Delivery work can be a pretty challenging job if you go into it without planning. If you want to protect yourself and the precious cargo you have been trusted with, you should keep these tips in mind.
- Stay mum about your business – Avoid needlessly divulging information about your schedule, destinations and the type of cargo you are carrying. The less people know about the nature of your deliveries, the harder it will be for unsavoury types to get hold of information.
- Beware of geo-tagging apps – Mobile devices like smartphone and tablets are immensely useful for handling delivery work. Do take note, however, that some apps on these devices transmit the user’s location without their full awareness. This is especially true for social networking apps that have access to the user’s location via GPS tracking.
- Keep in touch with co-workers at regular intervals – It may be dangerous to share your location to strangers over the Internet when you’re doing delivery work, but not to co-workers who can help you out by calling emergency services or providing assistance. GPS tracking and radio check-ins are immensely useful for this purpose. Preparing a passphrase for potential or imminent danger can also alert co-workers.
- Tough locks, windows and alarms serve a purpose – Investing in these safety measures may not keep determined thieves at bay, but they will certainly act as a deterrent. Reinforced doors and windows make it harder for thieves to break into your vehicle, while hi-tech alarm systems that are hard to disable will help prevent anyone from silently jacking your van or lorry.
- Lay over only in dedicated truck stops – Long-distance haulage work will require that you stop over somewhere for the night. Dedicated truck stops have ample parking and security measures designed specifically to protect drivers, which makes them a much better choice than your average parking lot. Another advantage is the solidarity that bond hauliers to one another – there’s safety in numbers, as they say.
- Avoid carrying excessive cash – Bulging wallets may arouse the curiosity of those around you, which is not a good idea when you want to keep a low profile. Use credit cards if you must make or receive payments involving large sums of money. If you absolutely must use cash, then keep it stowed safely in a strong box inside your lorry.
- Learn how to manage road rage – Driving angry is always a recipe for disaster, from figuring in an accident to becoming involved in an altercation. Cultivate a calm mind-set while driving, lest a swift burst of anger lead to something stupid – the danger of which is magnified when tired or stressed.
Keep these simple, practical tips in mind and you’ll have a much safer time as you go about your delivery work.