Tips for Selecting Safe Drivers for Your Business

Delivery woman driving van

Being behind the wheel demands a heck of a load of responsibility. When you need to hire a new driver for your business, you need to take plenty of things into consideration as this person will not only be responsible for the safety of the people engaged in traffic but also be in charge of representing your company in the best limelight. Therefore, it is paramount for employers to ensure that every new driver they hire operates the vehicle safely, responsibly, and diligently. Before you start your selection, you need to conduct thorough research first, and here are some major tips to consider.

Set high standards

First things first, your next candidate must meet all the vital standards required to operate a vehicle on an open road. Besides the obligatory driver’s license, your new driver also needs to have the specialized driver’s category if it’s required for the job position as well as all Department of Transportation requirements. Check the experience and make sure that the candidate has at least five years of prior experience and a clear driving record without any mahjong violations or preventable accidents. Parking tickets aren’t a problem here but do check how the driver parks the vehicle on a designated spot because this can be vital for unloading and loading goods.

Validate driver’s work history

It’s of utmost importance to possess a driver’s license of a minimum of five years, depending on the type of job your new driver will be conducting, or perhaps less, but it’s even far more crucial to have satisfactory experience. Spend time to accurately verify and validate the candidate’s work history and safety record. Besides not having any punishments, a police record, and violations, you also need to double-check his driving work history to get information on whether the driver has had any traffic citations or vehicular crimes in any form. Moreover, it would be advisable to read the reference letter from a previous employer and see how he has conducted business.

Suggest training and certification checks

Whether he would be driving through bustling Sydney or around the calm outskirts roads, the new driver should stay open-minded for training and certification checks. To ensure that your new employees stay up to date with new traffic alterations and requirements, you may opt to send them for extra training or car lessons. When looking to hire safe drivers for your business, there’s no shame in sending them for additional professional car driving lessons in Sydney to learn how to maneuver around hectic and loud Sydney traffic. What’s more, this serves as a mandatory option for every new employee to redo and practice some driving techniques and enhance safety on the road.

Evaluate motor vehicle records

Whether for violations or any other necessary background information, evaluating the motor vehicle record is a must-do step. If you want to ensure that the person who is representing your company behind the wheel is responsible, diligent, and honest, you should conduct an MVR review. Here is where you can see the vehicle’s history and have an insight into how the vehicle was handled. Apart from inspecting the driver and his driver’s license and history, this is also an inevitable step before hiring a new driver.

Conduct a specialized interview

Interviewing with a future employee is a must for any type of business, however, when you are looking to hire safe drivers for your business, you need to go one step forward. Go through the candidate’s job application in detail and learn about his or her past driving experience and, of course, check the safety record. Next, try to be firm and detailed by asking open questions and encouraging the candidate to talk about experience, especially how they have used their driving technique for professional purposes. Make sure to note the severity of driving under alcohol and specify the obligation of not doing such an action. Also, inform the candidate that he is obliged to perform a drug test before working as a commercial driver.

Protect your business, employees, pedestrians, and other traffic participants by carefully choosing the next driver for your business. Take time to verify all certifications, and licenses, and conduct necessary checkups and tests to ensure the absolute safety of all participants.