When you run a transportation business, you have to know how to manage risks. For many small business owners, this is a simple matter of bonds and insurance policies, but when your team works on the road and travels all over the region or even the nation, you need to go further than just managing policies that protect you financially. You need to take care of your people and your equipment wherever they’re at. It’s just sound financial policy, after all. If your drivers are sidelined trying to fix mechanical issues, they’re not getting where they need to be and you’re losing time and money. Commercial roadside assistance programs are your best remedy, because they get help out to your driver so your cargo can get where it needs to be.
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Advantages to a National Program
Roadside assistance programs have been offered at the state level for a long time, but one of the hardest parts about establishing a national network is finding a comprehensive web of affiliates who can get out to commercial drivers no matter where they’re at. There are only a few contenders when you need coverage throughout the entire United States, and working with one simplifies your process a lot if you have drivers that go from coast to coast. Your team never has to worry about which contractor to call based on where they’re at, for starters. You’ve also got a single fee to cover the cost of participation in the program for your whole fleet, rather than piecemeal coverage for the vehicles that operate in each area. Most importantly, it simplifies the procedures each driver needs to follow in an emergency.
Towing and Cargo Handoff
Roadside assistance can often help with small mechanical issues and put drivers back on the road, but not always. In the event of a major breakdown or accident, your roadside assistance program needs to be able to get your truck righted and run out to a commercial vehicle garage that can handle the job. You also need to be able to hand off the cargo by getting another rig out there quickly, so you rely on clear communication about where the trailer is and how it is secured. When you have a single contact for your roadside incidents and towing, the administration side of coping with these issues gets easier, so you can have the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ve got a plan for any contingency. That’s just as important as the kind of financial protection you get from insurance, and it keeps your team working through the problem so your customers stay happy.
