Weekend rock-crawlers aren't the only people who need to worry about getting stuck in the mud, snow, or dirt. If you manage a commercial fleet that typically operates on poorly maintained service roads or unpaved work sites, then it is essential to prepare your crews for disaster. Proper training and equipment can help to ensure that a stuck truck doesn't bring your work to a halt.
These three tips will enable your crews to work through any off-road situation successfully.
1. Provide Off-Road Training
Working off-road effectively means not getting stuck in the first place. While some situations may be unavoidable, proper training can keep your drivers on the road even when the path turns challenging. Preparation of this type is crucial for drivers who may operate on logging roads, wilderness construction sites, or in areas where inclement weather often creates dangerous conditions.
Off-road training provides two significant benefits: it gives your drivers the knowledge they need to navigate rough trails as well as the skills to get out of hairy situations on their own. Since most off-road training courses teach recovery skills, your crews will learn how to extricate their vehicles from minor jams without calling for outside help.
2. Properly Equip Vehicles
Knowing how to use recovery equipment isn't enough: you must also equip your drivers with the proper tools to deal with situations when off-road. An essential recovery toolkit should include a snatch strap and appropriate shackles at a minimum. While these tools won't be enough to get a lone vehicle out of a tough situation without a winch, they are crucial when using a helper vehicle for recovery.
More extensive kits should include recovery boards and portable air compressors. Simple hand tools (sockets and wrenches, at a minimum) can also be useful for situations where a vehicle may become damaged while stuck. If possible, you may also want to consider equipping a winch on any vehicle that operates alone on remote trails.
3. Work With a Reliable Recovery Company
Even the best-prepared drivers will eventually face situations they cannot escape without assistance. When stuck off-road, working with a trustworthy recovery company is crucial. You must be able to trust your recovery crew to find your driver and to pull their vehicle free with minimal damage. Recoveries of this type are complex operations and so require companies with skill and experience.
With a little bit of preparation and a good recovery company on your side, you can ensure that your drivers remain safe in even the most difficult terrain. For more information, speak with representatives from a company like R & R Towing that provides 4x4 recovery services.
Share22 June 2020
There's more to owning an automobile than simply getting in and driving it every day. You have to fill the tank with gasoline, have the oil changed every three months or so, keep an eye on the brakes, make sure there's a spare wheel handy, check the tire pressure — and so forth. These skills can seem overwhelming when you are new to car ownership, but in time, you will catch on. Reading a little more about automotive structure, repair, and maintenance can help. Get started by reading the articles on this blog, written by real automobile aficionados for car owners like yourself.
