Fall’s the best time to be in trucking. Tourist traffic has lightened up and road crews have downed tools. The cooler weather means fewer tire failures, and your drivers don’t need their a/c, so fuel economy’s up. Like I said–autumn is a fabulous time to be in this business. But don’t get too relaxed. It’s also the time to prepare for winter.
Step one: Before the first snowfall, bring the entire fleet in for a major service and inspection. And I’d start the routine where the rubber meets the road; i.e., at the tires. Running on bad rubber is dangerous any time of year, but come winter it’s deadly. Traction is king.

The first thing to do is make sure that all tread depths are above allowable minimums. And if you do spot problems, pull the tires. Don’t ever try to coax a few extra klicks out of worn rubber and never run anything less than a perfect tire through snow. If recapping is called for, get on it. Remember, you don’t get optimum traction unless unless your tires are properly inflated. Anything else and you’re operating with less than a full-tire footprint.
The next priority should be to check all levels and to ensure that you’re running with winter-spec’d lubricants, coolants and other fluids. Test all heaters, defroster systems, batteries, hoses, belts, and windshield wipers. Pay special attention to wiper blades. Nothing compares with the aggravation of worse than having these things go while you’re battling the first snowstorm of the season somewhere out on the Trans Canada.

And while we’re talking ice, let’s discuss the stuff that builds up on trailer roofs, which, if it’s not cleared off, becomes a ballistic menace. Whose problem is it anyway? And what’s the right thing to do?

The first answer is, it’s your problem. The key is to get up there and shovel it off, before it flies into windshield of some poor guy driving behind one of your trailers. It sounds easy, and it is, as long as you abide by federal and provincial laws that protect your workers. Before you send anyone up there, be sure they’re equipped with proper safety gear. This could mean anything from requiring them to wear a safety harness to providing some sort of elevated platform with a railing. I’ve also seen some very elaborate drive-though systems, designed to get the ice off without involving people, but whatever you use, drivers must continue to check trailer ice. All season long. Plan now how you are going to deal with the problem.

Make sure your vehicles are equipped to protect your drivers in case they have to pull over and wait out a winter storm. Every vehicle should carry extra windshield washer, antifreeze, lock de-icer, a high-quality window scraper, traction sand, flash light, shovel, roadside flares, candles, matches, spare gloves, winter coat, extra socks, non-perishable food snacks, and a pair of snow boots. Create a checklist and stick to it.

Vehicles aren’t the only things that need cold-weather prepping. Fall is also time to pull out your winter-driving videos and get your drivers out to a few safety seminars. You can’t remind drivers often enough that winter driving is all about vehicle space management and that it’s the operators’ responsibility to give themselves time to plan and execute avoidance maneuvers. Defensive driving is different in the winter, so start talking about the space and time techniques early.

It’s also time to talk about the Christmas driving season. Christmas means parties, and we’ll all be sharing the road with a few more impaired drivers than usual. Statistics tell us that one out of every eight drivers is legally impaired. Every driver faces the possibility of meeting an impaired driver, each time he takes to the road. Remind your staff of this as often as possible Further, we as an industry should all consider “sportin the MADD Red Ribbons on our trucks during the months of November through January to heighten awareness on the subject of drinking and driving. Call 1-800-GET-MADD (438-6233) or visit www.madd.org to find out how you can get involved.