness training modules to your drivers; it’s quite another to ensure that they actually complete them and retain the information.

It’s a lot easier to simply assign modules to your drivers than it is to check in on them and see how much they’ve learned. Because managers are preoccupied with so many other things, follow-up duties like these frequently go through the cracks.

You’ll have a lot better knowledge of your workforce if you take the time to examine how seriously each of your drivers is taking these modules. This will show you which staff have the capability to manage a promotion and which are better off with less responsibility, in addition to rewarding safe driving

2) Seat belt Usage

One of the most crucial parts of safe driving is the use of seat belts. It saves lives on a daily basis.

By peeking into vehicles as they arrive and depart from a dispatch site, you can track seat belt usage.

Those who fail to use this critical safety equipment should not be given a bonus; instead, they should be given a coaching session. Drivers who remember to buckle their seat belts on a regular basis, on the other hand, are deserving of a prize.

3) Vehicle Speed

The more quickly a vehicle travels, the more risky it is to the driver and other road users.

You can use GPS tracking software to keep track of how fast your drivers are driving at all times. You’ll always be able to see who’s driving safely and who has to be urged to slow down.

4) Motor Vehicle Records

These measures will assist you in evaluating the drivers that are already on your team. But what about new drivers with whom you haven’t previously collaborated?

This is where the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) comes in. You can get a motor vehicle record (MVR) and look through a new hire’s driving history to make sure they’ve never been involved in anything dangerous. Those with a spotless record should be rewarded right away. Those who have had a few incidents in the past, on the other hand, should be subjected to a probationary term before being entitled for any benefits, assuming you decide to hire them at all.

Last but not least, make sure that all of your drivers are aware of the criteria you use to determine which drivers receive rewards. Rewarding one driver implies that you’re overlooking a few other drivers, which might naturally lead to animosity. However, if you can persuade your drivers that you utilize an objective procedure to evaluate performance, you can reduce animosity.

About Roundtrip

Roundtrip's mission is to equip every business with the software tools they need to deliver products to their customers in a delightful way. Thousands of Shopify merchants worldwide choose EasyRoutes to power their local deliveries across dozens of product categories, from meal kits and groceries to coffee, cupcakes, kibble, and so much more. Our easy-to-use route planning and delivery optimization app is certified Built for Shopify, a two-time Shopify staff pick, and the top rated local delivery app on the Shopify App Store.

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