Introduction

The trucking industry has been hit hard by the current recession, but there are steps that you can take to ensure your business stays strong and weathers the storm. It’s important that you’re proactive in taking care of your business and keeping it ready for any challenges ahead. The following suggestions will help ensure that your company stays strong through rough economic times:

1. Make sure your equipment is in good condition

• Check your maintenance records.

• Make sure your tires are in good condition.

• Check the engine oil and coolant levels, belts, hoses and other components that require regular replacement to make sure they’re all up to date.

• Look for leaks on the outside of the truck as well as under it—if you see one, get it fixed immediately because water can cause rust on your frame and weaken its structural integrity over time.

• Check the brakes and suspension by taking a long trip and checking for any abnormal vibrations or sounds when you press down on each pedal during braking or driving over bumps in the road; if something seems off here it could mean an expensive repair bill down the line so it’s best not to ignore these warning signs!

2. Reevaluate your safety program

During times of economic turmoil, safety becomes an even more important part of the job. You don’t want to be the trucking company that caused an accident during a recession, because it could hurt your reputation and end up costing you customers for years. As a driver, you don’t want to get into an accident in which someone else got hurt or killed either—it can ruin your life if you’re convicted of vehicular manslaughter or something similar.

Safety should always be important when driving, but it’s particularly important during a recession because there are fewer drivers out there bidding on jobs and companies tend not to hire new drivers unless absolutely necessary (which means they might try shipping with fewer trucks). This means that if you get into an accident now, it’s likely going to cause damage both financially and emotionally since there’ll be fewer other drivers around who could take your place while you’re suspended from work due to injuries sustained in the crash.

3. Keep up with maintenance schedule

One of the most important things you can do to ensure that your truck is running at peak performance is to maintain a regular maintenance schedule. This includes checking your truck regularly for problems and making sure all the parts are working properly, like tires and brakes.

Keep in mind that any issues with your vehicle should be addressed immediately so they don’t lead to bigger problems later on down the road. If a part needs replacing or fixing, don’t wait until it’s too late—the longer you wait before taking care of it, the more expensive repairs may become.

4. Check on your tire performance

• Check tire pressure and tread depth.

• Check for nails or screws in the tires.

• Check for leaks.

• Look for signs of damage, such as bulges or cuts in the sidewalls, which could indicate a hidden puncture wound that is invisible to the eye but will likely result in uneven wear on one side of your tire.

5. Use data to plan ahead and adjust routes

You can use data to plan ahead and adjust routes. For example, if you know that there’s going to be a lot of construction on the highway, it’s better for your trucking business to reroute the trucks. Or if there’s going to be a big event in town that day where all the traffic will be congested and slow, then you should try to avoid those areas at all costs because it would take too long for your trucks to get through them safely. The key is having information about what’s ahead and using it wisely so that everything goes smoothly without any hiccups along the way.

6. Monitor hour usage and consider driver assists

If you have a fleet of trucks, monitoring driver hours of service is an important part of managing your business and keeping costs down. In addition to having the ability to track hours and days worked by individual drivers, it’s also important to monitor key metrics such as miles per gallon and average speed (both of which can help you estimate fuel costs).

In addition, driver assists like automatic braking are becoming increasingly important in reducing accidents, which means they’re also saving money for companies that use them. This type of technology has been shown to reduce collision-related damage by up to 25%.

But perhaps even more importantly, these kinds of technologies can help prevent fatigued driving—a major cause behind trucking accidents. While there’s no easy way around it: if you want your drivers safe and alert on the road, then you’ll need some kind of vehicle assist feature like automatic braking.

7. Update technology, software and processes

• Update technology, software and processes

I can’t stress enough how important it is to use technology to your advantage when planning, tracking and managing your fleet. It’s no secret that trucking companies are struggling with the new technologies that are being introduced into the industry. The good news is that there are many affordable options out there that will allow you to centralize data collection by using telematics devices, track your drivers’ hours on the road and even get email notifications at regular intervals.

Some of my favorite technology tools include:

• Fleet Management Software – this type of program allows you to manage everything from vehicle maintenance records all the way down to fuel costs per driver or vehicle class. Some programs have gone a step further by including GPS tracking capabilities so they’re capable of providing real-time updates on where each vehicle is located at any given time too!

• Telematics Hardware – these devices collect data about things like speed limits (which helps prevent speeding tickets), mileage driven during shifts or day/night cycles for safe driving practices…the possibilities are endless! You’ll want one installed in every truck if possible because it’ll allow you instant access anytime anywhere without having anyone physically log into anything first.”

8. Be prepared for fuel price changes

Fuel prices are a major concern for trucking companies. In fact, fuel makes up around 40% of a company’s operating costs and it is the most volatile part of those expenses. The average fuel price per gallon has increased by 27% since 2009. There are many factors that contribute to fuel prices such as supply and demand, refinery margins, taxes on imports and exports, environmental regulations and other governmental policies.

Depending on your business model you may need to be prepared for sharp increases or decreases in fuel prices:

• If you’re in long-haul trucking then expect high costs when oil prices go up because diesel engines use more energy per mile than gasoline vehicles do (20-25 mpg vs 12-15 mpg).

• If you’re doing local hauling then expect low costs during periods of low demand such as slower seasons like wintertime when drivers don’t want to spend too much time away from home so they’ll accept lower wages instead of driving across country at peak times where there’s more competition for jobs which could mean higher wages but also more wear & tear on their trucks which would lead them back into local hauling routes once again assuming they can afford repairs after working long hours without rest days.)

9. Pay attention to driver training and retention

• Pay attention to driver training and retention.

• Retain your drivers. Having a good driver retention program is vital for trucking companies in the current economy. As previously mentioned, many drivers are quitting their jobs due to low wages and other factors. If you want your company to survive the recession, you need to do a better job at retaining your drivers so that they don’t leave for another job or retire early.

• Driver training is not just about safety. When it comes down to it, there are many reasons why a driver may leave their job during the trucking recession: low wages, poor management skills from supervisors/managers, long hours on the road without breaks or decent sleep time at night during “work days” (when really they should be resting), etc.. These issues can all be addressed through proper training programs that include practical information as well as life skills such as financial literacy classes for drivers who want assistance with managing their money responsibly when out on the road full-time; stress relief techniques; etc..

10. Look out for driver health and wellness

• 10. Look out for driver health and wellness

The importance of driver health and wellness should not be underestimated. A tired trucker is a dangerous trucker, as they can easily fall asleep while driving. This is especially true when the body becomes accustomed to being awake at night (for example, when working overnight shifts) and then tries to go back to sleep during the day. It’s also important that drivers make time for exercise, a healthy diet, stress management and avoiding substance abuse (including alcohol). These simple steps can help prevent accidents or promote safety on the road so you don’t have to take unnecessary risks while driving.

Trucking industry can be hit hard by recession but it is important to be proactive.

Trucking is a cyclical business and companies can be hit hard by a recession. As the backbone of the American economy, trucking is affected by many factors including fuel prices, freight rates and driver pay.

Trucking companies need to be proactive during recessions so they don’t suffer as much.

Conclusion

Whether or not you are affected by the trucking recession, it is important to be proactive. If you are thinking about starting a new business in this sector, now is the time! Trucking companies have been downsizing and laying off workers so there are more positions available than ever before. With a little bit of luck and hard work anyone can become the next big thing in trucking.